Death of Edith Alice Morrell
Edith Alice Morrell (20 June 1869 – 13 November 1950), was a resident of Eastbourne and patient of the suspected serial killer John Bodkin Adams. He was tried for her murder in 1957 but acquitted. The trial featured in headlines around the world and was described at the time as "one of the greatest murder trials of all time" and "murder trial of the century". It was also described at the time as "unique" because, in the words of the judge, "the act of murder" had "to be proved by expert evidence." There were indications of interference with the trial.
Edith Alice Morrell was a wealthy widow who suffered a brain thrombosis (a stroke) on 24 June 1948 while visiting her son in Cheshire. She was partially paralysed and was admitted to a hospital there the following day and Adams, her usual doctor, arrived on the 26th. The following day she was first prescribed morphine (given ¼ grains SOS (i.e. when necessary)) for pain. She stayed for nine days before Adams took her back to Eastbourne. On 9 July Adams increased the morphine dose to ½ grain and added 1/6 grain of heroin to ease symptoms of "cerebral irritation" and to help her sleep. These doses gradually increased. Adams suddenly withdrew the morphia completely on 1 November 1950 only to reintroduce it on the 6th, giving 2 grains.
On the 7th she was given 1½ grains of morphia and 2½ of heroin. On the 8th, 2 grains of each. On the 9th Adams gave 2 grains of morphia and 1½ of heroin. Then on the 10th she was given 1 grain of morphia and 4 grains of heroin, 5 on the 11th, and 3½ on the 12th. That day she was also given paraldehyde to mask involuntary jerks, but which also acted as a mild sedative and depressant of the lungs. The latter was particularly dangerous since heroin also decreases lung functionality.
During the ten and a half months leading up to her death, Adams gave a total of 1,629½ grains of barbiturates; 1,928 grains of Sedormid; 16411⁄12 grains of morphia and 139½ grains of heroin. Between 7 and 12 November 1949 alone, she was given 40½ grains of morphia (2624 mg) and 39 grains of heroin (2527 mg), according to prescriptions. This, according to the prosecution in the trial, would more than likely have been enough to kill her in itself despite any tolerance developed (the respective LD-50s are (in one dose) between 375–3750 mg for morphine and 75–375 mg for heroin based on a person of 75 kg ).
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