DRUG HABIT.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18550, 27 November 1925, Page 9

DRUG HABIT.

DEATH OF AN ADDICT.

VERONAL FOR INSOMNIA.

(rss*s uaocunoi naati.)

AUCKLAND, November 26.

The necessity for regulating the sale of veronal tablets was referred to today by Mr F. K. Hunl. S.M., Coroner, at tlio inquest concerning the death of John Majoribanks Steele, aged 58, who died on November Mth from an overdose of the drag. Harriet Steele, widow of the deoeased, said her husband had been practically an invalid for some months. He served through the Sooth African War, in which ha suffered sorer* injuries. For many years he had been addicted to drugs, and lately be had been very careless in taking veronal for insomnia. On Thursday, November 12th, he retired to bed, remarkiag that he expected to sleep soundly. On. Friday he did not wake, and witness communicated with a doctor. After making several efforts to rouse the deceased, she decided to let him sleep. She became alarmed on the Saturday morning, when sho found hum still in a torpor, and, acting on the advice) of a doctor, iu reply to another telephone message, she had the deceased removed to hospital at about 9 s>m. She had occasionally taken drags from his pockets, and on this Saturday she found a bottle containing a few veronal tablets. Dr. F. E. Webster said the, deceased died two hours after admission to the hospital. He bad been treated about three weeks before for an overdose) of veronal. The Coroner: Where do these drags come from? Witaeu: T understand they cen be bought from any chemist. The Coroner: Then we had hotter get that stopped. It is a very daaaerons drug to be taken without •doctor's supervision. Dr W. H. Fettifc said he had attended the deceased for the last tax months for excessive drug Inlrinf. He knew of no restriction on the amis of veronal tablets, but considered that some control was essential. There would have been little hone of Bavins the deceased's life unlets he eonJo bare been treated within two hoars of taking the overdose.' The Coroner-. I think I will writ* to the authorities and draw attention to the handling of this narcotic. A verdict was returned that death was due to an overdose of rreroaal, accidentally taken.