SUDDEN DEATH OF A DOCTOR.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14983, 2 June 1914, Page 9

SUDDEN DEATH OF A DOCTOR.

7 (PBESS ASSOCIATION ITLECBAM.) DUNEDIN, June 1- i • Br. Alexander Grahame, of Waikoiiaiti, died suddenly at ins residence at, 4 o'ciock yesterday morning. He was a married man, 42 years or ago. At the inquest, the wife of deceased said that about 4 a.m. yesterday Dr. Grabante rose Irom bed, saying he waa going to get another dose of bromide, , whicb-ho was in the ha tut of taking. At about 8 p.m. on Saturday he nad taken a dose. When deceased went tolled, iie showed signs of having had 1 , some liquor, and aiter tne first uose oi bromide he became somewhat dazed, and was restless in his sleep, and he J was considerably dazed when he got ! up at 4 o'clock. Since luesday he nad been drinking occasionally, but had j ■■••■ not touched liquor for the previous thiitotin weeks. Witness found him in a stato of collapse. .-■'■.• , Dr. Howden (Palmerston) deposed '! ihat ■ it/was highly probable that death 7 was caused by an overdose of deeping ' 7; : '.,; drangnt. Deceased was occasionally in 77 the nauifc of taking eoino drink, ol *■-. winch, it took littlo to upset him. \vit--77-; ness did uot think for a mojient ho was ■■•jj-!'7a'maa wuo would commit 6uicide. if 7x dt-ceuicd took tne amount now out of •■.!/■ *:■ tuo beetle in two doses between 8 p.m. 7 . iad 4- a.m., that would bo sufficient to 7'; r - Hanlsßri, who made the post-j * ■ iiiorttm examination, lound early 7 stages of pneumonia. Both, lungs siiow"7 ed evidence of bld-standi.ig trouble. T.o |7 : 'liver was-congested, aud tho heart 7 '.. slightly fatty. None of the above signs ' ■■':.-/...■ would cause sudden death, but taken in ; : conjunction with an overdose of Glecp- ■ ing. draught,-would- speedily cause , ."• death, the resistance of the body being 7 much lowered by the use of the drug. A person taking'an overdose of the ? mixture at 8 v.m. would still be stupefied at 4 a.m., and would probably not ■j.. oa in a stato to judge the quant ity ; he ft was taking. .:-. Tl -o jury fonnd "that deceased died ,- f-rj?.-i.,'?n , -OverdosoofTJbromide, eetfrad- - win-stored, all tho evidence pointing to. ..the fact tliat the action was accidental., •-: ihe weakened stato of tho drpafts ■*.•..' $b 9 wa . hy the post-mortem examination f ,P r< -»»bly assisted to cans© deatfi." I