DRINKING SCHNAPPS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18837, 14 April 1923, Page 10

DRINKING SCHNAPPS

CAUSES A CHILD’S DEATH. CORONER'S COMMENTS. (Peh United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, April 13. 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 to-day by Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., district coroner. Deceased waa an adopted child, and resided with Arthur Horne, a tramway employee. The inquest waa opened on March 29, when Horne, in evidence, said that 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 tea spoonfuls. During the day the child took ill. Dr Guthrie was sent for, and ordered the child to bo removed to the hospital, where it died at 11.30 p.m. that night. To-day Dr A. B. Pearson, pathologist at Christchurch Hospital, gave evidence of a post-mortem examination. Tie said the cause of death was acidosis, due to nephritis. Ha understood the child had taken a quantity of alcohol. He was not aware of the quantity taken, but in his opinion the nephritis was probably due to alcohol. However, this would depend on the quantity taken, and whether the child was accustomed to taking alcohol. The Coroner: The evidence is that the child did not take more than two teaspoonfuls of schnapps. An analysis made by Mr Bickerton, Government analyst, showed that between one and throe grains of alcohol had been found in the stomach. In reply to a question from the Coroner. Mr Bickerton said one to three grains of alcohol could be got out of two teaspoonfuN of Ml strength schnapps. The Coroner (to Horne): Was it full strength schnapps?—Yes. Was the child in the habit of taking alcohol ?—-No. I have no recollection of him ever touching any before. Are you sure it was only two teaspoonful 3 he took?—To the best of my knowledge that was all. Isn’t it possible you left a whole tablespoonful in the glass?—lt is possible that I did. The 4 Coroner: To pay mind the amount of alcohol 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 tho quantity of undiluted schnapps taken approached a tablespoonful It would have produced the condition I found. Mary Ellen Horne said the child had alwavs been well looked after, and up to the day of his death enjoyed good health. The bottle of schnapps was kept ip tho pantry, and the child could not have got at it. • A verdict was returned in accordance with the medical evidence, _ The Coroner said that from evidence it appeared to him death was duo to tho fact that the child, four years of age. took tho remains of a glass of schnapps, probably a tahlespconfnl. The evidence of Dr Pearson and Mr Bickerton showed, unfortunately, that thts quantity could produce the condition to which the child came, and from which it died. It only showed how careful people should be _ not to leave about things injurious to children. Ho was not blaming Horne, for it waa quite an accident that the child took the schnapps.