The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-01-11
.)OvI[ING DUBIOUS
 .AB0UTsC0P0 P0LAMIN|
Testimony Must Be Sub stantianted By Facts To
 Be Of Any Value

Confessions alleged to have been obtained from negro prisoners held in connection with ak murders through injection of drug known to the medical world as "scopolamin" will be worthless unless the state can fully = corroborate them With, n,n,an known nnsta facts; Thursday by pr. J. D. Bowling, city and county health officer, in an ex- culsive interview with The Age Herald. !
 .scopolamin," he said, "is an ak aloid which paralyzes the inhibitory centers in the nerve system. It de- presses that part of the system in- volving the intellect and stimulates the sympathetic nervous system.f It increases the blood pressure and dia- lates the pupils. The unusual willing ness of criminals to talk under. this influence is due to the direct result of the inhibitory effect of the drug on the higher brain centers. There fore, the value of statements made under such circumstances would seem to. be. of little value unless corrob- orated in toto"
 It is misleading to call the fluid truth serum." in pr. Dowling's opinion. Injections are just as likely to produce fairy stories as facts," he says. Moreover, any confessions made
  voluntary" and therefore without value in trial, he asserts.
 O 2 O
 An Authority. TC
 Recognized as . medical authority, Dr. Dowling's statement crested stir among prosecuting officials at the courthouse. County Solicitor James Davis declined to say whether the state would be in position to cor roborate the alleged confessions. It was indicated that efforts in this di- rector were being made.
 Plans for trial of the ax cases took definite shape with announcement by Solicitor Davis that three of the me- groes under indictment-Pearl and would go on trial charged with mur- der, February 25, before Judge H. P. Heflin.
 The negroes have employed George Frey, Frank s. Address and J. G. Adams, Jr., attorneys, to represent them and their defense will include the charge that the alleged confess sions were framed" Pleas of mot giulty" will be entered.
 A statement by the defense attor- neys declared that any alleged evil dence obtained through use Of drugs would be illegal. They planned to summon numbers of physicians to tes- tffy as to the physiological effect of "scopolamin."
 pr. Bowling it seems is certain to be called as a witness in the cases. In his interview the health officer de- clared that the drug in all probability caused the prisoners to make state ments which they would not have made normally.
 "It benumbs the brain to a con- siderable extent" he added, "and by paralyzing the inhibitory nerve cen ters, a person who could hold himself in check under normal conditions would lose control and begin talking. The value of such talk, however. would be worth little, in my opinion. I should certainly want all state ments made during this state to be completely corroborated in an inde- pendent way"
 "Scopolamin" is an extract from the plant, Bella Dona" and is we'll known to the medical profession. Dr. Bowling said. It has been used often in childbirth, but it's employment in reference to criminology Is still in the experimental stage, he said.