1 00:00:02,240 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: Nine podcasts. In this episode, an intensive care specialist recalls 2 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:10,440 Speaker 1: the efforts of doctors to save the lunch guests and 3 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:13,800 Speaker 1: how close they thought. Ian Wilkinson came to dine. 4 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 2: Victoria's mushroom mystery. The mushroom lunch that claimed three lives 5 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 2: an Australian family's meal is now the center of a 6 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:22,760 Speaker 2: homicide investigation. 7 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:26,240 Speaker 3: For bizarre tragedy now grabbing global headlines. 8 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 2: Aaron Patterson's alleged victims died after eating a family lunch 9 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 2: she'd serve them at her home. I cannot think of 10 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 2: another investigation that has generated this level of media and 11 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 2: public interest. 12 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:40,280 Speaker 1: Four of the guests of that lunch were much loved 13 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:41,600 Speaker 1: members of this church. 14 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:43,640 Speaker 3: Only one will ever return. 15 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:48,960 Speaker 2: People are feeling very heavy with having lost such wonderful people. 16 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 1: Today, Aaron Patterson remained here inside her home. She's continued 17 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:58,960 Speaker 1: to plead her innocence in a court room in Country Victoria. 18 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 1: Aaron Patterson is on trial accused of using death cat 19 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 1: mushrooms to kill She's pleaded not guilty to murdering three 20 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 1: of her former in laws and attempting to kill a 21 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: fourth the town's church pastor. It's up to the jurors 22 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 1: to decide what happened when Pattison's loved ones sat down 23 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 1: to eat. So in this episode, we're going to go 24 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 1: through the evidence of a professor, an intensive care specialist, 25 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: who gave some very detailed evidence as he spoke about 26 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:30,640 Speaker 1: the treatment that the four lunch guests that's Donegale Patterson, 27 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 1: and Ian and Heather Wilkinson received at Melbourne's Austin Hospital. Now, 28 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 1: while all of this was being relayed in court, there 29 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 1: were a number of family members and Ian Wilkinson himself 30 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 1: in the room. 31 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:42,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's right. 32 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:44,480 Speaker 2: There was Ian sitting in the back row next to 33 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:48,040 Speaker 2: his two daughters, and there was others sitting in the 34 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 2: front row as well, maybe just under a dozen different 35 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:54,400 Speaker 2: members of the families. We know that throughout the trial 36 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 2: many have been present, but there's also a significant number 37 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 2: of members of the public now attending. They sit in 38 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 2: the corner on the right hand side of the courtroom, Penny. 39 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:05,400 Speaker 2: There's also a number of members of the public that 40 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 2: are sitting shoulder to shoulder with. 41 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 1: Them, and we did see during parts of this evidence, 42 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 1: which was at the end of the fourth week of 43 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:16,080 Speaker 1: this trial, Aaron Patterson sitting in the Dock did appear 44 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 1: quite emotional at times at times to be quite distressed 45 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 1: while hearing, particularly about the conditions of the female lunch guests. 46 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:25,800 Speaker 1: And we'll sort of come back and forth to you 47 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:28,799 Speaker 1: throughout this episode to sort of update on what was 48 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:30,639 Speaker 1: happening in the courtroom at the time and different parts 49 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:32,600 Speaker 1: of the evidence. But there are quite a lot of 50 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: large segments of what was heard in the courtroom to 51 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 1: make up this episode, because we really want people to 52 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 1: understand what it was like listening to this particular doctor's 53 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 1: very detailed evidence. 54 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:45,920 Speaker 2: He gave evidence via video link beamed into the courtroom 55 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 2: from a remote location for the jury to be able 56 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:52,400 Speaker 2: to observe, and he really took the jury through the 57 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 2: final days of the lunch guests who passed away. We 58 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:58,840 Speaker 2: know three passed away and Ian Wilkinson survived, but we 59 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:02,040 Speaker 2: also heard a lot about e Wilkinson's medical diagnoses and 60 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:04,079 Speaker 2: what was going on in terms of his treatment plan 61 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 2: in hospital as well. We've got a real sense of 62 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 2: the incredible efforts that were underway behind the scenes to 63 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 2: do what they could to save all four lunch guests. 64 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 2: We know that three of them passed away in early August, 65 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 2: twenty twenty three. But Ian Wilkinson was present in court 66 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:23,080 Speaker 2: while all of that was detailed, and also his own 67 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:27,359 Speaker 2: medical history and what went on for him. He was 68 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 2: sitting there listening to that as well. 69 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:31,800 Speaker 1: Who you'll be hearing the words of today is Professor 70 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 1: Stephen Worrelow. Now, as we mentioned, he's an intensive care 71 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: specialist with Melbourne's Austin Hospital and he details some of 72 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 1: the not only his experience but also the hospitals in 73 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: what you'll be hearing throughout this evidence. So we'll start 74 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 1: off with what the court was basically taken through and 75 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 1: this was following some evidence given by the professor that 76 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 1: Don Patterson had arrived from karen Burrow Urgent Care to Dandyong, 77 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 1: that he'd then come on to the Austin Hospital and 78 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 1: at the time that he arrived into the Austin Hospital 79 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 1: on the thirty first of July twenty twenty three, he 80 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 1: had already been diagnosed with acute liver failure by the 81 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 1: critically unwell by the staff at Dandenong. They'd made that 82 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 1: diagnosis and these different parts of evidence you'll be hearing 83 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 1: all the referencing specific patients and different lunch guests at 84 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 1: different times, but we'll begin with what the professor was 85 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:25,640 Speaker 1: telling the court about Don Patterson. This is while he 86 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:28,159 Speaker 1: was speaking with Sarah Lenthial from the prosecution. 87 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:31,560 Speaker 3: The cause of the acute liver failure was considered most 88 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 3: likely to be amanita mushrooms. Yes, that's correct, and he 89 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 3: was referred to the Austin in anticipation of rapidly deteriorating 90 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 3: and needing advanced therapies. Is that right? 91 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 4: Yes, that's correct. 92 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 3: Is there a reason why the Austin was the preferred 93 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 3: destination for a patient like Donald Patterson? 94 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:53,800 Speaker 4: Yes, The Austin hosts the state Liver Transplant Service, and 95 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 4: so any patients from Victoria or adjacent regions and nearby 96 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 4: states would be referred to our of US because we 97 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 4: have a comprehensive program to support patients and specific liver 98 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:10,360 Speaker 4: problems up to an including liver transplantation if that's needed. 99 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 3: Had the Austin treated patients with amanita mushroom poisoning before? 100 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:15,599 Speaker 4: Yes, we have. 101 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:18,960 Speaker 3: And have you been involved in the care of patients 102 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 3: with amanita mushroom poisoning before? 103 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:21,919 Speaker 4: Yes? I have. 104 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 3: What was Donald Patterson's condition when he arrived at the Austin. 105 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 4: He was critically ill and in multiple organ failure. I 106 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:32,440 Speaker 4: can go into more details. 107 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 3: Perhaps there were various blood tests which indicated he was 108 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:37,440 Speaker 3: critically unwell. 109 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 4: Yes, so we identified that he had a severe liver 110 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:46,000 Speaker 4: injury and severe liver failure. Measurements of specific substance in 111 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:50,599 Speaker 4: the blood were extremely high, consistent with severe or massive 112 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:54,839 Speaker 4: liver injury. We also saw that as blood clotting measurements 113 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 4: were grossly abnormal, consistent with liver failure, and he had 114 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 4: a rain of other abnormalities including a build up of 115 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 4: acid in the blood and a buildup of ammonia in 116 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:06,040 Speaker 4: the blood. 117 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:10,440 Speaker 3: Was Donald Patterson receiving various treatments when he arrived at 118 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 3: the Austin he was. 119 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 4: Our colleagues at Dandenong Hospital had already commenced a range 120 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:17,840 Speaker 4: of treatments to try and help support him. 121 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:20,600 Speaker 3: He was sedated and intubated. 122 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:21,480 Speaker 4: That's correct. 123 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:25,599 Speaker 1: Yes, So the court was taken through the professor's evidence 124 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:28,320 Speaker 1: of what being intubated meant. And as we've mentioned, he 125 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 1: is a intensive care specialist, so he was saying that 126 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 1: during all of a lot of these elements he's talking about, 127 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 1: these people are in the ICU in intensive care and 128 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:39,960 Speaker 1: on a breathing machine, so they're being ventilated with a 129 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 1: tube down their mouth at that time. 130 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:44,279 Speaker 2: Yeah, And the order of arrival was something else that 131 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 2: the jury was taken through, Penny. We heard that Don 132 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:50,919 Speaker 2: arrived first and then hours later he was followed by 133 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:54,359 Speaker 2: his wife, Gail, and then the next morning Gail's sister 134 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 2: Heather arrived shortly before her husband, Ian Wilkinson arrived. So 135 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 2: that was the order of for two days, really following 136 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 2: each other in pretty quick succession was Don, Gale, Heather 137 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:06,359 Speaker 2: and Ian. 138 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 3: And a lot of what. 139 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 1: The court was taken through in this evidence was the 140 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 1: different treatments that people were given, those efforts of staff 141 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 1: that you spoke about before, but also a lot of 142 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 1: the testing and investigation that doctors were doing to try 143 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:20,800 Speaker 1: and find out what the exact cause was. As you 144 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 1: just heard there, they believed the cause to be aminita 145 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 1: mushroom poisoning. There were some other tests that were carried out. 146 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:27,920 Speaker 1: Here's a little bit more of the evidence. It's no 147 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 1: one's real voice now. 148 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 3: Were various tests carried out to try to pinpoint the 149 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 3: cause of Donald's acute liver failure. 150 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:37,840 Speaker 4: Yes, a range of investigations were undertaken to try and 151 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 4: find other possible causes. Those included blood tests, some imaging, 152 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 4: and ultrasounds to try and test for specific viruses that 153 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 4: can cause liver failure, to try and make sure that 154 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 4: there wasn't another possible cause for why he was so sick. 155 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 3: And what were the results of all those tests. 156 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:58,400 Speaker 4: There was no evidence of any other cause of his 157 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 4: acute liver failure And. 158 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 3: What did you in the team at the Austin ultimately 159 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:05,800 Speaker 3: accept the cause of the acute liver failure to be for. 160 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 4: Donald, Amanita mushroom poisoning causing acute liver failure. 161 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 3: And was that because of the known consumption of mushrooms 162 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:14,440 Speaker 3: by Donald and others? 163 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 4: Yes, we had been alerted to a cluster of cases 164 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:22,440 Speaker 4: of patients that had we were advised, had consumed the 165 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:25,720 Speaker 4: same meal that it contained mushrooms and that they had 166 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:28,240 Speaker 4: all become very unwell. And that is not an unusual 167 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:29,240 Speaker 4: story for Amanita. 168 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:33,239 Speaker 3: And was that diagnosis also made because of a clinical 169 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 3: cause highly consistent with Amanita mushroom ingestion? 170 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:41,560 Speaker 4: Absolutely, his clinical course was pretty typical for a severe 171 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:43,440 Speaker 4: poisoning of Amanita mushrooms. 172 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:47,120 Speaker 1: Now, throughout this evidence, as we were talking about before, 173 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:49,559 Speaker 1: there were treatments mentioned as well, and one of the 174 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:53,120 Speaker 1: first ones that was mentioned was something called multi dose 175 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:56,720 Speaker 1: activated charcolind Yes. It was explained that this is something 176 00:08:57,240 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 1: that while the amenita poison is in the body, the 177 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:02,520 Speaker 1: body team to sort of start to recycle that inside, 178 00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 1: and that the use of the charcoal is in an 179 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 1: attempt to medically remove that poison from someone's bows specifically 180 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:12,920 Speaker 1: and get that out of the body by interrupting the 181 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 1: recycling process. 182 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:17,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, Professor Worlow is explaining that it is largely the 183 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 2: liver that takes a real hit from this poison, but 184 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:24,560 Speaker 2: also the bow as well, and he explained that there 185 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:29,000 Speaker 2: actually isn't really a test to test for toxic mushroom poisoning. 186 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:32,840 Speaker 2: Rather it's a focus on the treatment of the symptoms. 187 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:36,559 Speaker 2: So it's weighing up all the evidence and I guess 188 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:38,760 Speaker 2: figuring out that this is the path that we're going 189 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 2: to follow. And then that's why he was taking the 190 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 2: jury through all the different treatments, because, as we know, 191 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:48,079 Speaker 2: he was trying to explain that sometimes patients get bad 192 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:50,079 Speaker 2: from this type of poison, but they start to get 193 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:52,120 Speaker 2: a little bit better, but then they get worse as 194 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 2: the body starts to recycle the toxins over and over 195 00:09:55,640 --> 00:09:58,120 Speaker 2: and over through the different organs. And it was at 196 00:09:58,120 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 2: this point when they were all arriving at the austume, 197 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:02,319 Speaker 2: you know, this is the final hospital that they attended, 198 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 2: that they're all in critical, critical ways really and suffering 199 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 2: from multi organ failure. 200 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:12,079 Speaker 1: And some of the other treatments that were mentioned throughout 201 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:17,400 Speaker 1: multiple bits of evidence about all of the different patients treatments. 202 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:20,200 Speaker 1: They all had very similar treatments and very similar investigations, 203 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:22,960 Speaker 1: and some of the others is something called ascilla binon. 204 00:10:23,440 --> 00:10:25,480 Speaker 1: Now we were told in court that this is a 205 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:29,080 Speaker 1: specific antidote to aminita mushroom poisoning, so there was an 206 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:31,600 Speaker 1: attempt to use that also nak which we've mentioned in 207 00:10:31,640 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 1: previous episodes, which is a drug that's widely used, the 208 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:37,600 Speaker 1: professor said for mushroom poisoning with liver failure, but it 209 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:41,199 Speaker 1: is also used in other situations where someone might have 210 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:42,000 Speaker 1: liver failure. 211 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:44,120 Speaker 2: It's used to protect the liver. I think that was 212 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:46,840 Speaker 2: the way that it was explained, Penny. It's really this 213 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:48,880 Speaker 2: year this big hug around the liver to try and 214 00:10:48,920 --> 00:10:51,600 Speaker 2: protect it and stop any damage that could follow. 215 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:53,839 Speaker 1: And some of the other treatments that were mentioned as well, 216 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 1: which you may hear later in the evidence worth things 217 00:10:56,440 --> 00:10:59,880 Speaker 1: like are using vitamin C as well as plasma exchange. 218 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:03,880 Speaker 1: So lots of different sort of roads that these particular 219 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:05,679 Speaker 1: doctors took over a number of days. 220 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:07,520 Speaker 2: I had a lot of fluid intake. Penny was something 221 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:08,320 Speaker 2: else that was mentioned. 222 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:11,480 Speaker 1: Heah a lot of intravenous fluids. And as we've sort 223 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:13,840 Speaker 1: of set the scene before, it's a hard thing to 224 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 1: think about, but all of these people at this point 225 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 1: they are being intubated, there is a ventilation to breathing 226 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 1: for them, and these doctors are making these decisions around 227 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:25,080 Speaker 1: them over quite a few hours. And going back to 228 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 1: as the court heard in this sort of way that 229 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:31,520 Speaker 1: the evidence was presented, it all started with Donald Patterson 230 00:11:31,559 --> 00:11:35,080 Speaker 1: and going through a lot of his medical points that 231 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:37,320 Speaker 1: then led on to some of the other patients. But 232 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:39,920 Speaker 1: it was noted in this part of the professor's evidence 233 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:41,640 Speaker 1: while they were talking about all these treatments that he 234 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:45,000 Speaker 1: was continuing to deteriorate further sort of by the time 235 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:49,079 Speaker 1: it got to the second of August, he was unfortunately worsening. 236 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:52,920 Speaker 1: His circulation was struggling, and it was then that he 237 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:56,319 Speaker 1: spoke about a surgery that they decided that they would 238 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:58,920 Speaker 1: try with Donald Patterson. Here is a little bit more 239 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:01,280 Speaker 1: of the professor's evidence as he was speaking with Sarah 240 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:03,840 Speaker 1: Lenthil from the prosecution. It's not their voices. 241 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:08,560 Speaker 3: Did Donald Patterson undergo surgery on for August twenty twenty three? 242 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:13,120 Speaker 4: He did, after extensive consultation with a range of senior specialists. 243 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:16,000 Speaker 4: It was thought that the only possibility of saving his 244 00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:19,880 Speaker 4: life was through a liver transplant. And did that occur, Yes, 245 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:24,000 Speaker 4: there was an effort to undertake and complete a liver transplant. Yes. 246 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:28,439 Speaker 3: After the liver transplant was carried out, did Donald Patterson's 247 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 3: condition improve. 248 00:12:29,679 --> 00:12:32,640 Speaker 4: No, he got relentlessly worse. Unfortunately. 249 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:36,280 Speaker 3: Was it recognized through the day that Donald Patterson was 250 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:39,040 Speaker 3: dying despite maximal therapy. 251 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:42,719 Speaker 4: Yes, all of our treatments had unfortunately failed, and he 252 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:46,160 Speaker 4: was dying despite all of the measures that we were applying. 253 00:12:46,760 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 2: We also heard Penny that the possibility of liver transplants 254 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:53,439 Speaker 2: for Gail and Heather was something that was also discussed 255 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:56,640 Speaker 2: in that hospital, But the specialists ultimately decided that the 256 00:12:56,679 --> 00:13:00,840 Speaker 2: sisters were too unwell to undergo surgery, and that was 257 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:02,440 Speaker 2: the decision that was made for Don but not for 258 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:03,199 Speaker 2: the others. 259 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 3: And it was spoken about. 260 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:07,480 Speaker 1: The judge clarified at one point that had this been 261 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:10,320 Speaker 1: not so much a successful liver transplant for Don, but 262 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:12,319 Speaker 1: had it happened? And the professor said, yes, we did 263 00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 1: perform the liver transplant, but unfortunately that Don Patterson had 264 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:19,959 Speaker 1: passed away at the Austin hospital. Following that that he 265 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:22,520 Speaker 1: continued to get worse despite the fact that they. 266 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:23,040 Speaker 3: Were giving him. 267 00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: I believe he said every there were no other treatments left. 268 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 1: They'd given him all the treatments, and that was essentially 269 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:30,920 Speaker 1: the case for the other two lunch guests as well, 270 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:33,400 Speaker 1: Gail and Heather. But here is a little bit more 271 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:35,800 Speaker 1: of the professor's evidence as he was speaking with Sarah 272 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:38,320 Speaker 1: Lenthil from the prosecution. It's not their voices. 273 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:41,880 Speaker 3: Did she continue to receive maximal treatment and therapy she. 274 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:43,440 Speaker 4: Was on everything that we had. 275 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:47,240 Speaker 3: Yes, was an emergency liver transplant considered for Gail. 276 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 4: There was a lot of discussion about whether it was 277 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:53,600 Speaker 4: possible to undertake in her given the advanced state of 278 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 4: a multiple organ failure, so it was certainly considered yes. 279 00:13:57,320 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 3: Did she ultimately have a liver transplant. 280 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:05,080 Speaker 4: No, she did not. The view of the consensus opinion 281 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 4: of all of the contributing senior specialists from intensive care, 282 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 4: the liver transplant unit, and toxicology was that she was 283 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:15,840 Speaker 4: too sick to undergo the necessary surgery. 284 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 3: On three and four August, did Gal's condition continue to decline? 285 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 4: Yes, she progressively became more unwell, and. 286 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:26,200 Speaker 1: As we spoke about before, the doctors again said they 287 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:29,280 Speaker 1: discussed whether they could try for surgery with Heather as well, 288 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:33,160 Speaker 1: but that she was not well enough at that point. 289 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:34,680 Speaker 1: But will bring you a little bit more of this 290 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 1: evidence so you can sort of hear what the professor 291 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:39,520 Speaker 1: was describing when he was talking about the teams that 292 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:42,640 Speaker 1: were coming together to try and decide what the best 293 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 1: course of action for these people were. Here's a little 294 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:45,880 Speaker 1: bit more of what the court heard. 295 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:50,800 Speaker 3: How was Heather Wilkinson's condition by second August twenty twenty three? 296 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:55,800 Speaker 4: She had a rapidly progressive deterioration of her multiple organ failure. 297 00:14:56,320 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 3: Was a decision made to list her for an emergency 298 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 3: liver transplant? 299 00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 4: There were discussions about whether that would be possible. 300 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 3: Yes, was it possible? 301 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:07,400 Speaker 4: Ultimately no, she was too unwell to undergo the complex 302 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:10,960 Speaker 4: and extensive surgery required for a liver transplant, all. 303 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 3: Right, and after extensive consultation between the medical teams, was 304 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:18,520 Speaker 3: it acknowledged that Heather was not going to survive. 305 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:21,840 Speaker 4: It was very apparent that this was not survivable. 306 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:24,440 Speaker 2: Yes, it was at this point, Penny, that we could 307 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:26,800 Speaker 2: see in the courtroom seated in the back road, there 308 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:31,120 Speaker 2: was a number of family members of Heather's visibly upset. 309 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:34,360 Speaker 2: There was hand holding and hands on knees and you 310 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:37,760 Speaker 2: could see almost shoulders touching as a sign of support 311 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 2: while these final hours and days of Heather's life were 312 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 2: being described. 313 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:43,760 Speaker 1: And as we've taken you through in this evidence, this 314 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:45,600 Speaker 1: is the order that everyone heard in the courtroom to 315 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 1: quite a bit of detail about Don, then Gayle and 316 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:50,840 Speaker 1: then Heather. So by the time these family members were 317 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:53,880 Speaker 1: hearing this evidence, they had previously also heard it about 318 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:57,240 Speaker 1: about the Pattersons as well. And it was after it 319 00:15:57,320 --> 00:16:01,200 Speaker 1: was put through the professor's evidence that all these three people, 320 00:16:01,280 --> 00:16:05,000 Speaker 1: including Gail and Heather, had passed away at the Austin hospital. 321 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:08,680 Speaker 1: They came to Ian Wilkinson as part of the evidence, 322 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 1: and as you mentioned, he's sitting in the courtroom watching 323 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:16,280 Speaker 1: all of this unfold and initially what the professor was 324 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:19,440 Speaker 1: sort of asked about was again the very similar questions 325 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:21,320 Speaker 1: that he was for all of the patients. But what 326 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 1: did all of these staff conclude was the cause of 327 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:28,760 Speaker 1: his liver and organ failure and what sort of investigations 328 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 1: they had done. 329 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:31,760 Speaker 2: The way that it was described to the jury was 330 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 2: after Ian Wilkinson arrived. His condition also declined in the 331 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:38,920 Speaker 2: days after he arrived, and he had high levels of 332 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:42,040 Speaker 2: acid in his blood and an abnormal heart rhythm as well. 333 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:44,200 Speaker 2: But the way that it was explained to the jury 334 00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:47,600 Speaker 2: was that the passes condition did slowly improve from about 335 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:50,360 Speaker 2: the fifth of August twenty twenty three, and he was 336 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:54,000 Speaker 2: eventually taken off breathing tubes about the fourteenth of August 337 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:57,360 Speaker 2: that same year. But he explained that it was very 338 00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:00,640 Speaker 2: very slow. This process was very very slow coming out 339 00:17:00,640 --> 00:17:03,360 Speaker 2: of an extreme critical illness. 340 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:05,520 Speaker 1: Let's hear a little bit from the professor's evidence on 341 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:08,120 Speaker 1: those initial concerns and treatment. 342 00:17:08,600 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 3: What do medical staff at the Austin conclude about the 343 00:17:12,080 --> 00:17:14,440 Speaker 3: cause of Ian Wilkinson's acute liver failure? 344 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:17,119 Speaker 4: That it was due to amanita mushroom poisoning. 345 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:20,040 Speaker 3: For the same reasons we've discussed in relation to the 346 00:17:20,080 --> 00:17:20,639 Speaker 3: other three. 347 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:22,440 Speaker 4: All right, that's correct. 348 00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:27,120 Speaker 3: Now we have been discussing one August. How was Ian 349 00:17:27,119 --> 00:17:29,520 Speaker 3: Wilkinson's condition? By two August he. 350 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:32,880 Speaker 4: Was extremely unwell with advanced multiple organ failure. 351 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:35,160 Speaker 3: What about three August. 352 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:40,320 Speaker 4: He became more unwell, deteriorated further, particularly as circulation was 353 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 4: requiring considerably more support. 354 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:45,320 Speaker 3: Did you commence a plasma exchange on that date? 355 00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:48,360 Speaker 4: I recall I think it was on the third Yes, 356 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:53,280 Speaker 4: for August, did he continue to deteriorate. Yes, the acid 357 00:17:53,280 --> 00:17:56,000 Speaker 4: in his blood was higher and he needed more additional 358 00:17:56,000 --> 00:18:01,119 Speaker 4: support for his circulation, and he developed an abnormal art rhythm. 359 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:04,360 Speaker 1: Now, the professor gave evidence that before there was any 360 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:07,960 Speaker 1: improvement in the condition of Ian Wilkinson, they did perform 361 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:11,000 Speaker 1: some surgery on him as well. Yes, it was. It 362 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:13,480 Speaker 1: wasn't a liver transplant like with Don Patterson. It was 363 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:16,600 Speaker 1: what was described as a laparoscopy, which it was sort 364 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:20,000 Speaker 1: of explained through the professor's evidence that they were worried 365 00:18:20,240 --> 00:18:22,600 Speaker 1: about issues with the bow and they needed to get 366 00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:26,639 Speaker 1: in and see that through sort of through his abdomen 367 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:29,679 Speaker 1: and that. But once they had performed this surgery. They 368 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:33,720 Speaker 1: actually didn't find that there was any significant issues yeah, 369 00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:36,720 Speaker 1: with his bow, So it wasn't a liver transplant or 370 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:39,520 Speaker 1: anything that Ian underwent. Quite a different surgery to Don. 371 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:42,720 Speaker 1: And as you mentioned before, there was these As everyone 372 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:45,120 Speaker 1: knows Ian Wilkinson, he's given evidence in. 373 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:45,760 Speaker 3: This trial too. 374 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:48,679 Speaker 1: He he did survive, but it was after quite a 375 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 1: bit of time in different hospitals. And here's a little 376 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:53,800 Speaker 1: bit of what the professor said when he was being 377 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 1: asked about Ian's recovery and ultimately how close they thought 378 00:18:58,359 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 1: they came to Ian losing his life. 379 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:00,480 Speaker 3: Life too. 380 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:03,639 Speaker 1: Here's more of what the court heard. It's voiced by actors. 381 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:08,480 Speaker 3: Did he continue to improve over the days that followed that, Yes, it. 382 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:11,360 Speaker 4: Was very slow because he was coming from a situation 383 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:15,760 Speaker 4: of extreme critical illness, but he did slightly improve over 384 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 4: that time. Yes. 385 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:20,120 Speaker 3: Was he eventually excubated on fourteen August? 386 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:20,920 Speaker 4: Yes? 387 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:24,840 Speaker 3: Was he discharged from the ICU to the ward on 388 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 3: twenty one August? 389 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:26,439 Speaker 4: Yes? 390 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:30,800 Speaker 3: Was he discharged to a rehabilitation ward at Heidelberg Hospital 391 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:35,200 Speaker 3: on eleven September? Yes, and he was eventually discharged home. 392 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:36,119 Speaker 4: Yes. 393 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:38,720 Speaker 3: How close did Ian Wilkinson come to dying? 394 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:41,320 Speaker 4: We thought he was going to die. He was very close. 395 00:19:42,119 --> 00:19:44,400 Speaker 2: At this point, Penny, we were able to look over 396 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:47,159 Speaker 2: and see Ian Wilkinson. As we mentioned earlier, he was 397 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:50,120 Speaker 2: seated in the court room and he appeared incredibly stoic. 398 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 2: He was seated there with his arms crossed, sort of 399 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:56,600 Speaker 2: staring blankly ahead while all of this information about him, 400 00:19:56,640 --> 00:20:00,080 Speaker 2: his health information was being read out to the jury. 401 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:03,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, he certainly didn't show any visible reactions to when 402 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:08,399 Speaker 1: particularly as the prosecutor turned through the screen through the 403 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:11,479 Speaker 1: video link to this professor who was giving evidence from 404 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 1: the Austin hospital from his office you could see all 405 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:18,560 Speaker 1: of his many qualifications behind him and said, quite frankly 406 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:21,520 Speaker 1: to him, how close did this man come to dying? 407 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:24,560 Speaker 3: And it was quite a. 408 00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:26,760 Speaker 1: Moment in the courtroom where I feel everyone sort of 409 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:29,640 Speaker 1: stopped not only to look at Ian Wilkinson, but sort 410 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:32,359 Speaker 1: of to acknowledge what was happening around them. And he 411 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:35,560 Speaker 1: showed no visible signs and just continued to watch the evidence. 412 00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:37,520 Speaker 1: Says he has on every other day that he's. 413 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:38,960 Speaker 2: Been there, incredibly composed. 414 00:20:39,280 --> 00:20:41,639 Speaker 1: Now, the court has also begun hearing from a number 415 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:44,359 Speaker 1: of new witnesses for the fifth week of evidence and 416 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:48,560 Speaker 1: we'll be bringing you this in our next episode. Thank 417 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:51,200 Speaker 1: you for listening to this episode of Say Grace. Please 418 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:53,000 Speaker 1: press the follow button in your app to get our 419 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:55,280 Speaker 1: next episodes as soon as we publish. 420 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 2: For more reporting on the case, check out the Age 421 00:20:57,600 --> 00:20:59,920 Speaker 2: of nine News in your browser or app store. 422 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:02,320 Speaker 1: To acknowledge the traditional owners of the land that this 423 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:05,440 Speaker 1: podcast was recorded on and wherever you're listening to it now. 424 00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:07,880 Speaker 1: Say Grace is created and hosted. 425 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:10,160 Speaker 3: By me Penelope Lesh and me Erin Percy. 426 00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:12,840 Speaker 1: This podcast is produced by Genevieve Rule.