Verdict of Manslaughter against a Melbourne Doctor.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5054, 15 July 1884, Page 2

Verdict of Manslaughter against a Melbourne Doctor.

. ♦ How a Barmaid was Killed. [Special to the " Star."] DUNEDIN, July 15. An inquest was held in Melbourne on the 4th inst., by Dr Youl, Coroner, on the body of Helen Tombs, a young woman employed as barmaid at the Waterloo Hotel, Little Collins street, who died very suddenly early on the morning of the 2nd inst. The deceased had been previously employed at J Christchurch and Dunedin. From tho I evidence taken it was made clearly appaJ rent that death was caused by an overdose J of morphia, which formed an ingredient of I a prescription given by Dr Gunst, jun., to

Cure sleeplessness. The prescription was intended to be a homoeopathic one ; but through a small sign being omitted, the result was that ten grains of morphia were "used in the preparation when only half a grain was intended. The evidence showed that the directions given by the doctor were that the powder was to be taken by the patient before she retired for the night. She did as instructed, and only lived an hour afterwards. The evidence of Mr Hooper, the chemist who prepared the prescription, and his assistant, -was to the effect that they considered the prescription a very unusual and dangerous one, but were satisfied that it •was intended for external application. Hence they did not refer it back to the prescribing doctor, as was usually done with doubtful prescriptions. They, however, warned the messenger who called for the medicine as to its danger; but Mrs Morgan, the landlady of the hotel, and Hiss Ross, the barmaid, stated that they received no caution. C. Pleasance, homcoopathic chemist, was called, and asserted emphatically that he would not make up such a prescription as the one produced. The jury returned a verdict of manslaughter against Dr Gunst, jun., and also censured the chemist for not having made further enquiries about so peculiar a prescription. Drs Gunst, senior and junior, though they were the witnesses most likely to throw light on the affair, were aot called. The last-mentioned, however, volunteered evidence which made the case perfectly clear against himself.