THE POISONING CASE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 122, 15 February 1908, Page 4

THE POISONING CASE.

Tiie startling 1 development in ' connection with the death of a' local schoolboy whose sudden demise was at first attributedby the /medical -men called, in to .natural causes, but which afterwards was found -to be primarily due to poisoning, has its' The circumstances !of the'ease. are;familiar to our readers.' A boy named Watkins returned ; home from' school suffering from! fits' of vomiting, and apparently seriously unwell. ' Medical 'assistance wiis called in, arid remedies prescribed, but .the boy died. A''post-morteiri examination was held, and two medical

witnesses of high repute expressed the opinion ■ that death was attributable to a rare disease known as acute dilatation of the stomach.' The jury returned a verdict accordingly, but at the. prompting of the "police suggested . that' tho contents of the stomach should be analysed. Tins course was followed, with the result that ■ it >was. shown that the condition of the stomach was due to the boy' having taken poison. In the circumstances it. is not unnatural that the question' should-be raised as to whether the form 'of post-mortem" examination usucilly followed in such cases ;is-' sufficient! to satisfy the requirements: of public safety. In the case under review we believe the medical men concerned followed the usual procedure, and exercised all .reasonable care in arriving at a decision as to the probable cause of death. But it .is 1 quite evident that, without a thorough analysis- of the contents of the stomach in such cases, tin element of doubt remains. Busy doctors cannot be expected to, conduct such'analyses, but there is,a,Government analyst, and, if some, rule were laid down to provide:for calling in his assistance wherever there is; the , slightest element .of doubt, or wherever the circumstances' are in,'any way oiit of the common, it would be a step which would' certainly meet; with ' public approval. .The fact that in the case of the unfortunate lad Watkins there was 'no' reason to suspect poisoning, no doubt strengthened the medical theory, but it serves to show the importance of analysis when detection .by any other means fails.