OVERDOSE OF LAUDANUM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12408, 22 October 1903, Page 5

OVERDOSE OF LAUDANUM.

AN OLD MAN'S DEATH.

? Ax old man named John D. Anderson died at the Auckland Hospital shortly before ten o'clock last night, death apparently having been due to his having taken an ovedrose of laudanum for the purpose of obtaining sleep. Deceased, whose age is said to be close on 70 years, had sines Thursday last been a boarder at the Grosvenor Hotel, Hobson-street, having removed there from the Alexandra Hotel. Two or three days ago he sprained his wrist, and with a view to obtaining relief purchased two ounces of laudanum with which to bathe the injured member. The laudanum was used for the pu.cpose for which ,it was obtained on two occasions, and the sufferer informed the landlord, Mr. A. Shultz, that he had obtained considerable relief from the application, at the same time showing the injured wrist, the swelling of which had been greatly reduced. The Taudlord not caring" to see ths poison about the premises suggested to Anderson that he should place it in his (the landlord's) hands for safe keeping. This ?. the , deceased declined to do, and in the course of a conversation assured Mr. Shultz that he- had no intention of using it other than for the purpose for which it had been procured, intimating that self-destruction would be one of the last things he would think of. At the same time he referred to the fact \ that the pain from the wrist had prevented his obtaining anything like a reasonable amount of sleep for a couple of mights, and said that a drop or two of laudanum would probably be conducive to .sleep. As he appeared to be thoroughly ; (conversant with the poison and its dangers no more notice was taken of the matter by M». Shultz till shortly before seven o clock last night, when one of the employees drew his attention to the fact that :■ deceased, who occupied one of the downstairs rooms, had not taken the meal he bad ordered, and appeared to be asleep. Entering the room Mr. Shultz found Anderson in a recumbent position, and on shaking him . got no response, the man being apparently sound asleep. Failing to awaken him the landlord sent for Mr. Cooper, chemist, who administered an emetic without result. Meanwhile Dr. Hooper had been summoned, and on arrival the doctor ordered the deceased to be sent to the hospital, where he died, never recovering consciousness. Anderson is said to have com© from the Canterbury district, and it i 3 believed that he was a m*n in comparatively comfortable circumstances.