THE POISONING CASE.
Condition of the Victims. The Acid Theory ExplodedThe. Inqnest. Up to a very late hoar last evening bere was very little improvement a the condition of the unfortunate ufferers from arsenical poisoning at 'ahiatua. Very little hope is held ut for the recovery of Mi Robert ledcole, junr., and Mr Pierce jundon. Mr E. Naylor, senr., is also ery seriously ill. Mrs Joseph Moore ind her small children are in an exremeiy precarious state still. Mrs ?. Dickson appears to be slightly relovered. There is, we aro informed, no eliable foundation for the rumour hat the poisoning was the result of ixalic acid having been put in the tonfectionery in mistake for Epsom talts. A packet of salts was cerlainly procured by a youth, who was okiug with the bridegroom, but was lot used. There is no doubt but ;hat the poisoning resulted from irsenio, which had by some means or >ther got into the confectionery. Dr Hosking was in Pahiatua last light, and found the whole of the. satients in about the same condition is on the previous night. None of ;he victims are yet out of danger, nor, indeed, will they be for some Lime. The condition of Mrs Moore is very serious, as is also that of several others. An inquest into the circumstances attending the death of the late Mr Peter Dickson was held at the Commercial Hotel at 11.80 last evening before Mr C. Hall, Coroner. The following jury were empanelled:— Messrs A. Black (foreman), H. Stevens,J. Henderson, J.P.Clark, D. Crewe, and H. W. Briggs. Constable Cooper, sworn, deposed : £ know the deceased. 1 have seen his body to-day. I was present when Dr Davenport made a post mortem examination. Dr Davenport, sworn: I have maae a post mortem examination of the body of the deceased. I was called to see deceased on Monday morning at 8 o'clock. I attended at once and found him in bed. He complained of severe abdominal pains and sickness. He had been vomiting frequently, and he was very much purged. He complained of great thirst. Oa examination I found that his abdomen was extremely tender, showing severe internal inflammation. His hands and feet were very cold. His respirations were frequent and the muscles going to the fingers were spasmodically contracted. He vomited in my presence. The vomit was green in color. His eyes were suffused with blood. I concluded from the previous symptoms and those I saw myself that he was suffering from the effects of an irritant poison, which 1 also thought might be produced by arsenic. I saw him again on Tuesday morning about noon. I prescribed the usual remedies, lie was then worse, arid more prostrate. On external post mortem I found the body to be "that of a well developed man, aboul 88 years of age. There were nc marks of violence. In conjunction with Dr Hosking 1 opened the abdominal cavity and removed the stomach aad part of the small intestine and the liver. The blood vessels and walls of the stomach wen congested, presenting red patches - oi severe inflammation and all the appearanoes that occur to those organs after a dose of arsenic. The organs removed were placed in a vessel for further investigation anc transmission to the public Analyst I consigned them to the Constable's care. The immediate cause of deatt was due to pain and severe inflamma tion of the intestines, caused by ar overdose of arsenic. illxamined by Mr Toss will (wh< appeared on behalf of the friends o: deceased): The symptoms were sucl as to show that the arsenic had beer taken in a solid form. Any quantity exoeeding two grains was sufficient tc cause death. By a juror: I did not think i neoeßsary to preserve any of the vomit at so late a stage, as it should have been kept before I attended bjm I gave all the directions in my powei on Monday. I considered it almost i hopeless case. I did not consider i necessary to visit him again unde; six hours. Arsenic is. a powder Prom the symptoms I should say th< poison must have been taken in s solid form. It is not possible t< deteriorate the strength of arsenic ty cooking in a paste such as a pudding By the Foreman: At the stage ii which I was called I considered th( time for pumping the stomach ha( gone by. I would then have dom moire harm than good'. Re- examined by Mr Tosswill: ] did not say to the Constable on Mon day that I considered this a hopelesi case. 1 mentioned it on Monday to Mr Ridd that the illness of decea sed, together with the other oases was caused by an jfritant poison. \ mentioned arsenic. Some of thf food was taken by Mr Ridd on Monday. By the Constable: Mr Ridd firs asked, me to go and see Mr Dicksoi in Pahiatua, I first received a verba message on Monday morning by i young man on horseback that abon eighteen persons had been poisonec and wanted me to come at once 1 was to go to Naylor's house to sei the sufferers. I instructed Mr Ride to carry out my directions sftei seeing the patients. He has carHec them out to my satisfaction. No could !;::ve * m * so ° e « er - ~ By a juror: I consider tiiai 1..' treatment bj Mr Ridd prior to mj first visit to the deceased jsas satis factory. There is not a great de'a to be done in these cases. By Mr Tosswill: b. stomach pum] is a dangerous thing to use except bj very expert practitioners. It migh do more barm than good except upot the tirst symptoms, whan it might bi useful. Dr Hosking, sworn, stated: I an a duly qualified medical practitionei residing at Masterton. I received t telegram from Mr Ridd on Tuesday asking me to proceed to Pahiatua ami see Mr and JVljrs P. Dickson. I did soi and arrjvfl4 here about 9 o'clock p.m. I first' saw Mrs 'Dickspn, "but was requested to see the deceased, I wa>e just in time to see him in the act ol death. I came to the conclusion that be was dying from the effect- «* an irritant pcinOn- I arrived at the contusion from particulars received from his w#;e. This impression was confirmed by the visiting" of'some twenty other sufferers afterwards. r assisted Dr Davenport in making a post mortem examination on the body My opinion as to the cause of death ivas confirmed. Examined by Mr Tosswill: Liquid irsenical poisoning' would bs much nore rapid than in the case of solid! i consider these cases the longest on coord in taking effect. have
never used a stomach pump in my life. I prefer emetics. The first symptoms of arsenical poisoning are generally nausea and vomiting. From what I have seen and heard I consider every possible remedy has been adopted by Mr Ridd and Dr Davenport. By a Juror: I have received several samples of the food used at Mr Naylor's on Saturday, and intend to analyse them. It is beyond question that the poisoned food must have been eaten on Saturday, not Friday. By the Foreman : I could not say I could have saved the life of deceased if 1 had been called on Saturday night. I hardly think that even a medical man could have done anything of avail after the symptoms had distinctly declared themselves. It is quite possible for arsenic to be mistaken for baking powder. If Dr MacGregor, or some other clever analyst, were put to work, he might discover the exact cause of the poisoning. The proceedings were then adjourned (pending furtherinyestigation and analysis of the food) for eight days, until the 7th proximo. The foreman suggested that a warrant for the burial of the- body of the deceased should be issued at once. This was done, and the body will beinterredin the Masterton Cemetery. THE YERYLATEST. 2£rs Die*son's Condition. [By Telegram.] i Pahiatua, Thursday. There is no improvement whatever in the condition of Mrs Dickaon. ; Great anxiety still prevails as to the i fate of the sufferers.
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Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 4001, 31 December 1891, Page 2
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1,362THE POISONING CASE. Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 4001, 31 December 1891, Page 2
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