THE MAREO CASE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 166, 15 June 1936, Page 7

THE MAREO CASE.

KEEN PUBLIC INTEREST.

DOCTOR GIVES EVIDENCE. ' Per Press Association. AUCKLAND. June 15. Keen public interest was displayed when the retrial of Eric Mareo on the charge of murdering his wife entered the third week this morning. Ernest William Gieson, medical practitioner, of Wellington, gave evidence that in the course of practice lie had acquired a knowledge of the barbituric groups of drugs. He had experienced one case of veronal poisoning in which 250 grains had been taken. He was familiar with the circumstances of the Mareo case. After Mareo had been committed for trial from the Lower Court he had read all the depositions and had advised the defence from time to time before the first trial. During the last few days he had perused the evidence of several of the principal witnesses., “I am still of the same opinion now as L was in January,” said witness. ‘T have studied literature on barbiturics and veronal. Generally, I would accept the statements of Dr Gihnour relating to the average medicinal dose and the avernge fatal dose. Usually veronal is taken to induce sleep, but occasionally it is taken by people during the day, although it is not prescribed like that by medical men. It would he taken by highly nervous and excitable people to calm them, but for such cases bromide is usually prescribed.” Witness added that it could be said Mrs Mareo was likely to be susceptible to drugs in view of what had been said regarding her temperament. Published literature showed that people who took veronal automatically would take whatever was available. There was nothing striking about the evidence that she had taken not less than 100 grains. No inference could be drawn from the amount of veronal extracted after death from the various organs. Literature stated that the amount taken could he guessed at, but not determined. In none of the reported cases was he a.ble to find a suggestion as to liow an estimate could be formed.