I informed Helga that only about half of animals stricken with
salt poisoning survive, regardless of treatment heroics.
The Gays were convicted on the basis of complex calculations - and those sums were based on the "seminal paper" on
salt poisoning, which plays up child abuse in the context of Munchausen's Syndrome By Proxy.
A senior clinical biochemist spent two months on the case and concluded the high sodium levels were caused by
salt poisoning.
Dr Walters had concluded that "there is nothing in this case that can be explained by
salt poisoning that cannot be equally well explained by resetting of the osmostats".
Campaigners for the Gays claim new evidence has been uncovered disproving that Christian died from
salt poisoning and that, in fact, he died from natural causes.
Toddler Christian Blewitt died of
salt poisoning and head injuries in Birmingham Children's Hospital six weeks after moving to Ian and Angela Gay's.
But the 38-year-old still faces two alternative charges - both of which she denies - of assault by
salt poisoning over a four- year period or leaving the child brain damaged by her reckless conduct.
Mr Hilliard said: 'The
salt poisoning was the last event in a series designed to produce misleading symptoms in him.
Miss Macur said the couple had "inflicted two abusive episodes" - one was
salt poisoning, the other a head injury.
Asked why
salt poisoning was not considered earlier, he said: "It was, but I think the necessary steps were not taken to pursue that further.
Dr Walters had concluded that 'there is nothing in this case that can be explained by
salt poisoning that cannot be equally well explained by re-setting of the osmostats'.
He was admitted to Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley, just over a month later, on December 8, suffering
salt poisoning and brain injuries.
