LAUGHING DRUG

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 April 1935, Page 3

LAUGHING DRUG

DEFENCE FAILS. LONDON,. March 6. A drug which, when sniffed, was said to send persons into "shrieks of laughter,” was mentioned at Cambridge Police-court yesterday, when Michael George Cox, 2i, an undergraduate of Pembroke College, pleaded not guilty to driving a motor-car when under the influence of drink or drugs to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of the vehicle. He was fined £2O, with £6/9/2 costs, and had his licence endorsed and suspended for two years. P.-c. Woods said he saw a motor-car driven by Cox zig-zagging along Lens-field-road. It stopped about 18in from the nearside kerb. He went up to Cox. who said, "My whole career is at stake. Can't you forget all about it? I have been to Cottenham and have had a good day.” When ehaiged at the police-station he said. "All I can say is that I was certainly not under the influence of alcohol,’but 1 was told to sniff a substance called ainylnitrite by my friend, Mr Bonham-Carter.” Cox. in evidence, said he had been to Cottenham, had had two pork pics for luncheon and had taken four or five small whiskies and water. He was sober when he left Cottenham. Mr Bonham-Carter, who was with him in the dickey-seat, was "slightly merry and rather noisy.” On the way hack' Mr Bonham-Carter said he would get some amyl-nitrite as it was rather amusing and made one laugh. Mr Bonham-Carter had taken it in some London night clubs. They bought some amyl-nitrite and went to Mr Bonham-Carter’s rooms, whore he (Cox) inhaled the contents of one capsule and immediately went off into shrieks of laughter. He went upstairs to another man s rooms, whore there was a sherry party, and had two glasses of sherry, lie then inhaled a. second capsule of amylnitrite. which he was told would remove the effects of the tirst one. ID then drove, away through the busiest part of the town without any trouble. In reply to Mr Spens. Master of Corpus Christi, one of the magistrates. Cox said that after inhaling the second capsule he felt dizzy. Dr Cole, called as an independent medical witness, said that when he saw Cox at 5.50 p.m., he came to the conclusion that he was perfectly .ober. Driving five minutes after inhaling amyl-nitrite would make one fee’ dizzy when getting out of a closed car into the open air. Amyl-nitrite is used medicinally for relieving spasms, and acts with great rapidity. Small glass perles are prepared for those suffering from angina pectoris, and immediately an attack occurs one of these is crushed in the fingers and held to the nose.