SPOONFUL OF SCHNAPPS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18374, 14 April 1923, Page 10

SPOONFUL OF SCHNAPPS.

CAUSE OF CHILD'S DEATH.

FATAL DRINK FROM GLASS.

EFFECT OF SMALL QUANTITY

[BX telegraph.-—press association.] CHKISTCHURCH. Friday.

The case of a child, four years of age, who died of nephritis (kidney disease), apparently caused by drinking a small quantity of schnapps, was investigated Eo-day by Mr. H. Y. Widdowson, district coroner. The deceased was an adopted child, and resided with Arthur Home, tramway employee.

The inquest was opened qn March 29, when Home, in evidence, ■ said the child had apparently drunk some schnapps that witness had left in a glass in his bedroom. The amount in the glass was not more than two teaspoonsfuL During the cay the child became ill. Dr. Guthrie ordered the child to be removed to the hospital, where he died that night. To-day Dr. A. B. Pearson, pathologist at the hospital, said he had made a post mortem examination. The cause of death was acidosis due to nephritis. He understood the child had taken a quantity of alcohol and to this the nephritis was probably duo. However, this would depend on the quantity taken, and whether tho child was accustomed to taking alcohoi.

The Coroner: Tho evidence is that the child did not take more than two teaspoonsful of schnapps. ... An analysis made by Mr. Bickerton, Government analysist, showed that between one and three grains of alcohol had been found in the stomach.

In reply to the coroner, Mr. Bickerton said one to three grains of alcohol could be got out of two teaspoonsful of full strength schnapps. The Coroner (to Home): Was it full strength schnapps Yes. Are you sure it was only two teaspoonsful he took ?—To the best of my knowledge that was all. Is it not possible you left a whole tablespoonful in the glass?lt is possible that I did. The Coroner: To my mind the amount of ailcohol the child is said to have taken could not have brought about the condition of the body revealed by the post mortem examination.

Dr. Pearson: The form of the alcohol taken is important. lam of opinion that if the quantity of undiluted schnapps taken approached a tablespoonful, it would have produced the condition I found. A verdict was returned in accordance with the medical evidence. The coroner said .from the evidence it appeared to him that death was due to the fact that the child took the remains of a .glass of schnapps—probably a tablespoonful. The evidence of Dr. Pearson and Mr. Bickerton showed that unfortunately this quantity could produce the condition from which the child died. It showed how careful people should be not to leave about things injurious to children. He was not blaming Home, for it was quite afri accident that the child took the schnapps.