CHARGES OF POISONING

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 27 February 1933, Page 7

CHARGES OF POISONING

GIRL’S LIFE ENDANGERED AUCKLAND NURSE ON TRIAL CROWN CASE OPENED. NO MOTIVE APPARENT. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Feb. 27. The trial of Nurse Elspeth Kerr on charges of administering poison to Dorothy Cameron with intent to injure and so that her life was endangered opened- this morning. The dates ol three alleged offences were April 8. 10 and 16 of last year. The Crown solicitor Mr. Meredith, prosecuted and Mr. R. A Singer and Mr. W. Meek defended. Inspector Gumming, of the Police Commissioner’s Office was present. He said that poisoning charges fortunately were rare. In this case thei-e was lio ascertainable motive that was sufficiently strong to impel a normal person to" commit the crime of poisoning. The child to whom poison was administered was accused’s own fosterchild and had been well cared for by the accused and showed the greatest affection for her. Mr. Meredith strongly warned tin jury not to allow any preconceived opinion to influence their judgment. Unfortunately the case had been repeatedly brought before public notice. He referred to the exhumation of bodies which the police had tried tc perform as quietly as possible. The publication of the fact of these exhumations had given rise to rumours. He asked the jury to dismiss absolutely anything they had heard or read. Mr. Meredith said the poison concerned was veronal which was in fairly common use and also was very dangerous. It could be bought freely and was not listed as a poison sales of which chemists must keep registered. It was a liabit-forming drug Accused herself was a drug addict. Foi medicinal purposes a dose was from t to 10 grains. The average -fatal dost was 50 grains. Mr Meredith said the charges concerned only the child Cameron, but there would be evidence of other suggestod poisonings. The circumstances of two previous sudden deaths in accused’s' nursing home were suspicious. Her husband died on January 10, 1932. after being in a state of coma for 36 hours. A Mrs Day -died on September--28, 1931. after a condition of coana lasting for 28 hours. In the first ca-se the certificate of death was that death was due to cerebral haemorrhage. Last August the body was exhumed and an autopsy showed that death was not due to' haemorrhage, but to the effect's of veronal, of which over 18 grains were found. ' Examination of Mrs Day’s body showed no sign of a recent stroke, but veronal was found.

After' detailing evidence it was proposed to -call, Mr Meredith read o lengthy' 'statement by the accused and remarked that the explanation there given would not account for the severe symptoms caused by veronal poisoning.