DEATH OF SEAMAN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21937, 22 October 1934, Page 15

DEATH OF SEAMAN

VfeRDICT AT INQUEST An inquest into the death of William Todd, aged 22, an able seaman, of H.M.S. Laburnum, who was admitted to the Auckland Hospital on October H in a state of serious collapse and died the same day, was concluded by Mr. Wvvern Wilson, S.M., coroner, on Saturday. Mr. Hubble represented the Naval Department. Surgeon-Lieutenant J. E. Page, or H.M.S. Laburnum, said he had examined deceased in April, and he was then physically fit. In June witness had examined him again, and as a result of' the examination had begun to treat him for a disease. He had boon given the ordinary treatment, to which there had been no reaction. Following treatment on the morning of October 8, however, deceased had complained of severe abdominal pains, and was rcinovod to tho hospital, where he died lator tho same day. Witness considered that death had been due to deceased a unusual susceptibility to arsenic followed by poisoning. In giving his verdict, the coroner said it seemed to be one of thoso exceptional cases of a person being particularly susceptible to arsenic givon in the course of treatment, the degree or his susceptibility boing impossible to deters mine before death. The cause of death had been acute arsenioal poisoning from a doso of neo-salvarsan necessarily and proporly givon for tho treatment of a disease.