A DOCTOR’S SUICIDE

Hokitika Guardian, 5 December 1930, Page 6

A DOCTOR’S SUICIDE

TOLD IN DIARY FORM

[United Press Association—By Electrio Telegraph.—Copyright.)

LONDON, December 3

A remarkable diary describing his own slow death from, poison, left by. Doctor Hugh Lonsdale Hands, sixty-three, an innoculation expert of Brighton, was produced at an inquiry at which a verdict of suTcide. while of unsound mind was returned.

The entries were made in a bold handwriting as follows:—“Taken half an ounce of aconita, an ounce of olioral hydrate, both nice except for a tingling, waiting feeling. I am happy. It is the first time 1 have ever felt without worry, as though free. My heart must be strong, as it won’t give way. It is a long time, so slow. The Japs are right. Death is lovely. I feci fine. There is no pain* I have not told my wife everything. I did not want her to worry. I feel sleepy. My pulse is still good. Please have m y vein opened. I may find myself alive in a coffin. It is a terrible thought. I await the next manifestation. I believe now in a just God not man’s laws. lam very comfortable. Half the furniture and paino to my wife. My pulse is still good, just getting slightly dazed but _ happy. Surely 'I .cannot live 6ny lam comfortable' but Have” just beerisick. Must take'prussic. Pulse good.” There followed other , technical .comments then --“Extraordinary pulse running well. I feel fine. When will it all he, over.” ; : '-' v: V’ -I*

Then finally— “ God seems- to be over rile. ; I -am just leaving for a lovely voyage hut its slow. For the first time I am without -worry, money is nothing. THE INQUEST. LONDON, December 3. At the inquest on Doctor Lonsdale Hands, the evidence showed that the Doctor saw two patients after-stak-ing the poison. In a letter to his wife he said that he was heavily in debt. He asked what there was to he gained by, all of the study and research. The apswer, lie said, was- nothing, but meanwhile, lie added, the general practitioners made a, fortune out of hum-: bug. : ;