POISON FOUND

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22569, 24 February 1948, Page 6

POISON FOUND

ANALYSIS OF MILK “ALMOST A FATAL DOSE” PATHOLOGIST'S EVIDENCE tP.A.) TAUMARUNUL Feb. 24 Fuititer evidence was heard in the Police Court yesterday afternoon when Fav Roberta Phillips, late tutor sister at the Taumarunui Hospilal. was charged that at Taumarunui on January 9. 1948. she administered, or caused to be taken, by Sister Elspetb Gwendolvnnc Denison, poison known as belladonna, with intent to iniure and annoy. Karl William Brandt. Government analyst. Wellington, said he .examined in January a sample of milk trom the Taumarunui Hospital and found that it contained belladonna alkaloids. Philip Patrick Lynch, medical practitioner and pathologist. Wellington, said lie had inspected a specimen of milk ,'rom the Taumarunui Hospital. He was satisfied that on both occasions, in October last and in January of this year. Sister Denison had suffered from belladonna poisoning in a severe form. The symptoms in her case were severe because they were prolonged and in each case there iva> a considerable period of unconsciousness. Symptoms Unmistakable Witness judged from her symptoms that she must have received a large dose of alkaloids of belladonna, and certainly a dangerous dose, almost a latal dose, on the first occasion. Witness did not think the symptoms could be mistaken for any disease or any other torm of poison. Witness said he had heard Brandt's evidence as to the quantity of alkaloid found in the sample of milk. On the basis of the quantity recovered by him there would be about one half of a grain of alkaloid in an eight-ounce glass of milk. That would be a quantity which might very well be fatal if all taken. A fatal dose varied considerably. Adults had been killed by taking less than a quarter of a grain, but some had recovered after taking two grains. The quantity of alkaloid present in the two ounces of milk under analysis would be about one eighth of a grain, which was relatively a large dose. It might produce severe symptoms, but was not likely to be a fatal dose. Belladonna could not have been added to the milk in the form of a tincture, as the change would be easily seen, but added in the form of pure salt there would be no change except in taste. Superintendent's Evidence We Iby Fisher, superintendent of the Taumarunui Hospital, said he was called to attend Sister Denison when she was taken ill on October 18, and from his observations he was satisfied ■ that she was suffering from belladonna poisoning. James Marshall Stewart, medical practitioner, Taurmarunui, corroborated Dr. Fisher's diagnosis of Sister Denison s case. Witness was called to her in January and also examined Sister Ann Forbes, whose pupils were dilated, and Sister Phillips whose pupils only moderately so. They both said they had drunk some of *he milk on the second occasion in January,

Annie Mina Forbes, nursing sister at Taumarunui, described incidents at dinner on January 9 when Sister Denison complained of the milk tasting bitter. Witness took a mouthful and Sister Phillips also tasted it, but they did not take very much. They all made i joke of it. Sister Phillips remarked that she had poured out the milk into the glasses. Later Sister Denison became seriously ill and witness also felt queer. Sister Phillips said she herself felt funny. Witness was more or less in charge of dangerous drugs in a cupboard. She did not think there was any tincture of belladonna in the cupboard She had never seen any in there, Molly Clow, assistant cook at the Taumarunui Hospital, said that on January 9 witness at 12.30 p.m. was sitting on a stool in the kitchen facing the nurses’ dining room across the corridor and saw the accused enter the dining room. The accused went and stood at the sisters’ table at her usual seat. Witness could not see what the accused was doing. She could only see the backs of the sisters’ chairs and could not see the whole of the table. A few seconds later the accused left the dining room. Witness could not form an accurate idea of how long it was before the nurses came into the room. Witness sat in her position for about 10 minutes and was still there when the nurses and sisters were corning into the dining room. Witness could not give any information as to whether there was milk on the table when the accused was seen to enter and leave the dining room.