IT is common these days to dismiss our National Health Service as overstretched and inefficient.

But the quality of healthcare we receive today is still far greater than the average Bicester resident could expect 140 years ago.

In February 1882 the Bicester Advertiser printed a report on the inquest into a sudden death at the Union Workhouse.

It said on Tuesday morning an inquest was held in the boardroom at the workhouse, before W.W. Robinson, Esq., coroner, touching the death of Phoebe East, an inmate, who was found dead in her bed on the morning previous.

Having viewed the body, the coroner said they were called together in consequence of the deceased having been found dead in bed, to ascertain the cause of her death.

The first witness called was Ann Austin, single woman, who first found the body, said she had been an inmate of the house for 16 years.

She said she "knew Phoebe East during the fortnight she had been in the house, and had heard her complain of rheumatism.

"Saw her very often; but she could not get in or out of bed or scarcely walk. Saw her every day, and slept in the same room with her and four others.

"The nurse gave the deceased liquid medicine every night. Never saw her take another medicine, and she could always take her food.

"Put her to bed between seven and eight o'clock on Sunday night.

"She did not complain, and there was no conversation between them during the night, neither was she restless.

"Got up at seven o'clock to see if the deceased wanted anything, and touching her face found it was cold.

"Thought she was dead, and that she had been so for hours. Fetched the nurse at once."

Elizabeth East, daughter of the deceased, said her mother was the widow of John East, farm bailiff, and had lived at Launton for about 11 months.

The deceased was 72 years of age, and had suffered from rheumatism for the past two years.

Miss East said: "They both came to the union together a fortnight last Saturday.

"She did not object to come, thinking she should get more comfort and medical attendance.

"She had never been in a workhouse before.

"Saw her last on Sunday week, she was as usual and her appearance was as before.

"She had been taking medicine, but could not say if she had seen the doctor."

Eliza Mansell said she had been the nurse for five years and nine months.

She said: "Saw the deceased when she came to the house, at which time she was ailing from rheumatism, and could not get into bed without help.

"Took Mr Drinkwater to see her a week yesterday, because she complained of more pain. Was present when the doctor saw her, and the medicine was sent by him specially for her, of which she gave her two spoonfuls at eight every night.

"She did not take her medicine on Sunday night, and had objected to doing so on two previous occasions.

"Her attention was called to the deceased at 7pm, when she was quite dead.

Thomas O’Kelly, doctor of medicine, and assistant to Messrs. Drinkwater and Foster (medical attendants of the house), said he saw the deceased on the January 14 when she was admitted, at which time she complained of rheumatism in the muscles of her body.

He considered nothing but medicine was required internally, which was sent in a bottle with directions for use.

But the case was too chronic for the medicine to have had much effect.

He said: "Had seen her since she was dead, and had noticed nothing unusual."

From what he saw, he attributed death to failure of the heart’s action. She was very ill, but he did not think she would have died so quickly.

One of the jurymen spoke of seeing the poor woman in the Launton Road in an open cart at the time they were conveying her to the workhouse, and he described the pitiable and weak state she was then in.

The jury at once returned a verdict of “death from natural causes.”

To find out more about the Bicester Workhouse, or any aspect of Bicester’s history, please visit blhs.org.uk