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LYSOL POISONING
CAUSED DEATH.
CORONER'S FINDING ON
DEATH OF WOMAN.
PORTION of a letter written to Detective Ramsey by
Mrs. Grace Edith Elsie O'loughlin (50) was read
by the Coroner (Mr. M. S. Meagher) at the inquest today
into the death of the woman, who died on Friday after-
noon. The Coroner found that she died from the effects
of lysol poisoning wilfully administered by herself.
Only the opening sentence was read
by the Coroner. It was: "This is for
your benefit so you will see why I
am committing suicide."
Dr. M. A. Walker, of the Hospital,
said that on December 22 Mrs.
O'Loughlin was admitted to the
Hospital at about 2.40 p.m. She was
treated for lysol poisoning. The
woman was unconscious. She died at
3.30 p.m.
Dr. G. H. S. Dobbyn said that about
2.30 p.m. he was called to 418
Chapple Street to Mrs. O'Loughlin.
He instructed the person on the tele-
phone to send the woman to the
Hospital. He did not attend.
LYSOL CAUSED DEATH.
Dr. W. E. George, Government
Medical Officer, gave evidence of a
post mortem examination performed
on Saturday. He said that there were
burns on the lip and tongue and an
odor of lysol about the mouth. The
wall of the stomach was softened
and the lining reddened and blackened.
Fluid in the stomach smelt of lysol.
Lysol poisoning was in his opinion
the cause of death.
Brian O'Loughlin, a son of the
woman, said that at about 2. p.m. on
Friday he was in his bedroom talk-
ing to his brother. He heard a gurg-
ling sound coming from his mother's
room. He heard her cry, "I have done
it."
His mother was lying on the bed,
and a bottle of lysol was on the floor.
Witness said that his mother later
went to the kitchen and was taken
to the Hospital in a taxi.
Witness said that his mother had
been very depressed and was suffer-
ing from high blood pressure and a
nervous complaint.
Witness identified a letter dated
December 22 and addressed to Detec-
tive Ramsey as being in his mother's
hand writing.
Sergt. F. Hallett also gave evi-
dence. He told of a visit to the
O'Loughlin home and of the finding
of a bottle of lysol in the bedroom.
Detective A. H. Ramsey said that
on December 22 he received a letter
by post. A portion of the letter read
by the coroner was: "This is for your
benefit so you will see why l am
committing suicide."
The coroner found that Mrs.
O'Loughlin died from the effects of
lysol poisoning, wilfully administered
by herself on December 22.
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