Eliza Jane Rolls

  General Notes:

On the 28th October 1868 Eliza Hiscock died. There was an inquest held into the cause of death. It was established she had died of Dysentery.
The Webster’s Dictionary explains Dysentery as: any of various intestinal diseases characterised by inflammation, abdominal pain, toxaemia, and diarrhoea with bloody, mucous faeces.
Edwin Brock, a surgeon did the autopsy and gave the following evidence:-
I am a legally qualified medical practitioner residing at Kilmore. I made post mortem examination of the body of Eliza Hiscock this day - I found extensive tubercular disease of both lungs:- the summits of the apices of both lungs, especially the left were broken down by stumous softening; the whole of the left lung was much congested, especially the upper lobe: the heart was pale and flabby, but otherwise not diseased. I also found a small collection of matter in the left kidney. All the other organs of the body appeared healthy, except being pale and anaemic looking. The right parotid gland was much swollen, causing ecchymosis of the right side of the face. The blood throughout the body was fluid. This body was greatly emaciated.
It is my opinion the diseased died from general debility, the result of diseased lungs, and to a certain extent disease of the heart. The inflamed parotid gland may have accelerated the death.
Mary Ann Hanford was a witness at the Coroner's Inquest. Her statement is as follows:
I have known the deceased for the last nine years intimately. For nine months past I have noticed Mrs Hitchcock failing; she, twice then got very thin. I often enquired after her health directly or indirectly. About five weeks ago, she had a very heavy cold, and I heard seven days ago of her swollen face.
I saw her on Sunday. I found her in bed with her face much swollen on the right side. She said she had a sore throat. I asked her if she would like medical attendance, she said no, as she thought it would do her no good.
Fomentations were applied. I saw her about ten minutes before she died, she was very quiet.
For five months before her death she seemed very weak, and complained of pain acrop the chest.
Mary Ann signed her statement with a cross. Hiscock was spelt wrongly in her statement, but because she couldn't read she would not have known that.
Eliza's husband William Hiscock was also a witness and his statement reads as follows:
I am the husband of the deceased Eliza Hiscock. She lost a daughter four months ago, and has been weakly ever since. About a fortnight since she complained of pain in her face and jaws: the pain gradually got worse, and in three or four days afterwards the mouth and side of the face was much swollen.
Her mouth was closed, so that she lived on suction only: previous to four months ago she never complained. Yesterday morning, I noticed her much weaker and worse and sent for Dr Bindley of Kilmore; she was dead before he could arrive.
She had neither medicine nor advices, but wine and nourishment. She refused to see a doctor before.
William was able to write so signed his name. The name had been spelt as Hitchcock but altered to Hiscock and initialled.
Dr Bindley was also the coroner.

  Noted events in her life were:

• Death Certificate Number: (9557).

Eliza married William Hiscock, son of Thomas Hiscock and Jane Foote, on 28 Feb 1830 in Christchurch Priory, Parish Of Holdenhurst, Hampshire, England. (William Hiscock was born on 12 Jul 1810 in Blandford, Dorset England, christened on 5 Aug 1810 in Horsington, Somerset England, died on 23 Jan 1876 in Pyalong, Victoria Australia and was buried on 25 Jan 1876 in Pyalong Cemetery, Victoria Australia.)