The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-15 00:00:00

JULY 15, 1847.

INTERESTING MEDICAL INVES

TIGATION.

An important inquest was held at Putney on the Bth
and continued by adjournment to the 14th instant before
W. Celt -r,lEsq., coroner for East Surrey, and a highly
respectable jury. The coroner stated that the inqui
sition was held in consequence of a letter which he had
received from Dr. Cormack, " anxiously requesting" in-
quiry into the cause of the death of -deceased, Sophia
Dallett.
Maria Rose Dallett, spinster, sworn—l am sister of
the deceased, Sophia Dallett. My father is a tallow
chandler. I reside with him as part of his family. My
deceased sister would have been fifteen in September.
On Sunday last, the 3d instant, at seven or eight, P.M.,
she was taken with shivering. I was with her at the
time in the parlour. No one else was present. She had
been poorly from Thursday evening, the Ist instant, but
before Thursday was not unwell. On Thursday she had
a little simple medicine—pills, which she was in the
habit of taking. They are Mr. Farmer's pills, and are
sold in boxes as "Farmer's Antibilious Pills." On Sun-
day, when she had the shivering, I assisted her to un-
dress, and sent for more medicine to Mr. Farmer. My
sisters Elizabeth and Mary Anne went for it. I desired
them to say to Mr. Farmer that the deceased had been
seized with shivering and telt very sick. [By sick, as
subsequently appeared, witness meant nausea and vo
(liking.' Mr. Farmer is not a medical man; he is
chemist. My sisters brought back a powder and a.
draught, which I received from them. I gave the powder
to the deceased, but the draught, in accordance with the
directions, I reserved for the morning. I had no know-
ledge whatever of the nature or parts of the powder. The
powder was given at pine o'clock on Sunday evening
She then appeared to be very poorly—by poorly I mean
sick and feverish. She returned the powder ; at least.
she vomited freely half an hour after taking it. At this
time she had no other symptoms except fever and sick-
ness. She slept comfortably during the night, and took
the draught in the morning at half-past seven or eight
o'clock. She took it voluntarily. During Monday shi
was not so well. It was not till six or seven o'clock in
the evening that I observed her to be worse. Before
-his the draught had operated, but only a little. During
that day (Monday) she had no symptoms of sickness,
ant was chilly. She arose from bed, and I assisted hei
to dress. She left her bedroom, but remained in a room
:adjoining her bedroom for five or six hours. She took
binretahkefaesvte;
nfiongr dinner.
I concludedm u tlon
tahnadt mt
haat t octal
übireo
oh
been returned. I had no misgivings as to the efficacy o,
theaten ad
tteoa
medicine not operating more was the powder having
Mr. Farmer's medicines. On Monday night I did not
judge there was any necessity for calling in medical ad
vice. She was worse and had shivering on Monday at
six' or seven, P.M.

What did you do?—I sent my sister Mary Anne for
more medicine to Mr. Farmer. I did not send for an)
particular medicine. I told my sister to get the medi-
,,ine Mr. Farmer thought necessary. My sister returned
with a powder, a draught, and a saline mixture. She
took the powder immediately, and in two or three hours
afterwards one dose of the saline mixture. The second
powder was retained. She passed a good night. In the
morning of Tuesday she took the draught, which ope-
rated ita about an hour.

..._
it
Did operate violently or gently?—lt caused neither
a violent nor a gentle operation. I now sent for Dr.
Cormack.
Did you see any previous necessity for sending for
Dr. Cormack?—No.

Why did you now send for him?—Because my sister
was very low.

Did Dr. Cormack come immediately?—lmmediately.
Deceased had been sick, and the medicine had operated
at the time Dr. C. first saw her. She had not been out
of her bed that morning. The calling in of Dr. Cur
mack had no reference to the medicine which had beer,
(liken. At first the medicine did not operate violently.
It was at nine, _cm , on Tuesday (6th instant) that Dr.
C. first saw deceased. He took her case in hand, and
prescribed. The servant went for the medicine. She
brought back two mixtures. One was labelled, " Hall
to be taken now, the remainder in two hours." This
mixture was taken as directed. The second mixture
labelled, " Half in an hour atter the other, if the sick-
ness continued." None of this mixture was taken till
the doctor's second visit, at twelve o'clock ; and there
never was more than part of it taken, as it was not re-
quired for the sickness. On the morning of Tuesday she
complained of pain in her stomach ; and after taking
tea at breakfast time, shortly before Dr. C.'s; visit, she
was sick, rather violently. The intermissions between
tphluseattacksofesrlictikntneiss were short. Dr. C.'s second visit
was between twelve and one, I think. We were told b)
'he doctor, at his first visit, that it was probably a low
'ever, which might continue for some time. No intima-
tion of present danger was given. At the second visit
the doctor ordered but foment.t;.
I
. ‘n.b i

:Cnrirelkiiment, which was used
according to directions. These applications were first
made at half-past one, and they were continued till halt-
past three. The fomentation was simple hot water,
After the fomenting and the use of the liniment she was
better. The servant first brought the liniment, and
afterwards the pills. The pills were labelled " A pill
every night ;" but the verbal directions of the doctor to
me, and also of the doctor's assistant to the servant, was
" A pill every hour." I sent to inquire how the pill,
were to be taken, and they were given accordingly—
one every hour, the first being taken at ten minutes
after four, and the last twenty minutes after six.
After the pills she seemed better. She woke up, and, at
seven, or a little after seven, took some tea, with a very
little toast. She seemed much refreshed and better.
The doctor saw her again at eight, or half-past eight,
when he said that she was decidedly better. He sent
her some ginger-beer powders, to be taken if she com-
plained of thirst. I sat up with her. About ten shi
seemed very drowsy. About four in the morning (Wed-
nesday) I sent for the doctor. He came immediately.
He ordered some brandy and water, which she took ;
afterwards, some white wine. She did not appear to
know what she was doing. The doctor wished her to be
roused. She was taken out of bed and to the next room.
Dr. Wane and Mr, Shilito attended, at the desire of Dr.
Cormack. When Dr. Cormack was sent for on this last
Jecasion, he expressed surprise. We had every confi-
dence in the skill and ability of Dr. Cormack. I could
not account for the stupor ; but the doctor said it might
be the liniment. Nothing beyond the result has caused
dissatisfaction in the family. It was not expected. 1
understand that this inquest is held at the request of Dr.
Cormack. I did not speak to the other medical men as
to the cause of the sudden change. I cannot say whether
my father would have had an inquest had the doctor not
proposed it. The doctor was so quick in proposing ar
inquest that we had no time to think of it sooner. He
is our usual medical attendant.

Cross-examined by Dr. Cormack—l told the doctor
that the medicine prescribed by Mr. Farmer, had acted
as an aperient. The doctor said it had, perhaps, been
too searching. I do not recollect informing Dr. Cormack
that any of Mr. Farmer's pills had been administered to
deceased. I do not recollect mentioning the saline mix-
ture to the doctor. I think I mentioned both powder:
and both draughts.
Do you recollect of mentioning the medicine which
deceased had had simply thus—" She has had a powder
and a draught from over the way ?"—I do not recollect
my exact words. Dr. Cormack, said, at his first visit,
the pain may not be inflammatory, but only griping,
from the medicine. Deceased was not always insensible;
efter Dr. C. came in on the Wednesday morning, she
mentioned him by name when roused. I think this was
in the passage, but I do not recollect the exact time.
She put out her tongue when asked loudly.
Elizabeth Dallett and Mary Anne Dallett corroborated
their sister's testimony as to fetching the medicine from
Farmer's, and delivering it to their sister Maria.
John Farmer, chemist—l recollect Elizabeth and
Mary Anne Dallett calling at my shop on Sunday even-
ing. I proposed to give them a powder and a draught
for the deceased, who was said by them to be fifteen
years of age. No particular kind of medicine was asked
for. Minutely inquired into the symptoms. The powder
consisted of four grains of grey powder, to be taken at
bed time. Grey powder is the mildest preparation o:
mercury. The draught was a common black draught of
senna and other ingredients. On Monday evening, Miss
Mary Anne Dallett called and stated that the powde'
had been rejected, from sickness, and the draught had
acted only once, and that mildly. She said that the de-
ceased would require more active medicine, and that
she had pain. In consequence of this statement, I gave
a powder composed of five grains of grey powder and
three grains of Dover's powder. I added the Dover's
powder that the dose might be retained on the stomach.
I gave on this occasion a draught, the same as the former,
to be taken in the morning. I also suggested and supplied
a simple saline mixture, directing twe table spoonfuls to
!rte given if the sickness name on. The quantities of th(
various medicines which I supplied were the usual quan-
tities fur a person of the age of deceased. I have beer,
to the habit of supplying tile family of d, ceased with
my mild anti-bilious pills. They contain in each pill one
grain of blue pill. '1 hey are mild pills. I have no ob-
jection to state of what they are composed. In addi-
tion to the blue pill, they contain extract of seanimony
and the watery extract of aloes. One 'is an ordinary
dose for a person of the ago of deceased ; but two are
quite safe for one of constipated habit. On Sunday
evening I was informed by the sisters of the deceased
that the bowels of deceased had not been acted on since
Friday, and I was told that she was complaining of heiad
ie-
ache, giddiness, sickness, and pain of the stomach.
illness was described as a little bilious attack. I do not
visit patients. I do not prescribe. I suggest what medi-
cine should be taken.
I did not prescribe for the de-
ceased ; but I suggested, and dispensed the medicine for
her. On Wednesday morning I was asked by some one
from Mr. Dallett's to go there. I went. The deceased
was unal.tle to walk. She was supported in an upright
position. I saw there Dr. Cormack, Mr. Dallett, and '
his three daughters. From my own knowledge, I have
no conception of the cause of death. I asked the medical
gentleman the cause of the illness, but got no answer.
Cross-examined by Dr. Cormack—When I prescribed
for deceaseC, I made no inquiry as to the state of her
pulse.
[On OIL answer being given, a juror re,l: ,Ocesci th
was not usual when one went to a chemist for a dose to
say anything about the pulse.]
John Rose Cormack—l am a doctor of medicine, and
reside in Putney.ll was first called in to the deceased

...
on Tuesday, the sth, at fine iii the morning. I received
an urgent message, and went without losing a moment.
I found the deceased in bed. I asked he sister Maria
what the symptoms were, and was told that she had
been " poorly' for some days. I was told that the
disease set in with shivering. I certainly unders!eod
that no medicine of any kind had been given exceptiox
a brown powder on the preceding evening, and a black
dose that morning ; and that these medicines had
been got from " over the was." I asked what
the powder and draught consisted of, and was told
that she supposed both to be common, aperient
medieines. I asked the colour of the powder, and was
told that it was brown. I could get no definite or dis-
tinct account of the medicine, excepting that the powder
was brown, and the draught black. I boncluded that
both were ordinary aperients; and proceeded to examine
the patient for myself. I found the pulse as she wrist
feeble and irregular; the heart's action was feeble and
irregular. The tongue was loaded, but not parched.
She seemed to be in an extremely depressed state. I
thought the pupils were somewhat contracted. I
examined into the state of the secretions, and learned
that the urine was high coloured and scanty; and that
on that morning the discharge from the bowels had been
very abundant. I asked if I could see the discharge
from the bowels, and was told I could not. I asked if it
was thin and watery, or if it had some consi‘tence; I
was told that it had some consistence, and was " bad" in
appearance and smell. I thought that this discharge was
',wing to the operation of the medicine. There was a
natural moisture on the skin—perhaps a little more than
the natural moisture. What particularly struck me was
the extreme depression and the contracted pupils. These
symptoms indicated, or rather I should say led me to
tread pressure on the brain, such as is seen in the
course of continued fever. I learned that the disease
had set in some days before with head-ache and shiver,
ing. This circunistance, and the state in which I found
her, led me to infer that she had been for four or five
lays, or longer, affected with continued lever of a
yphoid character—that is, a low nervous fever which (if
fbe patient lives) runs through a definite course. I inti
nated this opinion to the relatives. Nervous fever of
this kind is a very serious disease. In reference to the
abdominal pain, which was severe, I said " Let us hope
-hat it is only the medicine." I did not convey, or wish
o convey, the idea that the disease arose from improper
medicine. I had a dread that it might be a severe torn
of abdominal inflammation, well known to medical nei•
is a dangerous complication of continued fever. In
prescribing, my object was to support the powers of life.
md to allay the vomiting and purging. I prescribed e
mixture to be taken in two doses. (The prescriptions,
as written at the time, were produced in court at TIT%
C.'s request.) The following is the composition of this
mixture. Of the Edinburgh solution or the hydroehlo-
rate of morphia twelve drops, tincture of orarge-peto
one drachm (a tea-spoon-full), and of camphor mixture
;wo ounces. The morphia in this mixture may be esti-
mated as equal to half a grain of opium. .I gave so
.mall a quantity of opium on account of the cerebral
symptoms. I thought the camphor would be useful
:is a diffusible stimulant. I thought it would tend to sup
port life. Along with this mixture I sent another onr
~once and a half of the creasote mixture of the Edin-
burgh Pharmacopmia. Of this I directed the half to be
taken, one hour after tl e last dose of the other mixture.
Creasote is of use in allaying vomiting. The opium was
Intended to check the discharges, and arrest inflamma-
(ory action, by keeping the intestines in a state of re-
pose. I left the house, saying that I would return in a
iew hours, but if required, would be found at home. I
went home. I then went down to my dispensary, when
I was told that Mr. Dallet's servant had—

The CORONER here stopped witness, saying that what
one person told another person was not evidence ; it
could not be listened to.

Witness continued—My second visit to deceased wet-
between twelve and one. Th. pulse was imps oved ; the
vomiting was going on ; it had changed its character. I
saw a chamber pot about half full, of what at first ap-
peared to me from the d irkness of the room to be urine.
a whitish colour. I said to Miss Maria, "I am glad to
,ee she has made so much water ;" and was answered,
" She has made no water ; all that has been passed from
the bowels." On carefully examining the abdomen with
the hand, I found that the pain on pressure had mate-
rially increased since my first visit, and the vomiting and
purging, though diminished, still continued, in spite of
the remedies. At this visit I directed one part of the
creasote mixture to be taken ; none of it had been taken,
out both doses of the other mixture had been taken. I
was still careful of how I used opium, which, but for the
eertbral symptoms, would have been freely resorted to.
[ was anxious also not to mask the disease. In all the
circumstances, I considered that the safest course was to
it-der a stimulating liniment containing some opium, in
~he form of laudanum, to be npoiod to the asst. of

it turpentine, 5 drachms ; liniment of the sesquicarbonate
of ammonia, of London Pharmacopoeia (the mild harts
born liniment), 5 drachms ; and of laudanum, 2 drachms.
A. drachm is 60 drops, or in other words, about a tea-
spoonful. I directed part of this liniment to be applied
to the abdomen by means of a piece of flannel, and I di-
rtctod that above the flannel, hot water fomentations
were to be kept up for two hours. I prescribed three
pills to be taken, one every hour, after the liniment had
oeen used for two hours, in the event of the pain,
purging, or vomiting remaining. When the liniment
was on, and before the pills were commenced, I directed
the creasote mixture to be given,, should vomiting recur.
I said that wine was to be given if she became
suddenly faint. I said that I would call again. I did
call about eight in the evening. I found a very great
apparent improvement in all the symptoms: the pulse
in particular was much better, being less rapid, as well
as stronger and firmer. I was told that there had been
no recent purging, and almost none at all since my pre
vious visit. The vomiting had not returned, in conse-
quence of which the residue of the creasote mixture had
rot been given. All the pills had been taken as I pre-
scribed. The last was taken a little after six, I was told.
The liniment and fomentations bad been employed as I
directed. All my instructions had been fully carried out.
I stated to the family that I was happy to leave her so
much better. Deceased asked if she might have more of
the little pills. I said no; they are not required. As
the pain was not entirely removed, I said that part of the
!ieiment, with the fomentations, might again be used. I
said that I did not see scope for any other medicine than
effervescing draughts, should the thirst be urgent; and
wine, if required, for faintness. I was told that she had
sat up in bed and taken tea with relish, and also a little
toast. I thought more favourably of her case than I had
lone formerly; but I was still in great anxiety about
her. I said so to my assistant. Thinking it not impro-
bable that I might be called to her during the night, I
mentioned her state to Mrs. Cormack, who was not well,
and might have been alarmed bad I been called away to
a distance during the night. Mr. Dallett's house is near
to mine. I did not anticipate such a change as took
place. I was called between four and five in the morning,
just at the conclusion of the thunder-storm. I went
without delay. I found the deceased in a state of great
prostration, apparently listless, and drowsy. The pulse
was hardly perceptible at the wrist: the haads were
cold ; the extretaities of the fingers were blue ; and the
lips were livid. I administered about a tablespoonful of
brandy, and three or four glasses of wine. I asked if
she had been alarmed by the thunder; and was told that
she did not seem to have heard it. I examined the
pupils; they were much contracted. I endeavoured to
converse with her, and was enabled in some degree to do
so after she had wine. I at first thought that she was
in a state of collapse, which would terminate in death.
The good effect of the wine suggested hope. I asked
how much of the liniment had been used, and was shown
the bottle, which might contain one or two teaspoonfuls
out of the twelve. Knowing the extreme sensibility of
the Dallett family to medicine of every description,
it occurred to me, as just possible, that the
stupor and collapse might have arisen from
absorption of the opium of the liniment. I had
never heard of so small a quantity of laudanum, when
so applied, producing such an effect. I thought it my
duty, under all the circumstances, to hazard the impu-
tation of having used improper and dangerous medicine
as the only thing which gave the deceased a chance of
life, was to take this view of the case, and act on it. I
used every exertion to rouse her, by sinapisms, hot
water and mustard to the feet, &c. I now treated the
symptoms exactly as I wotild have treated narcotism
from opium. I only conjectured that it might be nar-
cotism from opium. I explained my treatment
might to the
family, as the exertions to rouse the deceased
otherwise have appeared extraordinary. No improve-
ment showed itself:. I desired my assistant,
attendance with me, to call in Dr. Wane
who was in
and Mr. Shilito.
When Dr. Wane came, I entrusted the case toliimflor
a few minutes, as I was exhausted, and I went to lr.
Shilito's house. He kindly came back with me keine-
diately to Mr. Dallett's. Both gentlemen then co-
operated with me in pursuing the same line of treat-
ment, until death took place. Just before Dr. Wane
arrived, I gave twenty grains of sulphate of zinc ; it did
not act, and he suggested a repetition of the dose,
and tickling the fauces. We used the nineties with
reference to the symptoms ; and not with reference to
my prescriptions. We all co-operated in using the same
treatment, till deceased expired between eight and nine
A. 31. Oa Wednesday morning, about twenty-three
hours from the time et which I was first called in.
Everything which I did was done with the view of sav-
ing the patient's life. The object or my treatment was
to prevent death. The treatment was adopted according
to the best of my judgment.
Cross-examined by a Juror—l would, in similar cir-
cumstances, adopt similar treatment. I do not regret
my treatment. I think my treatment throughout was
judicious. Opium is the main remedy on which medical
men rely in certain forms of abdominal inflammatory
disease. There is a great tolerance of opium in such
ears. I consider my dose of morphia an extremely
minute dose. I also consider the quantity of opium in
the pills very small. The three pills only contained half
a grain, so that if the morphia taken be estimated as
half a grain of opium, the deceased only had one grain
internally from me. She bad only two teaspao?iui sof
:audanum applied externally. I think my exhibition or
Pinn3, by me, in this case, very cautious.
By the CoaoNen— Wieit was the cause of death ?
That question cannot be answered till we have bad an
anatomical inspection of the dead body._
The CORONER ordered Mr. 'Wane andShilito to make
tun inspection, inviting other medical men to be present