POISONING CASE

Rotorua Morning Post, 1 March 1933, Page 5

POISONING CASE

(Press. Assn.—

DEVONPORT NURSE ON TRIAL ON GRAVE CHARGE FURTHER EVIDENCE

-By Telegraph — Copyrlght).

Auckland, Tuesday. The trial of Nurse Elspeth Kerr on a charge of administering poison to Dorothy Betty Cameron, aged eight years, was resumed this morning. Len'gthy evidence was given hy Dr. K. H. Holdgate concerning the difficulty experienced in diagnosing the child's condition. He isaw the- child on April 8 after she first returned from hospital, and after a detailed examinaition Ihe gave a fresh prescription. Next day the child was still in the same comatose state. Nurse Kerr aslced him for something to free the child from pain

during; the night, land he gave her one tablet, to "be used half at night and half in the morning. The tahlet would contain five or sdx grains of veronal. Next morning* he received an urgent call from Nurse Kerr. He found the child in a grave condition, and did not think she would survive. He insisted that she be returned to the hospital, and he went with her in an ambulance. Two days later the child had vastly imjproved. On the following; day Nurse Kerr telephoned him saying that she1 had just come from th'e hospital and the child did not seem much better. She said she was very worried and would he ring the hospital and then ring her. He rang th'e hospital about six o'clock in the- evening and then rang Nurse Kerr and told her that the child was not so well. Dr. A. J. Stallworthy, surgeon at the Auckland hospital, said that he left the child just before Nurse Kerr visited her and she was normal. He was called later in the evening and she was in a state of coma which might have been due to vel'onal. v A specialist, Dr. L. Ludbrook, gave evidence that he had examined the child and found her deeply unconscious. After further medical evidence the case was adjourned and will be continued to-day.