Mary Pilling

Mary Pilling died from some sort of irritant poison.

An open verdict was returned.

Her husband, a Manchester yarn merchant, was initially arrested on suspicion of poisoning her but after analysis of certain organs found no trace of poison he was released.

Mary Pilling died shortly after eating a meal of fish on Wednesday, however, other members of the family that had also partaken in the meal were not affected although her husband complained of being ill on the Saturday and Sunday.

The doctor that carried out the post mortem said that death was due to gastritis and peritonitis and congestion of the lungs, the two former being caused, in his opinion, by some irritant poison and he sent her stomach and intestines away to be examined.

In reply to questions, the doctor said that irritant poisoning could be set up by eating fish and that it was quite possible for two people to partake of the same fish and for only one of them to be affected.

The organs were examined for arsenic and other irritant poisons but none were found.