POISONED BY FUMES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22344, 15 February 1936, Page 3 (Supplement)

POISONED BY FUMES

WARNING TO MOTORISTS " Motorists should remember not to work in a garage without having the doors wide open, and even then not to run the engine too long." This warning was given recently by Mr. Ingleby Oddie, the London coroner, when he investigated the death of Mr. Stephen 'Elliot Smith, aged 25, a son of Sir Grafton Elliot Smith, the scientist, who was found dead in the garage at his father's house in St. John's' Wood. Lady Elliot Smith, who made the discovery, was stated to be too upset to come to the court, and her evidence was given by another son, l)r. Arthur Elliot Smith. He explained that he had spoken to his brother about the danger of working in the garage with the engine running. At 11.15 p.m., his mother told him, Stephen saTcl he was going to the garage to run over his car, as he expected a buyer the following day. At 2.30 a.m. Lady Elliot Smith went to the garage and found a light burning. All the doors were closed, and Stephen was lying at the back of the car. The garage was full of smoke. Cornelius Condon, a neighbour, gave evidence that he heard screams from Lady Elliot Smith. He found Stephen Elliot Smith at the back of the car, lying on his back. His left hand was jdirty, and there were spanners and other tools beside him. A spare wheel was about 3ft. from his head. The place smelt of exhaust fumes. The car was a, three-wheeled one, and the engine was, running. Police-Constable Tarbat stated that Elliot Smith was taking off a spare wheel while the engine was running. He was evidently testing the plugs by running the engine. Medical evidence was that the cause of death was carbonmonoxide poisoning. j\lr. Oddie, summing up, remarked that it was another case exemplifying the danger, which by now should be familiar to everyone, of running a car engine in a closed garage. It was a very dangerous practice. Very quickly the garage would fill with the poisonous fumes, which had no particular smell, and the first thing the person concerned knew was that he had fallen down. Ho recorded a verdict of " Accidental death."