100 GRAINS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 234, 3 October 1935, Page 11

100 GRAINS.

VERONAL TAKEN. MRS. MAREO'S DEATH. OPINIONS OF EXPERTS. Expert medical evidence on the effects of veronal and conclusions drawn from the evidence in the case were given after the- main e<litio,n of the "Star" went to press yesterday afternoon. Dr. Walter Gilmour, pathologist to the Auckland Hospital, dealing with the present ease, said the symptoms as described by Miss Stark and Graham Mareo regarding Saturday and until the death were consistent with veronal poisoning. "But they are not to be accounted for by one dose of veronal," said Dr. Gilmour. "With regard to the Saturday morning when Mrs. Marco was found out of bed and was confused and unable to stand 011 her own, those symptoms might indicate that she was recovering from a dose of veronal taken on the Friday night. On the other hand they might bo the symptoms following shortly after the taking of a dose and inducing sleep.' If they represent the taking of a dose on the Friday night then another dose must have been taken on the Saturday morning in order to account for her sleeping all Saturday. The symptoms described on Saturday night indicate quite definitely that she was recovering from a dose of veronal. This is borne out by the fact that she wakened of her own accord, that it was possible to keep her awake for a period of at least two to tlirco hours, and during that period sho was able to converse, answer questions correctly, ask for a drink and ask to go to the lavatory." "Was Definitely Recovering." Mr. V. N. Hubble (conducting the case for the Crown): What is your opinion regarding that particular stage? Dr. Gilmour: That she was definitely recovering and that with appropriate treatment sho would have recovered completely. The_ next symptom of importance is her passing into a deep sleep, which ended fatally 40 hours later. That is only consistent with another dose. That dose of veronal must have been given within half an hour of her going into that deep sleep.

Would it have been possible for that dose to have been taken before she called Miss Stark and remained two hours before she \vent to sleep?— That would have been impossible.

Witness added that from the brain, liver, kidneys, stomach contents and urine 8.15 grains of veronal were recovered. That quantity indicated clearly that she had a fatal dose of veronal. She lived for about 40 hours after the lust dose of veronal, and during that period a large quantity would be eliminated by the urine. "lie assumed the last dose was taken about midnight on the Saturday. Veronal was more or less distributed equally throughout the body, whereas the quantity recovered was from tho small weight of body tissue. The organs only weighed 61b. One Hundred Grains of Veronal. Witness concluded that she must have had about 100 grains of veronal. "The quantity recovered in this case agrees closely with the result of the analysis in the reported cases of fatal veronal poisoning," said Dr. Gilmour. "I have notes here of some cases reported by Sir William Wilcox in the proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine, 1927." Witness gave notable instances of cases. Amounts of veronal taken from organs and specimens were quoted as 6.58, 5.91, 9.52, 1.12 and 6.09. Would you say there was tolerance in veronal? —No. Tolerance in veronal is not developed. A person in the habit of taking veronal does not acquire the habit of taking increasing doses. Were there any signs of alcoholism in tho post mortem examination? —Xo signs; but it does not enable one to exclude alcoholism. Taking the symptoms over the week- 1 end, are they consistent with alcoholism? Xo. Another Chemist in Box. David Glvndwr Morgan, chemist, of Auckland, said that a short time before Easter Mareo called at his shop. He had not known him before that. He wanted something for his wife, saying that she was in a nervous • state and worrying at the fact that she was overdue. He asked if witness could do anything for her. Witness prescribed the ordinary mixture for nervous debility. The mixture did not contain any veronal. Witness also sold Mareo a dozen varaum tablets—an organic substance. They were pale brown in colour. Marco had never on any occasion telephoned witness. Dr. E. B. Gunson corroborated in the main the evidence of Dr. Gilmour relating to the symptoms of Mrs. Marco during the fatal week-end.

"The quantity recovered by tho Government analyst indicates that she must have had'at least 100 grains,'" said Dr. Gunson. "That is quite the average poisonous dose and is higher than some proved poisonous doses." Mr. Hubble: After the visit to the lavatory on the Saturday night do you consider she could have got up and taken a. dose herself ? Dr. Gunson: Xo. Last of Medical Witnesses. Tho last of the medical witnesses was Dr. S. L. Ludbrook, consulting physician. In the course of his practice, he said, he had extensively used veronal and its compounds. due of the cases he liad dealt with woe that of the child, Betty Kerr. Much of the evidence given by Dr. Gilmour and Dr. Gunson was corroborated by Dr. Ludbrook.