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Leading aircraftman Ronald George Maddison (1933?-6 May 1953) died whilst acting as a volunteer human guinea pig testing nerve agents at Porton Down in Wiltshire. Amongst much controversy, his death was the subject of an inquest 51 years after the event.
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. His death, and allegations that other British chemical weapons 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 between 1999 and 2004.
Servicemen were offered about 2 pounds and a three day leave pass for taking part in the experiments. An inquest was originally held in camera before the Wiltshire Coroner, Mr Harold Dale, on 8 and 16 May 1953, who returned a verdict of misadventure. The 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.
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