THE HAMILTON SENSATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 June 1921, Page 3

THE HAMILTON SENSATION.

C. R. SMALLFIELD’S DEATH

ANALYST’S EVIDENCE,

HAMILTON, June 13

The adjourned inquest into the death of Cecil Robert Smallfield, whose body was found in the Waikato river, was resumed this afternoon.

Dr McLaurin, Dominion Analyst, recalled, said be had written since to the Coroner giving the result of certain investigations that, in certain circumstances, minute quantities of carbolic acid were produced in a. dead body during the process of putrefaction. Ho quoted Berthlot in support of the statement. Witness gave references from the authorities from which he obtained the new facts, but said lie had not found any authority who declared that carbolic acid formed in the body in large amounts after death. The last word had not been said on this subject, however. It. had been known for some time that certain bacilli produced carbolic acid, but in small quantities It was also known that small quantities of phenol (or carbolic acid) were produced tljiring putrefaction after death, probably due to the same bacilli which produced it during life. Berthlot did not say the human body was the best media for the produtcion of carbolic acid. In the organs lie had examined there was enough tyrosin to produce the carbolic acid he had found. The only case in his experience in which lie had found carbolic acid produced in a putrefying body after death was in the ca.-; of a dog, but lie could not say whether the carbolic acid found in the dog was due to putrefaction or whether the carbolic was given to the dog. Bortlilot only found the bacillus in cases where the subjects suffered from intestinal trouble. He would not say a person who had his appendix removed nine years ago would suffer from intestinal trouble. He would say a person would have suffered from intestinal trouble where there were signs of inflammation of the intestines. His latter report to the Coroner was not entirely speculative. He bad not found any evidence which proved that more than small amounts could be formed. Berthlot was a man of some standing in the profession. Berthlot had said further investigation was necessary in order to prove that the bacillus could not exist in the bodies of healthy persons.

Hugh Douglas, surgeon, said that when he was superintendent of tho Waikato Hospital in 1912, lie removed the appendix from a patient named Cecil Robert Smallfield.

To counsel: The appendix once removed could not grow again. Assuming that Dr Hector had said he had examined the same man and found an appendix, ho would be making a mistake.

To the Coroner: An appendicitis scar would always remain, and on the body buried on the date mentioned and exhumed later, it would he possible to recognise it.

To counsel: After eight years the sear from an appendicitis operation would have grown fainter. looked for closely it might escape observation. especially on a body that bad been immersed in water.

Rushton Crnmvcll, dentist, said 1 o knew the deceased, and treated him professionally. Dr Pinfold’s description of the top set of teeth in the body examined was correct. \\ itness had seen Smallfield shortly before his death. He was quite normal, and not depressed. Sergeant Edwards said he had made enquiries of chemists in Auckland province, and no record of sales of carbolic to deceased could he found. Constable Dixon said he recognised the body taken from the river as that of Smallfield, whom he knew well. Charles Dimmer, the deceased’s father-in-law, asked for the re-exhuma-tion of the body to settle the matter of identification. Mr Ostler objected. He said the evidence was sufficient. The inquest was adjourned to allow of the recall of Dr Pinfold, who made the post-mortem.