DEATH FROM DRUG?

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 1, 2 January 1934, Page 7

DEATH FROM DRUG?

Inquest on English Novelist's Wife. EVIDENCE BY DOCTOR. (Received 1 p.m.) LONDON, January 1. Following the death of Mrs. Dale Collins, wife of the novelist, at St. Aubin, Jersey, the verdict at the inquest indicated that death was due to congestion of the lungs, resulting probably from an overdose of quadronox tablets. Mrs. Collins was formerly Miss Aileen Mayall Edmondstone, of Melbourne. The husband stated in evidence that his wife had of late complained of sleeplessness. She obtained a prescription from a London doctor, bought two lots of quadronox and slept better after her return from London to Jersey, being most cheerful until on Thursday last, when she became dazed after partaking of an unknown quantity of tablets. He called in Dr. Nicolson. They did not think it was a case of suicide as belladonna and disinfectant in the house had not been touched.

Dr. Nicolson said he saw the patient at 11 p.m. on Friday. Quadronox was a veronal-antipyrite-phenacetin compound. The ordinary dose was from one tablet and a half to two tablets. He found only five of the original 30 tablets, but the patient had had some on the previous night.

Witness said he saw her again on Saturday after a restless night, when her husband said he had read her to sleep. Her breathing ceased during the examination which was being made by witness. He restored breathing artificially and administered an injection and oxygen. The patient remained unconscious though her colour improved. Oxygen was readministered on Sunday morning but gave little relief, and death supervened in the afternoon.