Coroner's Inquest.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3385, 28 October 1879, Page 2

Coroner's Inquest.

An inquest touching the death of Dr Gilbert wu held at the Salutation Hotel this morning before Mr G. N. Brassey, Coroner, and the following Jury:— Messrs S. Young, W. Barton; J. Dan by, E. Higgins* J. Cocki, M. Whitehead,W. Plant, W, Hetherington, S. Ensor, W. Martin, J. Nodder, 6. Power. Mr Higgins was elected Foreman.

The Jury baring; viewed the body, the following evidence was taken:-— James Kilgour, deposed—l am ■ duly qualified medical practitioner. On Sunday evening last about 8 45 o'clock I was called to see the late Dr Gilbert, who, I had been informed, had poisoned himself by accident. When I arrived at the house, I saw Mrs Gilbert and Dr Payne, both of whom informed me what the deceased had swallowed—two ounces of belladonna liniment in mistake for tincture of orange peel. Passing intothe room where Dr Gilbert lay I found him completely comatose with his face flushed and swollen, his eyes suffused and pupils dilated, and hit> jaw clenched vnoY? the convulsive action of the muscled?^ His pulse was strongly excited but weak, beating aa I was told at 150 a minute, which I believe was correct, The symptoms I have described are those of poisoning by belladonna, in their most intense fora, and it was plain to me from the moment I saw the deceased, that death was inevitable. Nevertheless, in conjunction with Dr Payne and Mr Hall, chemist, I assisted in giving him stimulants by means of the stomach pump, They consisted of ammonia, brandy, and strong coffee. These means were persevered with so long as I was present, that is, up to 11 o'clock. I then left, and did not see deceased until along with the jury this morning. By the Coroner—l have not examined any of the contents of the stomach. His breath did not smell of belladonna owing to his having had brandy (given by Mrs Gilbert) before I arrived, lam positive that he di«d of poison. I lave never seen | such a bad case of belladonna poisoning before. i

By* a jarcr—l do not know for what complaint he wished to take the tincture of orange. We doctors invariably use it to flavour liquids. The dose of belladonna which Dr Gilbert took, was sufficient to kill the Terr strongest man. Martin H. P*yae, sworn, deposed-"-! am a duly qualified medical praetioneer. I have heard Dr Ej'lgour's evidence. I was the first medical man called in to see Dr Gilbert. I armed at bis bouse at 8 o'clock, aid was met by Mrs Gilbert, who

informed me that her husband h&i poisoned himself by taking 2ozs of belladonna liniment in mistake for tincture of orange peel, having go*<e into tbe surgery and mistook the bottles, which were side by aide. He immediately rushed to, where his family wan, and requested his wife to prepare an emetic in the shape of snlpbide of zinc, and mustard and water. She did this, and he took it, and vomited up a quantity of matter which smelt strongly of belladonna. I have not tbe slightest doubt but that Dr Gilbert died of poison. It in not safe to have medicine improperly labelled. The bottle of belladonna is properly labelled, but the bottle con* tanning tbe tincture of orange is not. By ■ a juror: I don't know for what cause he wanted to take tincture of orange, but it was probably as a stimulant. I thought at first that we would be able to save the deceased, from the fact that he vomited nearly tbe whole of the belladonna seven minutes after he swallowed it. * Fanny Gilbert deposed—l am the wife of deceased. On Sunday evening the doctor, my daughter, little boy, and myself were sitting in tbe dining-room, when the doctor aaid " I don't feel well; I think I'll take a dose of tincture of orange peel." The gas was burning in tbe surgery, which he went into for a few minutes. He returned, holding up bis hands, and with an agonised look cried out "Oh Fanny, Fanny ! I have taken two ounces of belladonna." He asked for an emetic. He himself took some s«l----pbide of zinc, and we gave him plenty of tepid water, which caused him to throw up a large quantity of matter. I did not then fully realise the danger. Before Dr Payne arrived my husband said, " Look into my book and see what is a stimulant for belladonna poison.'' I did so, and found that brandy was a stimulant! and gave him aome. He was quite in his senses. That afternoon he bad a little stout, as he did not feel well, and that was the only stimulant he had on Sunday. Mr* J. W. Hall, who was present soon after the debtor took the poison, made a statement Mf the effect that the remedies applied appeared likely to be successful, and that at about midnight it was thought he would recover, as favorable symptoms appeared. Sergeant Mulville also gave evidence respecting the position of the two bottlei in question, and the appearance of the body when he proceeded to the house 1 soon after the event happened. The Coroner having summed up, the. Jury returned an open verdict of " Accidental death by poison."