MORBID DESIRE

Hokitika Guardian, 14 October 1931, Page 8

MORBID DESIRE

WOMAN DRUG FIEND. GAOL FOR CONSPIRATORS. LONDON, August 14. W'hat was described by the magistrate us the morbid desire of a South American woman for drugs,, and the subterfuge of her nurse in unlawfully procuring morphine tartrate at a chemist’s shop in Piccadilly Circus, led to the two women being sent to prison. Mrs Rose Brophy, aged thirty-five, fajh'dnably dressed, of Park-side Knightsbridge, and Miss Helen Mol joy, ■iged twenty-five a lady’s companion, of Bathurst Street, Lancaster Gate, appeared yesterday before Mr Mead, at Marlborough Street Police Court, accused of being concerned together with unlawfully procuring a dangerous drug.

The magistrate, saying this was a conspiracy to get drugs tor an improper purpose, so that the patient could yield to a morbid desire tor drugs, sent--need Brophy to one month’s imprisonment in the second division, and \!ol loy to twenty-one days in the second division. Notice of appeal was given.

Mr E. F. Barker, who prosecuted, stated that Mol loy, who had acted as nurse to Mrs Brophy, took a t’aiise prescription to the chemist's shop for morphine tartrate. The drug not beii.g in stock, she was asked to can for it the following day. She called the same day, saw another , qualified assistant, and was told to call the same evening. In the meantime inquiries were made. The drug was supplied—twenty tablets of morphine tartrate—and on leaving the shop Mollov was stopped by Dectective-Sergeant Worth. 'She said: "I know I should not have done this. It is not for me. it is for a lady who is ill.” Dr Russell Brain, a Harley Street neurologist, said Mrs Brophy was a sick woman. It had been necessary to give her morphine on account ol pains. She had, he said, got the drug habit, and he had provisionally hooked a room in a nursing home for her. Mr Percy Robinson, for Mollov. said she wished to express her sincere regret for what had happened. “There can be no doubt that this emotional

Irish girl was overcome by the pa ir, and sufferings sh l ' s-w this worn-, > undergoing, and that she allowed h - self to be betrayed into taking t l ’’. prescription to the chemists,” said Mr Robinson.