An inquest into the death of a student, potentially due to prolonged use of laughing gas, revealed that she was inhaling two to three “large bottles” of the substance daily, The Independent reported.
Ellen Mercer, aged 24, sought medical assistance from emergency services in the early hours of February 9 last year, reporting difficulty walking and a tendency to fall over, as stated in the Berkshire coroner’s court.
She received treatment at Wexham Park Hospital Emergency Department but died approximately 24 hours later at 12:52 am on February 10.
Senior coroner Heidi Connor informed the inquest that “nitrous oxide gas,” commonly known as laughing gas, was a contributing factor to her death.
The inquest revealed that a post-mortem examination identified Ms Mercer’s cause of death as bilateral pulmonary thromboembolism, deep vein thrombosis, and “long-term complications of nitrous oxide use”.
Michaela Kirtley, an emergency medical technician employed by Phoenix Response Services, a contractor working with South Central Ambulance Service, responded to Ms Mercer’s residence on February 8.
Upon arrival, Ms. Mercer’s boyfriend escorted her to the bedroom.
“I took notice of the room,” she said.
“There were no sheets on the bed at all. There was just the duvet, severely stained. The room was bare.”
She said the scene made it clear to her that she was dealing with a “vulnerable person”.
She noted that Ms. Mercer was speaking normally, and the only abnormal vital sign was her heart rate, possibly attributable to anxiety.
Ms Mercer informed her that she had suffered burns on her legs from spilling a gas canister on them, rendering her unable to walk or use the restroom for two weeks.
She also noted that the 24-year-old appeared to be six months pregnant.
She examined the wounds on Ms. Mercer’s legs, describing them as “pussy”.
Ms Mercer’s boyfriend presented her with a box of gas canisters, which she recognized as nitrous oxide.
During the inquest, she mentioned that the canisters were 600g in weight. Ms. Mercer’s boyfriend indicated that she consumed “two to three bottles” per day but had reduced her intake in recent weeks.
Ms Mercer recounted an incident where she had lost consciousness, resulting in a bottle falling onto her legs.
Following this, an ambulance transported Ms. Mercer to the hospital.
At the time of the student’s death, the possession of laughing gas for recreational purposes was not considered illegal. However, in November 2023, the government prohibited its use and classified it as a Class C drug.
