DRUNKENNESS

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 July 1935, Page 8

DRUNKENNESS

DEGREES AND TESTS. In the Central Police Court, yesteiday medical evidence regarding degrees of drunkenness and tests for drunkenness was given by a doctoi during the hearing of a chaige against Melverton Robert Williams, 34,. mechanic, who had been charged with having driven a vehicle in Alison-road, Randwick, last Saturday, while under the influence of liquor. Sergeant Cullen said that Williams was found asleep in his car. The police awakened him, and when he started the car it jumped forward and nearly collided with Constable Butcher. He said that when Williams got out of the car he staggered in the roadway. Dr. Godfrey Harris, of Marouba, detailed the tests to which he had put defendant. He said that one of his tests included making the defendant stretch his hands and arms at rightangles to the body and. touch the tip of his nose with whichever hand the doctor commanded. The defendant did not know which hand or which finger would be chosen. “When a man is confused with alcohol,” explained Dr. Harris, “there would be an inclination to delay in responding or to use the wrong hand or finger.” In the case before the Court the response had been prompt and accurate. As a further test, he. had made the man stand with his eyes closed and heels together. Then he had ordered the man to rise on his toes and to sit on. his heels, and later to walk in a straight line across the cells, and to turn suddenly. In turning, or changing direction at the doctor’s command, he had obeyed without stumbling oij swaying. “That is a point of considerable importance in determining if a man is drunk, because one often finds that, although a can can confidently walk in a straight line, he will stagger in turning,” said Dr. Harris A still further test, said the doctor, was to make the defendant repeat a series of figures backwards. This h edid on three occasions.

Although the man’s breath smelt of alcohol. Dr. Harris said that, as the result of his examination, he had come to the conclusion that the man was tired out, and slightly excited because of the circumstances in which he had found himself( but was not under the influence of alcohol within the legal sense of the term. In reply to Mr. Williams, S.M., Dr. Harris said that the man’s condition, as described by the police, was consistent with nervous exhaustion or alcohol. But if he had been so far under the influence at the time of his arrest for the alcohol Io be responsible for his behaviour he would have shown definite symptoms of alcoholism at the time of his examination in the cells. The magistrate said that there was suitleient doubt in the matter, and he discharged the defendant.