Jessie Forrest Thomson

Daughter of Lewis Forrest and Jessie Blackie (Dalziel). Wife of William Gilbert Thomson and partner of George Coutts. Jessie was pregnant when she boarded the Loch Eck with her two sons Gilbert Forrest Thomson and George Cruickshank Thomson. Her daughter Agnes Lochada Thomson was born on 2 January 1882 during the journey. The Loch Eck arrived in New Zealand on 10 January 1882. Jessie later lived with George Coutts and had children to him that were given the last name Thomson.

Loch Eck, 10 January 1882: Second Cabin - Mrs Thompson and family (3). Source: Otago Daily Times (12 January 1882, p. 2).

RELEASE OF BOY BURGLARS. Dunedin, January I2. The two boys, Gilbert and George Thompson, who were, committed to prison in December last with George Coutts, their reputed step-father, on two charges of housebreaking and stealing, have both been released from prison, pending the sitting of the Supreme Court in March next, the former having been released on probation by the committing magistrate and the latter sent to the Industrial by order of'his Excellency the governor. Source: Thames Advertiser (13 January 1894).

DIED WHILE UNDER CHLOROFORM. Jessie Thompson, a widow, died at the Hospital to-day while under chloroform. She was undergoing an operation at the time. An inquest was held on the body this afternoon before Mr Coroner Carew and a jury of six (Mr H. Spears foreman). George Coutts, a wharf laborer residing in Walker street, stated that he knew deceased by tho name of Jessie Thompson. She was a married woman, and was born in Edinburgh. She had been about fifteen years in the colony, and was about thirty-five years of age. She had been living with witness for thirteen or fourteen years. She went to the hospital yesterday morning for treatment, having been unwell for the last two months. She told witness she thought she would have to undergo an operation. She was subject to fits. She drank rather heavily at times, but had bad nothing for the last two months. Dr Stenhouse, house surgeon at the hospital, said that deceased was admitted to the institution yesterday. Site was brought into the theatre to undergo an operation at about two o'clock in the afternoon. Before giving her chloroform witness examined her and asked her the usual questions. He found no disease about the heart or lungs. She understood that she was to undergo an operation, and she made no objection. Dr Jeffcoat was present at the time, and he was the surgeon who was going to perform the operation, which was for an internal complaint. Witness then administered chloroform. It took about six minutes or so to get the patient under. Dr Jeffcoat commenced the operation, which took about fire minutes. He was just about finished, when witness felt deceased's pulse, which he had been holding all the. time, suddenly stop. Witness called immediately for an injection of strychnine. In the meantime the patient drew two breaths, and then stopped breathing. He injected the strychnine, and with Dr Jeffcoat's assistance commenced artificial respiration. They also applied the electric battery and other injections—brandy and ether—and traction on the tongue, bat all without avail. They continued their efforts for nearly an hour. Witness was watching the patient closely, and saw nothing to alarm him prior to the stopping of the pulse. He had been using the same bottle of chloroform for some time past, She took chloroform not very well, as if she were an alcoholic patient If she had been a hard drinker, that would have tended to weaken the heart and make it liable to sudden failure through fatty degeneration. Dr Jeffcoat made no objection to the way in which witness administered the chloroform. Dr Jeffcoat was at present out of town. By the jury: She was in a fair enough condition for a short operation. She was a little weak. He administered chloroform on about 300 occasions last year—in some cases to a larger degree than this one. Witness, on being recalled, stated that Dr Roberts made a post mortem examination of the body this morning. It was found that the right side of the heart was very thin and flabby. The kidneys and liver were fatty. Witness considered that syncope —heart failure—was the cause of death, induced by chloroform administration. The jury returned a verdict that deceased died from syncope induced by chloroform lawfully administered for a surgical operation. The foreman added that no blame was attached to anyone. Source: Evening Star (23 February 1897, p. 2).