The Express.
London, England, 1866-07-11 00:00:00

FATAL BIPBBIHENTS BY A PHYSICIAN.

Yesterday afternoon a very painful investiga-
tion took place before Mr. C. St. Clue Bedford and •
select jury, at the New Vestry-hall of St. James's, Picca-
dilly, rebstive to the lamented death of Mr. Joseph
Toynbee, aged 50, • physician, residing at No. 18, Savile-
row. George Power, who had been a servant in deceased's
establishment for nearly six years, said that he was last in
conversation with him master at ten minutes to four on
Saturday afternoon, owing to • patient wishing to see him.
He was lying on the couch. He bad delayed his luncheon
that day until half-past 1, and as he usually took a sleep
afterwards, he told witness not to disturb him for an
hour or so. When witness knocked at the door,
he was answered, " Come in," and, on entering, his master
bad apparently awakened from& sleep. There were papers
on the chairs, and deceased's watch on the table. Before the
patient was admitted deceased removed the papers, and
seated himself in his consulting chair. The interview did
not occupy more than a couple of minutes, and on the
patient's leaving he said he was coming again on Monday.
Another patient called, and on witness re-entering the room
he found his master lying again on the couch with a piece
of cotton wool over hie nose and mouth. The chairs and ,
papers were placed as before. He thought deceased was
asleep as he did not answer, and he thereupon removed
the cotton wool, but from the appearance presented he
became frightened and thought something was wrong.
He then ran for medical ssustance, calling at several
of the doctors' houses in Savile-row, but without
effect. On his return, however, Dr. Markham, having heard
that assistance was required, had called in. On the
Thursday previously be was doing something, but he could
not tell whether it was connected with chloroform. He
vomited • great deal in the wash-basin, and gave witness
his necktie and waistcoat to sponge. Dr. Orlando Mark-
ham, of 3, Harley-street, Cavendish-square, said the de-
ceased was a colleague of his at St. Mary's Hospital. He
went in about 5 o'clock, and saw the deceased on the iota
perfectly dead. There was some cotton wool on the table
close by which smelt strongly of chloroform. Dr. Leered
I happened to come in at that time, and they both tried arti-
ficial respiration for half an hour without the least hope
of restoring life, of which there was not the slightest sign.
There were papers on two chairs, and • watch upon one
set of the papers. On the first slips there was one which
referred to an experiment apparently tried on Thursday
last, viz., "The effect of inhalation of the vapour of
chloroform for singing in the ears, so as to be forced to
the tympanum, either by being taken in by the breath
through a towel or a sponge, producing a bene-
ficial sensation or warmth." The second paper
was an experiment on " The effect of chloro-
form combined with hydrocyanic acid." This was not
classified, apparently waiting for a result. Close to his
hand, on a chair, were two bottles, which had been ob-
tained at Bell's that afternoon. The one contained rectified
ether, which had not been opened ; the second was a little
more than half full of hydrocyanic acid. He did not de-
tect any smell of hydrocyanic acid, for that acid would
evaporate very quickly. There was also a machine made
of indiarubber lying on the chair, used for injecting ether
or other vapours, and afterwards was found underneath the
sofa, just as his hand—that of a dead man's—would fall, •
six-ounce bottle, completely empty, which had con-
tained chloroform, hut was dry and free from smell.
The stopper was not in. From his experience he should say
the appearances were quite consistent with death from
the effects of chloroform, but it was not possible to say
that there was a combination of hydrocyanic acid with
chloroform, owing to the advanced state of decomposition
of the body, both being so volatile that they speedily
evaporated in an ordinary temperature. After a good deal
of additional evidence, the jury returned the following
verdict That the deceased met with his death
accidentally, while prosecuting his experiments, by inhaling
a combination of chloroform anil prussic acid, and the
jury desired to express their deep sympathy with the
family of the unfortunate deceased gentleman." The
Coroner expressed his concurrence with the verdict and
expressions of the jury.