The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-08-14 00:00:00

CORONER) INQUESTS.

nneanrtfa Serternw.—Yesterday afternoon an inquest was
held in the Committee-room of the united parishes of St. Andrew,
Ilei'born, and St. Geroge the Martyr, before Trios. SizILING,
Esq. Coroner, on the body of Joseph Pretty, aged 21.
Mr. Thos.Sinipson, veld*. Mr. Fernando, surgeon,7o. lamb's
Conduit.stre-et, berg sworn, de sal, that he saw the deceased on
last Wednesday evening at the house in which the deceased lodged,
at No. 24, Little 6ra7 x Inn-lane, where he was lying in a con.
noloption with which he had been afflicted for sonic time. On
Thursday morning last, about nine o'clock, a message came to wit.
MIS that a young man had cut his throat at the above house. Wit.
nes' informed Mr. Fernando, and they proceeded I •iliately to
the house, where they found the deceased laid wt quite dead.
%%lines* did cot examine die body to ascertain whether he had cut
his throat. They were not sent for until he was dead, and then it
was considered unnecessary to examine the body.
Jane Ikltion being sworn, deposed that she resides at No. '2.1,
Little Gray's lim.lene, in which house the deceased lodged. Ile
had latterly been very ill and not expected to live, and became
worse. On Thursday morning last, about ten o'clock, when his
wife went out to proctor him sonic wine, during her absence wit.
ness proceeded to the deceased's apartment, and discovered the
place covered all over with blood. On entering the room she per.
cgived a razor lying on a box near the bed-side; it was covered with
bioud. The deceased was sitting on mihair leaning on the table,
and he appeared to be quite dead. Ifin throat was cut in a most
honed manner, his heed being nearly severed from his body. Ills
wife had left the room but a few minutes when witness went to the
aparttnent, whisk' she was in the habit of doing daily. Witness
understood that the wife went tot wine, by the neiglibouni idling
her. The wife did nut call on her prier to going mot. Witneis
limni her going down stairs. The deceased hail taken the MAW
from a drawer en the room. 1/id not conceive the deceased to be
delirious. The wife livid on very good terins with hint. Mr. Fer-
nando attended the deceased during his illness, and paid every at-
tention to him.
Sophia Jefferson bcin sworn, deposed, that she is a married wn.
man, rending in the same house as he deceased. Witness, on
being alarmed. proceeded to the apartment, and found the deceased
lying on the floor, weltering hi his blood, having committed the act
while sitting on his chair. 4Vitncas supported his bead. Ile could
not speak, but ho sighed twice. lie had been very ill for a consi-
derable pnieel. but especially for the last two 1110110%. Had not
seen hint for the lag week, and could rust take upon herself to say
whether he was deranged in his mind or not. Never observed any
thing during her acquaintance with hint that would warrant her in
saying he 1111.4 deranged. Witness was not aware when she entered 1
the room that he had committed so visit an act, but considered that !
a blood-vessel had burst. 'While his heal was leaning on her lap
slo• discovered the wound on the throat, and a razor lying on a boa.
Witness coniccturo s that the wife could not have left the moot long
rnotigh to get down three or four stairs. Used frequently to cent.
plain of his illness, saying it was too heavy a bunion lot him to
bear. Ilan licard hint condemn the practice of suicide. Never
thought him callable of committing such an act.
Mrs. Pretty, the site of the deceased, deposed, that during the
last 17 months illr, deceased hail been exceedingly ill, and during
the last week he comphined of his head, and exprossed feats that
I. would his: his seos:", and could not sleep at nights. Sometimes
he wild get out of lied, and sit by the table with piliows, and
i front every e:rettuistance, she considernd him to he denuiged.
The Jury retur:ted a venlict. •• That the deemed cut his chrome
being at the time in a state of rem 11 thiangemelt."
.'. node.r iplarse was held at the Gulden Anchor, Saffart.hill,'
Holborn, before the same Canner, on the body of Wm. lfitelby,

It appeared that the deceasei, on Slonday right last, applied to
a ins. Italgina-housr in the above neighbourhood for a lodging, and
complaint d of sickness at the ttontach and pain in the bowels, for
sraicli he took wow soda, eat..or oil, anti other undo:halt, in they,
course of a very short period; and on Tuesday blot, a hen his land-'
lady entered the room, the discovered him a corpse. Ile appeared
to he in a dreadful state of disease and distress.

.
The Jory returned a venliet of Jhed by the visitation of God."

AFFLICTING (-Asa OF NTDROPIIOBIA.
Irrom (h.! 141-7= Chroosick.i
It is with t saline feelings of regret we have to lay be-
fore our readers the detsils of a second cm of hy:lropho-
'bia, which has occurred in this town, anti it is the snore
distressing, because of the long interval which has
elapsed since the unfortunate sufferer was bitten—too evi-
dent a proof of the uncertain effects of this horrible ma- ,
lady. The following is the account of the case, as furnished
by the surgeon who attended the unfortunate sufferer :
Berjamin Minoan!, by trade a coal-hearer, aged 26, residing in •
IVharf.strect, was the unhappy subject of this horrible complaint.
fie did not feel himself quite well on Saturday, and on Sunday
he experienced sonic difficulty in drinking, anti felt a culthina in
his right hand and arm, and a scisation as if it had been strained,
in consequence of which he applied to his surgeon on MlVllitly
evening, who, suspecting hydrophobia, requested use to visit the
case with him.
On inquiry, it appeared that as he was tearing and playing with
his brother's dog, the animal bit his right hand, and inflicted a
very alight wound, and in a Ire days after became ill and died in
the Street at night, but canine madness waswas not suspect 21. This
happened early in May, now three months since. Several scars,
occasioned by the nature of the nun's employnitnt, were discovered
on the hand*, but none recent or in a stated inflammation. On
presenting liquids, or directing a current of sir upon hint, very vio-
lent spasms occurred, and the symptoms were precisely the same as
have been generally observed and frequently detailed.
An account of a case of hydrophobia having mendy hien in.
*cried in the public journals by Dr. Jrayerman, of Orford Hill.
which was successfully treated by the administration of lead, and
as this mineral promised theoretically to be probably as serviceable
as any other remedy which has hitherto been tried, it was ad.
ministered, first, in the form of superacetate of sugar, add secondly,
according to Dr. rayennan'sdirection, in solution elf drops of the
extract of lead, or liquor plumbi subacmatis ; this quantity was
given with great difficulty every three or four hours. Not choosing
to trust to a solitary case, published by a physician whim) we did
not know, it was thought proper to enforce also hlagcndie's re.
ennittietidatinn of injecting warm water into the veins. A con.
stdmable quantity of blond was obstructed from the arm, rind
several ounces of tepid water injects:, to which were added three
grains of opium, hut without .producing the least effixt. His
eyes, face, chest, and throat, swelled much during the day. The
convulsions continued to increase in violence, and the unfortunate
man fell a victim to them at half.pait six on Tuesday evening,
retaining his faculties unimpaired to the last. The tongue was
examined, but nothing remarkable discovered. The body has not
yet been opened.
I am sorry to my that the same slog has bitten other persons,
and it is my intection to endeavour to discover their names and
residences, that proper precautions may be recommended, to pre-
vent any bad consequences.