Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer – Tuesday 16 December 1919

Nurses Death from Drugs.

An inquest was held at Barnsley yesterday on Mary Adeline George, aged 34, single, a district health nurse, who died at the Beckett Hospital, Barnsley.

Dr. G. E. Atkins said Miss George told him she had got a chill. He was not satisfied with her condition, and came to the conclusion she had had a miscarriage. She then admitted this, and confessed she had taken some pills and drug, the quantity of the latter being very dangerous.

Arthur William Lewis, chemist, Wombwell, stated he had supplied Miss George with drugs, but had no suspicion that these were not being used for professional purposes, as she was a superintendent nurse.

The jury returned a verdict of “felo de se “*

*Latin for felon of himself – illegal act of suicide