§ MR. G. MURNAGHAN (Tyrone, Mid)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland with reference to the inquiry into the case of Mrs. Beggs, whose ribs and breast bone were found broken after her death in the Belfast Lunatic Asylum, whether he can now state the result of the Inquiry; whether any physical examination of her was made after her admission to the asylum, and if so, on what date, by whom, and what entry of it was made; and if he will say on what date the straight waistcoat was placed upon her, and if her ribs and breast bone were broken before or after that time?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe report of the Inspectors of Lunatics who held an inquiry at the Belfast District Asylum into the circumstances attending the death of Jane Beggs deals with the matter at considerable length, and was communicated yesterday to the Board of Governors of the Asylum. A superficial physical examination of this woman was made by the Assistant Medical Officer of the Asylum on the day after her admission, viz., the 6th January. She was also examined on the same date by the Resident Medical Superintendent. On the 8th January a further examination was made by the Visiting Physician. The result of the examination by the Assistant Medical Officer on the 6th inst. was as follows:—State of bodily health, healthy; heart, sound; lungs, sound; bruises on legs, arms, and sides, small scars in same positions, œdema of hands and ankles. The straight waistcoat was put on on the 6th January and was taken off on the 8th January. The Inspectors have not been able to ascertain definitely whether deceased's ribs 103 and breast bone were broken before or after that time, though in their opinion the weight of evidence favours the presumption that they were broken before that time.