YEAST AND STRYCHNINE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2981, 31 December 1925, Page 2

YEAST AND STRYCHNINE.

FATAL END OF DRINKING BOUT.

MAiN POISONED AT WANGANUI.

Wanganui, Dee. 30

After spending Christmas Day and Boxing Day in the city, two men employed on Mr. C. Connor’s farm at Rairikia, fifteen miles up the Wanganui River, were suffering from headaches. They looked round for medicine and found a powder in an old waist-coat pocket. This they agreed was what they wanted, but it turned out to be strychnine. One man, William Davis, a widower with two children, succumbed within a minute, and the other, Thomas McGuire, was admitted to hospital. His condition is not considered dangerous. LATER. The inquest on William Davis, disclosed that deceased and his mate, Thus McGuire, were suffering from the after effects of liquor and were in a lmd way. They had already drunk the contents of a gallon jar of yeast and were searching for something to relieve them when they found a bottle of strychnine in the vest pocket of the acting manager of the station. The latter carried it about with him for safety, having taken it over from the previous manager who left before Christmas. Believing this was aspirin they took a dose. Davis died in a few minutes, but McGuire is making a comparatively good recovery. The acting manager liberally dosed him with salt and water until the doctor arrived.