THE AUTOPSY REVEALED THAT THE SOMERTON MAN
HAD A GREATLY ENLARGED SPLEEN
It is known that Sodium Thiopental (PENTOTHAL) also known as the Truth Serum, can cause significant enlargement of the spleen.
Developed By Abbott Laboratories, 1930s.
'A defector from the biological weapons Department 12 of the KGB "illegals" (S) directorate (e.g., presently a part of Russian SVR service) claimed a serum code-named SP-117[27] was highly effective, and has been widely used. According to him, "The 'remedy which loosens the tongue' has no taste, no smell, no color, and no immediate side effects. Most importantly, a person had no recollection having had the 'heart-to-heart talk'," and felt afterward as though they'd suddenly fallen asleep. Officers of S Directorate primarily used the drug to verify fidelity and trustworthiness of their agents who operated overseas'
TRUTH SERUM
Sodium Thiopental, also known as the Truth Serum, was used by the OSS, CIA and the Soviets during interrogations. In an earlier post about Russian Assassination techniques, we covered the use of such a serum, SP-117, to interrogate defectors and double agents prior to their being killed. These killings outside of the motherland were commonly carried out using hard to detect poisons including vapours and/or gas.
LETHAL DOSES
When I wrote that earlier post, I missed two very important points and they were that it causes the spleen to enlarge and in a large dose, 9g, Thiopental, (Sodium Pentathol) was and may still be used to carry out executions in the US.
'The most compelling evidence that even 5 g of thiopental alone may not be lethal, however, is that some California inmates continued to breathe for up to 9 min after thiopental was injected. This observation directly contradicts testimony of that state's expert witness, who asserted that "this dose of thiopental sodium will cause virtually all persons to stop breathing within a minute of drug administration" and that "virtually every person given 5 grams of thiopental sodium will have stopped breathing prior to the administration of the pancuronium bromide".[24] The witness has made identical statements regarding 3 g of thiopental.[14] Indeed, the clinical literature is replete with examples of patients experiencing respiratory failure after even low doses of thiopental.[25] Others, however, experience merely transient, nonfatal apnea. Of course, for inmates who did not stop breathing with thiopental alone, it is impossible to know whether the thiopental solution was correctly mixed, whether the entire dose was administered intravenously, or whether the apparent resistance was due to bolus dosing or individual variation. It remains possible, however, that bolus dosing of 5 g of thiopental alone might not be fatal in all persons. Indeed, nonhuman primates given as much as 60 mg/kg (the mass equivalent of 6 g for a 100 kg man) experienced prolonged sleep, but ultimately recovered.[26]'
Who administered the drug? Someone with medical training?
Or is it the case that he was drugged to the extent that his spleen was damaged and the lethal poison was administered post interrogation?
Wouldn't the drug have been discovered in the autopsy? Good question and it seems that it is possible that it wouldn't have been detected according to the Soviet descriptions of their drugs.
All up for discussion. What are your thoughts?
'The most compelling evidence that even 5 g of thiopental alone may not be lethal, however, is that some California inmates continued to breathe for up to 9 min after thiopental was injected. This observation directly contradicts testimony of that state's expert witness, who asserted that "this dose of thiopental sodium will cause virtually all persons to stop breathing within a minute of drug administration" and that "virtually every person given 5 grams of thiopental sodium will have stopped breathing prior to the administration of the pancuronium bromide".[24] The witness has made identical statements regarding 3 g of thiopental.[14] Indeed, the clinical literature is replete with examples of patients experiencing respiratory failure after even low doses of thiopental.[25] Others, however, experience merely transient, nonfatal apnea. Of course, for inmates who did not stop breathing with thiopental alone, it is impossible to know whether the thiopental solution was correctly mixed, whether the entire dose was administered intravenously, or whether the apparent resistance was due to bolus dosing or individual variation. It remains possible, however, that bolus dosing of 5 g of thiopental alone might not be fatal in all persons. Indeed, nonhuman primates given as much as 60 mg/kg (the mass equivalent of 6 g for a 100 kg man) experienced prolonged sleep, but ultimately recovered.[26]'
THE QUESTIONS
Is it possible that the Somerton Man was given injections of this drug for interrogation purposes? Is it possible it was delivered over a period of time, a day or two, and is it possible that he was inadvertently given an overdose over that time? The spleen could have been enlarged at some time in the process.Who administered the drug? Someone with medical training?
Or is it the case that he was drugged to the extent that his spleen was damaged and the lethal poison was administered post interrogation?
Wouldn't the drug have been discovered in the autopsy? Good question and it seems that it is possible that it wouldn't have been detected according to the Soviet descriptions of their drugs.
All up for discussion. What are your thoughts?
Coincidence, marks this case throughout. And they are remarkable coincidences in time and proximity.
ReplyDeleteI find documents that show that Robert Victor Hemblys Scales worked in Mi5 counter intelligence as an interrogator. You find sodium thiopental. Somone finds the chemist and the building that his shop was in on Jetty Rd Glenelg and I find the original surgery of Dr Milo Sprod and Dr Lica Sprod in the same building. I find Dr Lica Sprod collected a sory in Indonesia of an exotic poison used by natives on the back pf a wedding invite from her sister, Carmen Delprat to Dutch ambassador, Peter Teppema. I find that their daughter Tania Teppema is engaged to Robert Hemblys Scales 3 weeks after the body of a man is discovered at Somerton Beach. And then i find that Tania Teppema and Robert Victor Hemblys Scales had visited Dr Sprod in October 1948 at Dr Sprod's residence in Unley Park.
Ii found that Dr Sprod once lived in Moseley St Somerton Park a dozen houses up from where Jessica and Prosper were living on the night that the body is alleged to of died and found the next morning on Somerton Beach. I find a report written by Robert Victor Hemblys Scales about the surveillence of the Russian delegation to ECÀFE and you find the surname of a CIS agent that's mentioned in the report as being the same as the man named Keith who thought that he knew the man whose body was found upon Somerton Beach. Kieth was found unconscious, his child was fgound decreased. Keith had no explanation and was committed to a mental hospital. I found that Dr Lica Sprod was on the Mental Health Board at one time.
I find that that Keith's father migrated to Australia and that no one else by that surname other than his wife ever migrated to Australia. You find that the second phone number in the Rubyiat found in the Chemist's car, is the phone number of the switchboard in the building in Adelaide which housed a bank, and amongst other offices, the Commonwealth Investigation Service, of which Keith's brother worked for.
It would certainly appear to be an interesting coincidence that Robert Victor Hemblys Scales's aunty in law, Dr Lica Sprod appears to be connected vicariously to buildings, places, organisations and witnesses involved in the Somerton Man case.
Fascinating isn't it! How complex was the intelligence web that was weaved in those early Cold War days.
ReplyDeleteLots more information to come from this end and, I am sure from you as well!
Mere coincidence?
ReplyDeletehttps://www.geni.com/people/Robert-Gilchrist-Junior/6000000119516298234?through=6000000119489578823
Pete, The link isn't allowing access? Any chance of a photo?
ReplyDeletehttps://books.google.com.au/books?id=emxFAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA7391&lpg=PA7391&dq=robert+treat+gilchrist&source=bl&ots=1E6Yjn3odP&sig=ACfU3U1Nk67iYL4bjtNZLbNdqRrBZ48uRw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj5pbCTsdroAhWFjeYKHb7fDLoQ6AEwBXoECAgQAQ#v=onepage&q=robert%20treat%20gilchrist&f=false
ReplyDeleteI cant post a picture in a reply, but youll find it on page 7394.
Richard's the nephew of CIA station chief, James Montgomery Gilchrist Junior whom was engaged to Tania Teppema in December 1947.
I always wondered by Tania ditched him for the MI5 counter espionage interrogator, Hemblys Scales. Maybe Richard's arrest for subversive activities, whilst being a US Army Officer might be indicative of a family involvement in communist activities?