A FATAL DRINK.

Shannon News, 31 January 1922, Page 2

A FATAL DRINK.

LEVIN RESIDENT'S DEATH

The death took place at the Palmerston North Hospital on Saturday of an old resident of Levin in the person of Mr William Findlay, of Lower Queen Street, death resulting from drinking a quantity of’ caustic soda in mistake for soup. It appears that on Friday, January 20, Mrs Findlay was preparing to make soap, ana dissolved some caustic soda in a soup tureen, which she left on the dining room table. Mr Findlay came home far tea that evening, and taking a cupful of the contents of the tureen, which in the semi-darkness he took lor soup, he drank it off. The unfortunate man was badly burned, and suffered intense agony. Medical atsisance was immediately called in, and after doing all that could be done, the sufferer was sent to the Palmerston North Hospital. He failed to rally, however, and after lingering for a week, succumbed on Saturday. An inquest is to be held at Palmerston. The late Mr Findlay, who was 69 years of age was a bootmaker by trade, and for some years was employed by Mr t . W. Pink. He is survived by a widow and grownup family.