A STATE OF COMA

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17407, 4 November 1930, Page 2

A STATE OF COMA

MOTORIST’S ARREST INTOXICATION CHARGE TAILS INJECTIONS OF INSULIN /Per Press Association.) . WELLINGTON, last night. Symptoms which the police considered for diabetes, in a case to-day m ' wli Philip John Toster ed marine superintendents was * .note ™\ early on £sTt“case Accused pleted not Bissett said that shortly 7 ./dock on an evening last mpnth he went toßintoul street, trite* orcnvaUng W l,«n done ,n connte.en with tramway works. c ‘ y man the excavation, and a tramway •was attempting to drcye it ou • was in the'back of the car, and at firs denied ho had been the d»vei, afterwards admitted ho was the drive , Refused for a time to get out o the car until witness threatened to foice ten out. His breath smel streng y o liauor, and when he got out of the cai he was staggering. Questioned as > liquor S he had had accused said he had not had a drop. Ho said nothing about the state of his health. Four constables and four independen witnesses gave corroborative evidence. ONE SMALL WHISKY Mr. W. Heine, counsel for the accused, said for six months the accused had been a diabetic under treatment by Dr. Boyd, and on the doctor s advice had been taking 1 insulin injections, one m the morning and one in the evening. Under this treatment the accused s com dition had improved, and for a fortnight prior to October 26 he had omitted the evening injection. Bv means of regular tests ho , found on Friday or Saturday that the sugar content of his system was more than it should be, and he resumed the evening treatment; On the Sunday he took an injection at 5.30, up to which time lie had no liquor. Feeling rather “seedy” after the injection he took one small whisky. He had been told that anyone undergoing the treatment he was, should he very abstemious, and he had kept strictly to the letter of that instruction. Later in the evening the accused was still feeling ill but had found one whisky never affected him. Two friends of the accused would be called to say that tip to 6.30 p.m. lie was perfectly sober. The accused had had a veiV light tea, and later decided to go for a drive. His drowsiness becoming worse, he. decided to return home, and in Rintoul street lie was practically overcome by stupor. He could scarcely remember what happened after that." The insulin injection, if not followed by a full meal, caused coma, which was described in text books as being impossible to distinguish from the appearance of intoxication. The accused had had only a light meal and had been affected by the injection. Evidence was given along these lines. CHARGE NOT PROVED

Dr. J. Boyd, in evidence, said that knowing Captain Foster, and knowing what had happened, he thought there could be no doubt that he had suffered insulin reaction. He had taken an overdose of insulin. Seeing that he had not had an evehing injection for two or three weeks the effect would last anywhere from four to eight hours. Apart from the smell of the breath, all Captain Foster’s symptoms were consistent with insulin reactjon. Similar reaction amongst witness’ patients was fairly common.

Mr. McNeil said: “Having heard tho evidence of Dr. Boyd as to the effect of insulin taken in the dose in which the defendant has sworn he took it, and the surrounding circumstances, I have come to the conclusion that it would be unsafe to convict on the charge of being intoxicated, and shortly, I" am- bound to say, the charge is not proved.’’ The matter, he said, did not rest there however. The fact that the defendant after having taken insulin, and feeling its effects, had allowed himselt to get into the circumstances he did, was an act of negligence on his part and he would be convicted on a,, cnarge of negligent driving. • The question of penalty had to be considered, and the safety of the public had' to be taken into consideration. Dr. Boyd had said the symptoms of insulin reaction Were practically the same as those of a person intoxicated, with the exception of tho smell of the breath, and that being so, tho danger must be guarded against. It was the duty of the- court to trv and protect the‘public. “Having believed the defendant that it was insulin that was the trouble and not liquor,” said' the magistrate; “1 do not think it a matter for a heavy fine. The defendant will be fined £5, hut his present driving license will be cancelled, and he will be prohibited from obtaining another for two years after the time the present one expires.”