TRAGIC OCCURRENCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 27 October 1928, Page 8

TRAGIC OCCURRENCE

DEATH AT MENTAL HOSPITAL BOY POISONED BY FELLOWPATIENT The inquiry into the death of a Nelson Mental Hospital patient, a young hoy who died on Thursday morning as the result of being given a drink of formalin by a fellow boy patient, aged 13, was concluded at the Hospital to-day. Mr T. E, Maunsell, Coroner, presided. Evidence was given by members of the Hospital staff. Dr. H. E. Jeffreys said that ho and Dr. Sadlier performed a post-mortem examination. of the deceased and found unmistakable evidence of formalin poisoning. The cause of death was shock from the effects of the formalin poison. Witness- said that he interviewed the boy responsible, who gave as the reason for his actions that he did not like the deceased as he was no good and that he wanted to kill him. Witness said that he did not think that the boy fully understood the nature of the offence.." Recalled later, the same witness said that the boy responsible was very untruthful. He was an epileptic imbecile, but had very little moral sense of right and wrong. Evidence dealing with his actions in giving the poison to the deceased was given in disjointed sentences by the boy responsible. He said he knew that the contents of the bol.tle were poisonous and that the stuff would kill the deceased. He gave it to. the deceased because he did not like him.

Further evidence was-given by two nurses, who possessed keys to the basin room, where the poison’ was kept and the boy and Dr. Jeffreys were also recalled. " The facts disclosed were that the ho.v took the key from a table at the bedside of one of the nurses when he brought up a jug of water to her in the morning. He tip-toed across the floor to get the key and the nurses did not see him. A third nurse, who is in charge of the hoys’ ward, explained that the bottle of formalin was in the basin room because it was too big to go into the locked medicine cupboard. The door of the basin room was always kept locked. The Coroner’s verdict was that the deceased died from shock*caused through poisoning by drinking formalin which was administered to him "by a mental patient with intent to kill. The said mental patient was not responsible for his actions by reason of insanity. The fact that lie was able to gain access to the formalin was due to exceptional circumstances and not to the negligence of any person.