Warning after farmer dies from strychnine poisoning

A CORONER issued a warning yesterday about the use of the banned poison strychnine following the inquest into the death of an elderly farmer yesterday.

The inquest heard John Kelleher, 78, of Upper Horsemount, Ballinagree, died of strychnine poisoning in a doctor’s surgery, in Rathmore, Co Kerry, hours after he had been taken ill, on January 17, 2003.

Coroner Terence Casey said people knew of the location of strychnine on a farm, or anywhere else, should immediately report it so that the substance could be destroyed.

“It’s illegal to possess strychnine,” he said.

It was not disclosed where, or how, the deceased had ingested the poison, which has been banned for about 20 years.

In a statement, Joe Sheehan said a car had pulled up behind him at a disused creamery on the Killarney side of Rathmore. A man in the car beckoned him to come forward. The man had a seizure and was in some pain.

Dr Tony McDonnell was called to the scene. He found the man had severe pain in his legs, which he thought might be caused by discs in his back.

He brought the man to his surgery where he spent the rest of the evening on the couch.

The doctor said the man had severe bouts of pain and that he manipulated him, which seemed to give him some relief. He said the outstanding feature was that his muscles and his abdomen were rigid.

Dr McDonnell said he tried to get an ambulance, but he was told that no ambulance was available in Killarney, Tralee or Millstreet. He said he was told by the call centre in Tralee there would be no ambulance available until 9pm.

He said he treated the man and later pronounced him dead at 5.35pm.

Dr McDonnell said he had never seen a case of strychnine poisoning before, but he suspected it later because of the rigidity.

A jury returned a verdict of death by strychnine poisoning, in accordance with medical evidence presented by Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margot Bolster.

Dr Bolster said strychnine was indicated in samples of blood and urine. forwarded to the State Laboratory.

“It’s such a rare poisoning in this country, they don’t have a way of assessing levels. They can only indicate whether it’s present or absent,” she said.