POISON TRIAL

Evening Star, Issue 22271, 24 February 1936, Page 8

POISON TRIAL

SECOND WEEK OF MAREO CASE MEDICAL EVIDENCE ON VERONAL EFFECTS [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, February 24. When the Mareo trial entered upon its second week the court was again crowded, those present including many, smartly-dressed women. _ Mareo followed the proceedings with the same close interest. He has lost some of the deep suntan which was apparent at the commencement of the trial. The jury were taken for a launch trip yesterday. Cross-examination of Dr Gunson, specialist in heart troubles, was continued by Mr O’Leary. Witness said he had seen four cases of veronal poisoning, all the result of misadventure. He never saw Mrs Mareo, and was giving an expert opinion as the result of what_ he had heard. He was first brought into the case some weeks before the lower court proceedings. His opinion was quite independent of the view taken by Dr Gilmour or any other doctor. He agreed that what might not be a fatal dose to an ordinary person might be fatal to a susceptible person. “ I’ve, given this drug to many susceptible persons,” said witness. “ but the effects aren’t those which Mrs Mareo presented. I’ve never seen in a susceptible person —and I have seen a good many—symptoms of mental inco-ordi-nation and confusion such as Mrs Mareo presented, and I don’t know of any such description in literature.” Mr O’Leary: Mental confusion and inco-ordination is the result of an overdose P Witness: Yes. ; You think this lady had 100 grains of veronal ? Is that the total of the three administrations or the last?—l say it would be the total. What is a poisonous dose?—A dose greater than 10 grains. Any dose which is greater than a therapeutic dose must be dangerous. What quantity in grains?—The average poisonous dose to produce death is 50 grams. Replying to a further question, witness said his meaning in his lower court evidence was that the minimum poisonous dose was 50 grains. To Mr Johnstone witness said veronal was commonly given in medical practice. “ Veronal,” he said, “ is the sheet anchor in the matter of hynotics in the profession. It is commonly put on the tongue and washed down.” Mr Johnstone: In your opinion would it have been possible for Mrs Mareo to have taken veronal before calling out on the Saturday night. Witness: I’ve no reason to think so. If she had veronal before calling to Freda Stark would she have remained awake for two hours?—Not in my opinion. Witness accounted for the 20 hours’ sleep by a big dose after she had awakened on night. Dr Gilmour, pathologist, recalled, explained experiments which he had carried out, showing that veronal tablets had not fully dissolved after 24 hours in a solution of sal volatile and water. Dr Ludbrook, consulting physician, gave corroborative evidence. He had had experience of several veronal poisoning cases. If a person suffering from veronal poisoning was coming out of coma he or she would not relapse without further doses. Witness attached importance to the fact that Mrs Mareo was found .out of bed on Saturday morning, shelving mental confusion ; also to the evidence that she woke of her own accord on Saturday evening. He did not think she could have taken a dose herself on Saturday night. Mr O’Leary: I put it to you that even the doctors differ on the question that Mrs Mareo was recovering on Saturday night. Witness: 1 don’t think so. Mr O’Leary: Would you describe her condition on Saturday morning as one suffering from a slight overdose of veronal?—Yes. John Foley gave formal evidence of the sale of a box of pills. He identified the box, but did not remember to whom it was sold. FIRST POLICE WITNESS. Detective-sergeant Meiklejohn, the first police witness, described an interview with Mareo at his home on the evening of his wife’s death, and his taking possession of exhibits. Others at the house were Detective M‘Lean, Graham Mareo, Freda Stark, and Miss Brownlee, the last-mentioned arriving with Mareo. Accused said he had bought three lots of veronal in the preceding three weeks. Asked how his wife came to have so much veronal, Mareo said: “ Do you think I am a murderer?” He said he had been taking one veronal tablet at night for sleeplessness, adding: “ Do I look like a drug addict?” He said' the first lot he bought was 50 tablets, the second 12, and the third 20 or 25. He pulled out a bottle containing 11 tablets from his hip pocket and refused to give the name of the chemist where he bought the veronal.