Ronald Maddison
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{{Infobox Military Person
|name= Ronald George Maddison
|lived= c.1933-[[6 May]] [[1953]]
|placeofbirth=[[Consett]], [[County Durham]], [[England]]
|placeofdeath=[[Porton Down]], [[Wiltshire]], [[England]]
|image= [[Image:Rmaddison.jpg]]
|caption= Royal Air Force engineer Ronald Maddison.
|nickname=
|allegiance={{flag|United Kingdom}}
|serviceyears=
|rank= [[Leading Aircraftman]]
|branch= {{air force|United Kingdom}}
|commands=
|unit=
|battles=
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}}
[[Leading Aircraftman]] '''Ronald George Maddison''' (c.1933-[[6 May]] [[1953]]) was a twenty-year-old [[Royal Air Force]] engineer who died whilst acting as a volunteer human guinea pig testing [[nerve agent]]s at [[Porton Down]] in [[Wiltshire]]. Amongst much controversy, his death was the subject of an inquest 51 years after the event.
== Sarin test and death ==
Maddison, from [[Consett]], [[County Durham]] died within 45 minutes of having twenty drops (200 mg) of [[sarin]] dripped onto a piece of uniform [[cloth]] draped over his arm during an experiment at a research lab in Porton Down. The experiment began at 10:17 a.m. involved five other subjects, took place in a sealed gas chamber, and all subjects were fitted with respirators. After about twenty minutes passed, Maddison complained that he felt ill. After three more minutes, he fell over and started gasping for breath. At this point, the scientists took him out of the chamber and removed his gas mask. Only when Maddison went deaf, wheezed as if having an asthma attack, and convulsed on the floor, did the scientists inject him with [[atropine]] and call an ambulance. Overall, the sarin overdose constricted Maddison's bronchial tubes and blocked the flow of air to his lungs, starving his brain and tissues of oxygen. Ten days later, the death was labeled as accidental in an inquest ordered by the [[British Home Office]]. His death, and allegations that other British [[chemical weapon]]s test volunteers between [[1939]] and [[1989]] were not properly informed about the experiments and their risks, was the subject of a police investigation called [[Operation Antler (Porton Down investigation)|Operation Antler]] between [[1999]] and [[2004]].
Servicemen were offered about 15 shillings and a three day leave pass for taking part in the experiments. Ronald planned to use the money to help buy an engagement ring for his girlfriend, Mary Pyle. An inquest was originally held ''[[in camera|in camera (in secret)]]'' before the Wiltshire [[Coroner]], Mr Harold Dale, on [[8 May|8]] and [[16 May]] [[1953]], who returned a [[verdict]] of misadventure. The [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] apparently paid Maddison's father 40 pounds compensation to cover the [[funeral]] expenses.
A new inquest opened on [[5 May]] [[2004]]. On [[15 November]] [[2004]], this inquest reached the conclusion that Ronald Maddison died unlawfully.
On [[May 25]], [[2006]] it was announced that the remaining relatives of Ronald Maddison would receive £100,000 in compensation from the Ministry of Defence.
== Sources ==
==Books==
* Tucker, Jonathan B. (2006). ''War Of Nerves: Chemical Warfare From World War I To Al-Qaeda'' (1st ed.). Pantheon Books, New York. ISBN 0-375-42229-3.
==External links==
* BBC News story: [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/4013767.stm Nerve gas death was 'unlawful']
* Guardian story: [http://www.guardian.co.uk/military/story/0,11816,1051369,00.html Final agony of RAF volunteer killed by sarin - in Britain]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maddison, Ronald}}
[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:1953 deaths]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force airmen]]
[[Category:People from Consett]]
[[Category:Chemical warfare]]
[[ja:ロナルド・マディソン]]