VICTIM' TO MORPHIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18381, 23 April 1923, Page 5

VICTIM' TO MORPHIA.

FATAL HABIT ACQUIRED.

DEATH FROM OVERDOSE.

[BY lELBGBJLPH. — .ASSOCIATION.] . CHEISTCHUECH. Saturday. An able seaman on the Moeraki, David Edmund John Macßean, aged 27, went to the surgery of Dr. Gilmour at Lyttelton last night for medical advice. He told the doctor that morphia was his trouble. Macßean died in the surgery two hours later.

At the inquest held ,at Lyttelton to-day Dr. Gilmour said that Macßean's remarks were not altogether coherent. He said he had attempted to break himself off the morphia habit, which he had started as an antidote for sleeplessness following upon treatment in a hospital for neurasthenia. Macßean was told to return on the following day, but, when he rose to walk, he found he could not move. The doctor, with assistance, administered antidotes and used artificial respiration for two and a-half hours, but the patient failed to respond. The deceased had been taking morphia for four years, said witness. He must have taken three grains yesterday. Among Macßean's effects were papers indicating that (bis home address was Epsom, Auckland. He had been a lieutenant in the Imperial forces. The coroner's verdict was ■to the effect that deceased died from asphyxia following an overdose of morphia, which had not been taken intentionally.