CHILD AND ALCOHOL

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 89, 14 April 1923, Page 8

CHILD AND ALCOHOL

DEATH RESULTS FROM DRINKING SCHNAPPS

(BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

' CHRISTCHURCH, 13th. April. The case of a child four years of age, who died of nephritis (kidney disease), apparently caused by drinking a small quantity of schnapps, was investigated to-day by Mr. Widddwson, District Coroner. Deceased was an adopted child and resided with Arthur Home, a tramway employee. The inquest was opened on 29th March, when Homo in evidence said that the child had apparently drunk some schnapps that witness had left in a glass in his bedroom. The amount in the glass was not more, than two teaspoonsfuls. During the day the child-became ill. Dr. Guthrie was sent for, and he ordered'the child to be removed to the hospital, .where it died at 11.30 o'clock that night.

; To-day Dr; A. B. Pearson, pathologist at Christchurch Hospital, gave evidence as to a post mortem examination he had made. The cause of death was acidosis, due to nephritis. He understood that the child had taken a quantityof alcohol. He was not aware of the quantity taken, but in his opinion the .nephritis was probably duetto alcohol. However, this would depend on the quantity taken and whether the child was accustomed to taking alcohol. The Coroner: "The evidence is that the child did not take more than two teaspoonfuls of schnapps."

An analysis made.by Mr. Bickerton, Government Analyst, showed that between one and three grains of alcohol had been found in the stomach. In reply to 1 a. question from the Coroner, Mr.i Bickerton said that one to three grains of alcohol could be got put of two teaspoonfuls of full-strength schnapps." The Coroner (to Home): "Was it fullstrength schnapps? Was the child in the habit of taking alcohol?" Home: "No, I have no recollection of 'him ever touching any before."

"Are you sure it was only two teaspoonfuls he took?"—"To the best of my knowledge that was all." "Isn't it possible that you left a whole tablespoonful in the glass?"—"lt is possible that I did."

The Coroner: "To my mind the amount of alcohol the child is said to haw taken could not have brought about the condition of the body revealed by the post mortem examination." Dr. Pearson: "The ioim ol the alcohol taken, is important. I am of opinion that if the quantity of undiluted schnapps taken approached a tablespoonful it would have produced the condition I found."

Mary Ellen Home said that the child had always -been well looked after, and up to the day of his death enjoyed good health. The bottle of schnapps was kept in the pantry and the child could not have got at it.

A verdict was returned in accordance with the medical evidence. The Coroner said from the evidence it appeared to him that death was due to the fact that a child four years of age took the remains of a glass of schnapps, probably a tablespoonful. The evidence of Dr. Pearson and Mr. Bickerton allowed that unfortunately this quantity could produce the condition to which, the child came and from which it died. It only showed how careful people should be not to leave about things injurious to children. Ho was not blaming Home, for it was qnitn an accident that the child took tho schnapps.