AUCKLAND INQUEST

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 101, 9 April 1936, Page 9

AUCKLAND INQUEST

Analyist Finds Veronal at Post-Mortem

CANCER SUFFERER

By Telegraph—Press Association. AUCKLAND, April 8. Twenty witnesses are to be called at an inquest which opened to-day into the death of Sidney John Anderson, aged 44, motor engineer, who died in the public hospital on February 18. The Government analyst, Mr M. Griffin, gave evidence that he recovered over eight grains of veronal from certain organs given him. Mr Kenneth Mackenzie, surgeon, said that a cancer tumour was discovered during the post mortem. The inquest was held before the Coroner, Mr Wyvern Wilson. The case for the police is being conducted by Detective-Sergeant Walsh and the widow is represented by Mr R. A. Singer. Anderson, who lived at Point Chevalier, was admitted to hospital on the afternoon of February 17 and died early next morning. The inquest was opened the day following and adjourned sine die to enable inquiries to be made. When evidence was being given to-day by one medical man, Mrs Anderson, who was dressed in black and sat alongside her solicitor, broke down and was assisted sobbing from Court. She returned a few minutes later. The hearing was continued to-night, numerous witnesses being heard. The pathologist at the Auckland Hospital, Dr. W. Gilmour, described the result of his post-mortem examination and said that the appearances were not those usually found in cases of fatal veronal poisoning. H 6 considered that the cancer found would be sufficient to cause death. Detective-Sergeant Walsh: Does not the finding of the Government analyst indicate a poisonous does of veronal?— “Oh, yes. The quantity recovered does indicate a poisonous dose.” Wituess said that death was due to cancer accelerated by veronal and opium. Eve Murial Anderson, widow of the deceased, said that her husband had been in poor health for about three years. He had never had one hour free of pain after his discharge from hospital. “From the day he came home from seeing Dr. Souter he threw it in; he did not want to live,” said witness. That would be in January. He told her then that he was dying of cancer. He could not sleep and, at his request, she got him a bottle of noctal tablets, but they had very little effect. At her request Dr. Hastings supplied him with powders on January 31, but they had no effect at all. He always took the powders himself. Dr. Hastings told her to increase the quantity and that her husband could have them every four hours. Witness had not completed her evidence when the Court adjourned.