The Express.
London, England, 1861-11-08 00:00:00

MELANCHOLY CASE OF POISONING AT
BRISTOL.

One of those numerous melancholy cases of death
occasioned by poison administered by mistake occurred
on Tuesday, when the victim was a ens little boy
scarcely two years old, son of Mr. Fisher, ticket-writer,
he., Castle Mill4treet, Bristol. It appears that Mr. Fisher
and his family resided some time ago in tknliff. when Mrs.
Fisher, in consequence of • slight illness of her little boy
(the deceased), went into • chemist's shop in that town,
and purchased a small packet of cooling powder, a quantity
of which she immediately administered to the child, who
found great relief from its effects. Some time after that
Mr. Fisher lived at Easton, and being much troubled
with rata, • packet of "Marelen's poison for killing
rats" was purchased, and some of it was then
used. These packets are folded almost exactly in the
same way as ordinary cooling powders, and the poison is
coveted by • thin printed paper, upon which is printed the
word " Poison," in entail capital letters, and directions for
using the Lime. The packets are usually wrapped up in a
piece of paper, upon which is printed a number of teeti.
menials of the efficacy of the pyjama. Last Tuesday the
deceased child was suffering from teething, and its mother
remembered that she bought a packet of powder at Cardiff
for the child, which heal • desirable effect, and thought that
• portion of that packet was still left in the house, and on
marching the place where she thought it was deposited she
tumid the packet of rat poison, and, concluding that it was
the one she was searching for, mixed a quantity of
it with sugar, and admiuistered it to the child, who, strange
to say, swallowed it readily, and did not show in any way
for some time that the fatal dose had such ac effect. It
was nearly an hour before the symptoms usually attending
that deadly poison, strychnine, made their appearance,
and then the child clenched its teeth and bands, and sp.p
to be in violent convulsions. Some of the neighl
Carr'sd were called in, and one of them comforted the
unfortunate mother by, saying that there was nothing
dangerous the matter with the child ; that the convulsions
arise from the effects of teething. It was then determined
to send for • medical man, and Dr. Glanville, of Surrey-
street, Portland-square, immediately attended, who on
going into the house saw the child, and at once applied, he
usual remedies in such cases. Mr. H. Cooper, of ClifMa,
and Mr. Wilson, of Bridge-street, also came and rendered
all the assistance io their power, but the ill-fated child was
beyond the reach of medical aid, and soon died in greet
agony. On Wednesday morning the coroner, Mr. J. B.
°node°, held an inquest on the body, at the Cat and
Wheel, Castle Graft, when the above facts came out in evi-
dence. Dr. Granville was examined at some length, and
explained the effects of the poison upon the deceased child ;
and also the effects of strychnine upon the human body.
The ;wet!, of the deceased child were also examined, awl
the Jury returned • verdict to the effect that the ileee.taed
was "accidentally poisoned by strychnine, administered
instead of soothing medicine."

IMPUDENT Tatzvit&—During Wednesday night
some thieves attempted to break into the dwellinq•house of
Captain Mitchell, the governor at the New Bailey prison,
M►nchester. They cut out a square of glass from one of the
windows, and proceeded to wrench open the shutter; but
the noise made in effecting the latter operation alarmed the
inmate*. The thieves, however, effected their escape. Not
long ago one of the light•fingered fraternity attempted to
pick the pocket of one of the police magistrates when leav-
ing one of the railway stations. A gentleman, who had
witnessed the attempt at a distance, said the thief suc-
ceeded in getting his hand three times into the magi..
trate's pockets. It appears, however, that he did not suc-
ceed in stealing anything.
•

- -
(Advertisement.]--lioLumAY's 0/I.IIIIOIT AM,
141.1a.—geariatina, Diphtheria—These diaeaaes, no fatal to
childhood, if not properly treated, are again conspicuous In the
hills of mortality. On the first appearance of rash, Holloway.
Ointment should bo well rubbed upon the throat and upper pert
of the chest. It will not only usist In fully bnnging out the
eruption. but it will cleanse the gland. of the neck, and prevent
their inflammation, suppuration, an.l ulceration In the hitetior
of tho throat, from which arises most of the fretfulness, suffer-
ing. and danger .4 the little patient. When the inflammation
of the throat and adjacent parts in severe the Ointment should
be rubbed Into the akin three or four Hines a day, and Holloway's
Pills should also be given.