SAD POISONING CASE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 4000, 30 December 1891, Page 2

SAD POISONING CASE.

A "Wedding Party Prostrated. Death of Mr Peter Dickson and Mr Moore. Arsenic the Probable CauseA must extraordinary and alarming case of arsenic poisoning is reported from Pahiatua, by which two deaths have already occurred arid others are hourly expected. On Friday last (Christmas day) Mr W. J. Sedeole, of Pahiatua,was married to Miss Nay lor, of the same township, and a large number of guests—nearly 80 in all—were invited to partake of the wedding breakfast, including friend 3 from Musterton and the surrounding districts. The festivities of the day being over, the company dispersed in the usual jovial manner, and those who lived in the neighbourhood retired to their homes. A number of the guests, however, remained in ibe house of the bride's father, and on the afternoon of the following day (Saturday) partook of refreshments slightly different to those served at the wedding breakfast. All went merry as a marriage bell until early on the Sunday morning, when the whole of the gueßts of Saturday were ATTACKED BX INTENSE VOMITING abdominal pains, frightful purging, cramps, and a peculiar taste in the mouth. As the symptoms appeared to be those of poisoning, Mr Kidd, the local chemist, was communicated with.and expressed the opinion that the symptoms were those of biliousness resulting from the feasting of the previous day, and prescribed accordingly. As the pains, however, becacjo more intense and the vomiting increased, the matter was reported to the police, who sent to Woodville for a dector. On his arrival Dr Davenport discovered strong SYMPTOMS OF ARSENICAL POISONING and administered emetics, which afforded temporary relief to several. The poison had, however, by this time got a good hold of the systems et its victims, the jaws of some of whom became quite rigid. On Tuesday morning the most alarming symptoms presenting themselves, Mr Rid.l, the chemist, sent AN URGENT MESSAGE to Dr Hosknig, of Masterton, re. questing him to come up at once The doctor readily responded, and leaving by thefiveo'clock train arrived in Pahiatua about nine. He first visited Mrs PeterDickson.of Masterton, and found her in a serious condition, convulsions having set in. He did all that was in his power to afford relief and was called immediately afterwards to the bedside of Mr Dickson, whom he found in a dying conditiou. He was quite unconscious, and had tetanic convulsions. The doctor had been in the room only a few minutes when the unfortunate victim GAVE A CONVULSIVE GASP AND DIED. Dr Hosking then proceeded to the house of Mr Joseph Moore, of Rock Road, whom he found perfectly rigid, having died about half an hour previously. Mrs Moore and several 1 children were still suffering, and , everything possible was done to re- ; lieve them. Although only two deaths had oc- , curred when Dr Hosking left last . night, most of the victims, between > twenty and thirty altogether, are in a r serious condition. Mrs Dickson and i several others are rallying, but the . secondary effects of the poisoning have , yet to be gone through, and may prove serious. ; Dr Hosking has no doubt whatever ■ that the poison taken was arsenic, but i how it came to be in the food is a i mystery. Singularly enough, those i who partook of the food on Friday" f (Christmas Day) only have escaped. ; The whole of those who were present on Saturday, however, (with the exception of the bride, who, forf tunately, at« nothing) have been ; attacked. The doctor is of opinion that the arsenic must have found i its way into some of the con«. ; fectionery in 1 MISTAKE FOR BAKING SODA. It could not, however, as was at ' first thought, have been mixed with the pudding, as some of the pudding ' had been eaten some days before without any deleterious effects. The arsenic could not have been taken in a ' soluble condition otherwise its effects would have sooner been felt. No symptoms of poisouing were, we are assured, shown till after the expira- | tion of twelve hours. It must therefore have been slowly digested and ' attacked the stomach. Not less than three grains must have been taken to ensure fatal results. None of tho ' victims have slept since the poison was [ taken, and they are all greatly alarmed. 1 Dr Hosking did all he could to relieve the sufferers, and returned to Masterton this morning. He leaves again for Pahiatua this evening, taking with him as many remedies as possible. So many different foods were par taken of at the wedding feast that it is difficult to trace the poison. How the arsenic came to be in the food is a COMPLETE MYSTERY. A quantity of the confectionery has been handed over to Dr Hosking,' who will make a careful analysis. A profound sensation was caused in Masterton this morning when it became known that Mr Peter Dickson bad sucGurabed tq the effects of the poison, and that his wife was lying in a dangerous condition. During their residence heie Mr and Mrs Dickson have both become deservedly popular, and we may safely say that the death of no person in the town could have been more generally lamented than that of Mr Dickson. He was a native of Victoria and had been resident in this Colony over seventeen years, and has resided in Masterton about seven years. Mr Dickson was the proprietor of the large drapery business carried on at Masterton, Pahiatua and Danevirke, under the title of the Wholesale Drapery .Company, and was a promih'ent'member 6f the Masonic order, being the Master.elect for'the ensuing year. The deceased, who was thirty-* six years of age, leaves a family of four—three girls and a boy, VERY LATEST. Another Theory of tho Affair. A Supped Lwsc [Br Telegraph.] (From Our Otm Correspondent.) Pahjatca, Wednesday. Mesdames Dickson and Moore are in a vory precarious state. Samuel Naylor, a married man, is also in a very bad way. The rest ol the sufferere are very ill and the medical men offer no bcpesof relief at present.

The n a .Ties of the poisoned are : Mr and Mrs E. Naylor, Arthur Nay- l . lor, Leonard Naylor, William Naylor, ' Harry Naylor, and Messrs W. Sedcole, j K. Sedcole, E. Allison, London (2), Mr and Mrs S. Naylor and two children, Mrs P. Dickson and son, Mrs J ( Moore and family, and Mr Britland. , It is supposed that oxalic acid was put ( in the food by someone tor a lark, I thinking it was Epsom salts. The ' patients are in a critical state. \