Eliza Ann Livermore

Eliza Ann Livermore died in Fulham Hospital on 25 July 1948. Her post-mortem revealed that she had three fractured ribs.

An open verdict was returned, stating that she died from myocardial degeneration following fractured ribs that were sustained in circumstances not fully disclosed by the evidence.

She died the day after her admission to hospital and it wasn't found out until after her death that she had three fractured ribs.

Eliza Livermore's daughter said that Eliza Livermore had a hernia some months before which had affected her health lately. She said that Eliza Livermore was confined to bed and that on 20 July 1948 she had a slight stroke and because after that she complained of pain she was sent to hospital.

When the coroner asked Eliza Livermore's daughter whether he knew how Eliza Livermore had got three fractured ribs, Eliza Livermore's daughter said that she didn't know, but noted that she was very fragile and suggested that she had got them when she was being lifted up in bed.

The doctor that had been treating Eliza Livermore for some time sad that he used to periodically examine her and said that when he saw her on 22 July 1948 she had not complained of chest pains and added that if she had had fractured ribs then he would have expected her to have complained of them.

The doctor added that Eliza Livermore was very fragile and that he thought that her daughter had looked after Eliza Livermore very well.

A doctor at Fulham hospital said that when Eliza Livermore arrived at the hospital she only complained of abdominal pains. She added that an examination showed that her condition was very poor, but that there were no signs of any fractured ribs.

A doctor at Fulham Hospital said that when he saw Eliza Livermore on 24 July 1948, he found no fractured ribs.

The pathologist said that when he carried out the post-mortem examination, he found three fractured ribs on one side, but noted that there was no mark on her chest wall to indicate such injury. He added also that he thought that it would have been impossible to have detected the fractured ribs during the clinical examination.

When the coroner asked the pathologist whether he thought that her rib fractures could have been caused by mild pressure, the pathologist said, 'That seems the only explanation'.

The pathologist added that he thought that her injury might have been caused if Eliza Livermore had twisted suddenly to one side. He added that there was no evidence of direct violence.

When the coroner recorded the open verdict, he said that they didn't know how Eliza Livermore came by the fractures but said that they might have been caused by her having given a violent twist in bed. He added that he was satisfied that Eliza Livermore had been well looked after by her daughter and by those at the hospital.