MERTON

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Saturday, April 19, 2008 at 05:19:34 :

Marin Journal
Thursday, May 1, 1924
Page 1

Man Dies After Gland Injection

Searching for eternal youth, four men on Easter Sunday at El Verano performed a strange and barbaric rite in which a goat was the sacrificial principle.

Removing the glands of the martyred animal, the four men divided them into four equal portions and injected the secretion hypodermically into their abdomens.

One of the men is dead and the other parties to the strange ceremony are awaiting the outcome of their own surgery.

John E. Merton, employed as a gas maker at the Pacific Gas & Electric Company’s plant here, is dead. E. W. Waldo, Ralph Stevenson and a brother of the dead man, were the other participants in the orgy.

According to information gathered by coroner J. Ray Keaton, who took charge of the body, Merton was seized with illness Tuesday following Easter Sunday. Dr. R. G. Dufficy was called to attend the man. Merton returned to his home later and again appealed to Dr. Dufficy. He was advised to go to the Ross General Hospital where he could be under constant surveillance. He was received there Sunday and died Monday morning.

An autopsy performed that day at the morgue by Dr. Dufficy indicated that death was due to alcoholism. The stomach, the liver and a portion of the brain were given to Dr. Ernst A. Victors for analysis. According to Dr. Dufficy the injection of the goat glands had caused an abscess in the abdomen, but the effects from it were not necessarily fatal.

Merton, 26 years old, was to have been married in two weeks.

Upon the receipt of the analytical report from Dr. Victors the inquest will be held by Coroner Keaton.