Mareo Trial

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 45, 24 February 1936, Page 7

Mareo Trial

Sixth Day of Hearing

CROSS-EXAMINATION BY PATHOLOGIST

Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Feb. 22,

The sixth day of the hearing of the charge against Erie Marco charged with poisoning his wife was commenced this morning when the cross-examin-ation of . Dr. Walter Gilmour, pathologist was continued. Mr O’Leary: In your evidence in chief, you gave details of various cases set out in a paper by Sir William Wilcox and I am at a loss to know why you quote them. Witness: To show the quantities recoverable in cases of voronal poisoning. Counsel: How may cases altogether? —Seventeen. Mr O’Leary: All fatal? —Yes. Mr O’Leary: What was tho largest quantity recovered? —166 grains. Counsel: Those cases cannot tell us how much veronal was taken. —Not from data as you cannot calculate it. But it must have been more than tho quantity recovered.—Oh! Yes. Counsel: And the cases don’t tell us how long after the taking of veronal death occurred. —In one case it docs. . Counsel pursued his cross-examina-tion lengthily concerning the quantities of veronal recovered by the Government Analyst. Witness agreed that the margin between a therapeudie dose and a topic or poisonous doso was vefy small. It could be generally stated that addicts to drugs were inclined to suicide. Cases of death had been recorded after taking such and even small does of ten grains of veronal, though in such cases other factors wore probably also present. Re-examined by Mr Johnstone, Dr. Gilmour said veronal was readily soluble in hot milk and its presence was disguised by the colour of the milk and it was impossible to say whether the last dose was given on Saturday nbyl’t. Probably it was truo of all pois/cs that tho preponderance of deaths came from misadventure, suicide and murder in that order. Giving veronal in milk was a common procedure. Replying to Mr. Johnstone, Dr. Gilmour declared that it would be impossible to dissolve a fatal dose of veronal or anything like it in three teaspoonsful of sal volatile.

The Judge asked witness to carry out experiments in that connection and give the results later to the foreman of the jury. He asked Dr, Gilmour whether during the post-mortem he had found any cause which would account for the pains experienced by Mrs. Mareo.

“I found no cause to explain it,” said Dr. Gilmour.

Kenneth Massey Griffith, Government Analyst, recalled, described experiments to prove solubility of veronal in milk. Ho said that six tablets could be dissolved in half a cup of hot milk in two minutes. Doctor E. B. Gunson corroborated in the main evidence given by Dr. Gilmour. He said he had also concluded from the evidenco of witnesses that Mrs. Mareo must have had 100 grains of veronal. Dr. Gunson was still in the box at the adjournment. This afternoon the jury is attending the M.C.C. v. Auckland cricket match and to-morrow a picnic at Motuihi under police escort.