POISONING CASE
EVIDENCE DESTROYED
CORONER'S COMMENT
The importance of preserving all evida nee connected with the sudden death of' any person was stressed by Mr. T. B. M.'Neil, S.M., Coroner, at an inquest to-day into the death of Bobert Edward Moyna, a returned soldier, who lived at tOhe Eeturned Soldiers' Hostel. The avidence showed that on 22nd November Moyna was found at the hostel suffering from what waa thought to be an epileptic fit. A doctor was called, but when he arrived Moyna was dead. The deceased's room was searched and nothing unusual was found. Three D.ottles, one of which contained camphor liinimeut, were thrown away soon after Moyna had died. As the result of a post-mortem examination of tho de.ueased, Dr. P. P. Lynch, pathologist to 'Wellington Hospital, found that death rwas duo to poisoning by'camphor liniInient.
"It was apparently assumed by those who had come into contact with the deceased that because of the fact that ho was subject to epileptic fits and to the fact that he had been drinking heavily of late, he had died directly from one of those fits,'' said Mr. M'Neil.
"When the matter was reported to me I was unable to get a certificate as to the actual cause of death, and for that reason I ordered a post-mortem examination to bo made. This examination showed that the death was not due to epilepsy, but that tho deceased had apparently taken some liniment which he had in his possession. There are no suspicious circumstances pointing to .anyone else."
After returning a formal finding that the deceased had died as the result of camphor poisoning, Mr. M'Neil said he would like to impress on. the witnesses that it was always advisable in the event of such a happening that nothing should be destroyed. In this instanco bottles had been destroyed, and although their production was not essential m the present case it would have been wise to have kept them. The public should realise that nothing at all should be destroyed, since valuable evidence might bo obliterated.
POISONING CASE
Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 140, 10 December 1931, Page 10
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