A FATAL DRAUGHT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 599, 30 August 1909, Page 7

A FATAL DRAUGHT.

, DEATH ; FROM LYSOL. 1 . The death of Vincent Ferrara, after drinking lysol, was the subject of an inquiry by I Mr. iiiddell, S.M., at, the hospital on Saturday morning. ! Mrs. Lawson, of the Langham -Boardinghouse, Itintoul Street, said that'* deceased 1 engaged a bed at her houso last Thursday njght. Ho seomed quite sober and rational. Ho was called for, breakfast next morning, but witness heard someone and on opening tho lavatory door she saw deceased lying on the floor, "i'ho police wore called in.

Constable Willis stated that he was called to deceased. ,He applied testorative measures and sent for Dr. Boworbank. Witness noticed a strong smell of disinfectant, and found a bottle of lysol in a chest" of drawers by the bedside of deceased, also a small flask of nhisky. Subsequently deceased was removed to the hospital. Deceased had 13s. in silver and a gold watoh and chain, also discharges as ship's cook from tho steamers Cygnet and Jano Douglas. Papers in, the possession of deceased snowed that ho camo from Auckland.

J)r. Boworbank, in' his evidence, said tiiat deceased appeared to be , suffering from irritant poisoning. Witnoss, asked, him if he had taken lyso], and 'deceased replied "Yes, I did.", * Lysol was-an. ; irntah{; poison. The smallest dose that would \bV fatal • wae a drachm. ■'■ ■ ■ .■';'-' :■ ■;',jt;; ; N ,;';'. \ John Walker, locomotive" f engineer, .-• said that he had known 'deceased .. about five years. He believed that deceased was l an. Italian. .-Ho had not seen'him since August 19, and there i.t'hen appeared'to bo nothing the matter, with. him. : • So, far as; witness knew deceased did not drink to expesSj and had not been' worrying about ■•anything.. i ; Dr. M. Holmes stated tho rosults of, a post-mortem examination. ~, Tho Coroner gavo a verdict of death' from drinking lysol, the evidence being insufficient to show whether it • was. taken acoidentally or intentionally. Ho /added -that the fact that., a flask of whisky \liad been found in tho same article of furnituro as the lysol "had influenced ■•him in coming to this conplnsion. ''•• ■■,'■ : •,-■," ''• •';- ' ''•■■'■'-