CAUSE A MYSTERY.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20280, 14 April 1934, Page 29 (Supplement)

CAUSE A MYSTERY.

Death of Worker in Big Factory. DISCLOSURES AT INQUEST. The mysterious death—from a coniparatively new disease, with an unknown cause—of another worker at the factory of British Celanese, Ltd., Spoil-, don, Derby”, was the subject of an inquest at Nottingham, savs the “ Daily Mail.” It was Stated that the features of the case were quite different from those disclosed recently at an inquest on three other employees. It was theii shown that the deaths were consistent with chemical poisoning, and that the men worked over a tank which gave off fumes. Verdicts of accidental death. were returned. An open verdict was returned in the newest case, the dead man being John Thomas Naylor, aged twenty-three', of Eastwood, who worked in what is known as the “ hush-hush ” department. The jury added a rider that they were not convinced that Naylor’s employment did not have a prejudicial effect on his health. Owing to a misunderstanding, the company was not represented at the inquest. The Home Office was represnted by Dr S. A. Henry, and at the close • of the proceedings he took possession of the results of a post-mortem examination made by Dr S. C. Mattock, of Nottingham General Hospital.

Dr Henry intimated"'that the Home Office intended to make its' own inquiries. “.Like Needles." The Nottingham ' Deputy Coroner (Mr W. S. RotheraUsaid that. Nayior was employed at. the Celanese works for. a!'short while before November 22. when.he ->vas taken ill- On January 0 bg was . admitted.-to hospital, and on February ,9 he cited.. .;v ; v,..u 1 ", Mrs Naylor, this rfiother, said that her s6n was employed in the dyeipig de. partment, which . the men calta»- *|e “ hush-hush ” 1 department. He had hold things in a long bath, off fumes, and: he told her 1 like needles going into him, arid;-he bad to put his head back to get:fresh ater Until he went to th& -Works- hi? general health was- good, but he had had an accident in a coalmine, as a of which his abdomen was strained; •. .On November 21 he went to work on -the night shift, and was brought horrte.. about midnight almost helpless. libwas feeling sick, faint and dizzy, and wanted nothing to eat. His own doctor told him not to go into the department any more. The next day he said he would go down to the factory to see if they would transfer him. They would not, and jn consequence he was dismissed. After being taken ill. he was always out of breath if he had to walk uphill. New Difleaae. Dr S. C. Mattock, of the Nottingham General Hospital, said that after making a blood test he ascertained that Naylor was suffering from , plastic anaemia, a comparatively new illness. The disease was entirely different from

that which the other Celanese workers suffered from. In . plastic anaemia the bone marrow stopped working and the sufferer became -anaemic. The red cells of the bloOd“vere being continually, destroyed and were not replaced by bone marrow. in which case the victim possibly died. There were various causes of the disease. One was an overdose of radium or. X-rays. Another was a new German drug called thorium, and another wasf an. Infection of measles, scarlet or On the other hand;. r it- hiighfi be dtie to an entirely unknown, cause. In reply : tola juryman the Coroner said, that even if the British Celanese Cpmjpany. had been represented at the inquest, ana if it had stated exactly ;\vhat it. was using in this department, the jury would not get any further. If beazqje were used, it would not prove • -f, 'yr. <