NEW DRUG EXPERIMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23868, 24 July 1939, Page 4

NEW DRUG EXPERIMENT

PATIENT DIES FROM OVERDOSE SYDNEY PROFESSOR’S ADMISSIONS <From Our Own Correscondent) SYDNEY, July 14. An admission that he had used a little-known drug on a patient as “ an experiment.” was made by Professor William Siegfried Dawson, Professor of Psychiatry at the Sydney University, in a coroner’s inauiry at Sydney, into the death of Walter Grantwood Martin, 36, who died on May 19 from the effects of picrotoxin poisoning. Martin was suffering from schizophrenia (split personality) which is a form of mental disorder affecting individuals between the ages of 18 and 25. A sufferer loses interest in his life and surroundings, and declines into mental and physical inertia. He loses touch with reality and resorts to fantasy, but is able to perform simple operations, such as dressing himself. Martin was a patient of Dr John McGeorge, who had been treating him at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital with injections of cardiazol, a recent treatment whereby schizophrenies, are thrown into convulsiqns. “Martin had three cardiazol injections, and seemed a good deal

brighter as a result,” said Dr McGeorge in evidence. “He was in quite good physical condition on May 17, I had no reason to apprehend his death. I’ve since learned that he next received picrotoxin. I’ve never heard of it being used in New South Wales for this type of case.” Professor Dawson, who is in charge of the psychiatric pavilion at the hospital, said that after treating Martin with cardiazol he considered picrotoxin. “ I knew it was 30 limes stronger than cardiazol,” he said. “ I directed Dr Radford to inject six cubic centimetres, and 10 cubic centimetres 15 minutes later.” At the coroner’s invitation, the dead man’s father, the Rev George Martin, questioned Professor Dawson.

Mr Martin: Why did you change the drug? Professor Dawson: Because I thought your son would react more easily. Mr Martin: You really made an experiment on my son? Professor Dawson: Yes. Mr Martin (in a low voice): You killed my son. Professor Dawson made no answer.

Asked by the coroner the reason for the change, Professor Dawson said it had been recommended n good authority as a cardiazol substitute, without having the unpleasant after-effects He had read reports of its use in America, and Professor Byrne, of Oxford, writing in the British Medical Journal, had suggested it could very well be used as a substitute. “It was my considered opinion that it would have

a similar effect,” added Professor Dawson.

The coroner; 1 still can’t understand why it was given. Was it an experiment? Professor Dawson: Yes. I thought f* dose was right at the time. Now I think it was excessive.

Dr John Radford, resident icdical officer at the hospital, said that under Professor Dawson’s directions he administered cardiazol injections to Martin. Professor Dawson arranged the doses and the times. Professor Dawson then suggested using picrotoxin afe a substitute. “ On May 17, Professor Dawson told n to prepare Martin for picro ;in on the 19th,” continued Dr Radford. “At 3 p.m. on May 19 the dispenser brought me a ‘ suitable solution ’ of picrotoxin, from which I drew six cubic centimetres of solution and injected it into Martin’s arm. There were no visible .physical or mental effects. Fifteen ininutes later, Professor Dawson ordered another dose, this time 10 cubic centimetres. This procedure corresponded with the customary cardiazol treatment. Martin then ' showed tremors, rigidity, and a prolonged convulsion of five minutes. This was longer than the cardiazol (one minute) convulsion Martin ceased breathing, and artificial respiration was applied. Adrenalin was injected, and when Professor Dawson said that Martin’s pulse had stopped I ordered further adrenalin injections into the heart. Martin was put ifito the respirator fo. 25 minutes, when he was pronounced dead. I did as Professor Dawson told me. I had no previous

experience at all of picrotoxin.” concluded Dr Radford.

In recording a finding of accidental death, the coroner (Mr Oram) said that there was no doubt that Margin had died from picrotoxin poisoning, and that too large a dose of the drug had been administered by the direction of Professor Dawson, who had to accept full responsibility for the mistake that had been made. It was a matter of very grave concern, he said, if a mistake which caused death were due to ignorance or gross carelessness, the doctor concerned could be committed for trial for manslaughter. He had no doubt that Professor Dawson had giyen the matter of changing Martin’s treatment careful consideration, but there could be no denying that an unfortunate mistake had been made, resulting in the loss of Martin’s life. In view of the fact that the treatment had never been tried before in New South Wales, Mr Oram said, he considered it extraordinary that Professor Dawson should have undertaken to use it without first consulting with the leaders of the profession. It seemed that the treatment was to a large degree experimental, but he was satisfied that Professor Dawson believed at the time that it would have no illeffects.

The Acting Minister of Health (Mr Primrose) later called for the depositions of witnesses at the inquest.