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

INTERESTING MEDICAL INVES-
TIGATION.
An important inquest gas held at Putney on the Bth
and continued by adjournment to the 14th instant before
W. Cat t riEsq., 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-
(miry 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 felt very sick. [By sick, as
subsequently appeared, witness meant nausea and vo•
rnitingl Mr. Farmer is not a medical man; he is a
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 nine o'clock on Sunday evening.
She then appeared to be very poorly—by poorly I mean
sick and feverish. Site 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 (luring the night, and took
the draught in the morning at half-past seven or eight
o'clock. She took it voluntarily. During Monday she
was not so well. It was not till six or seven o'clock in
the evening that I observed her to be worse. Before
this the draught had operated, but only a little. During
that day (Monday) she had no symptoms of sickness,
but was chilly. She arose from bed, and I assisted her
to dress. She left her bedroom, but remained in a room
adjoining her bedroom for five or six hours. She took
tea to Creakfast; for dinner mutton and mutton broth,
and tea in the evening. I concluded that the cause of
the medicine not operating more was the powder having
been returned. I had no misgivings as to the efficacy of
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 any
particular medicine. I told my sister to get the medi-
cine 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 in about an hour.

Did it operate violently or gently?—lt caused neither
it violent nor a gentle operation. I now sent for Dr.
Corm ack.

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. Cor
mack hal no reference to the medicine which had been
taken. At first the medicine did not operate violently.
It was at nine, A.M 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 hack two mixtures. One was labelled, " Half
to be taken now, the remainder in two hours." This
mixture was taken as directed. The second mixture
labelled, " Half in an hour after 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
the attacks of sickness were short. Dr. C.'s second visit
was between twelve and one, I think. We were told by
the doctor, at his first visit, that it was probably a low
fever, which might continue for some time. No intima-
tion of present danger was given. At the second visit
the doctor ordered hot fomentations and a liniment, to
be applied to the lower part of the abdomen, also three
pills. The servant fetched the liniment, which was used
according to directions. These applications were first
made at half-past one, and they were continued till half-
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 pills
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 sari 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 she
seemed very drowsy. About four in the morning (Wed-
nesday) I sent for the doctor. lie 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
occasion, he expressed surprise. We had every confi-
dence in the skill and ability of Dr. Cormack. I could
not account fur 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. I
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 an
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. Ido nut recollect mentioning the saline mix-
ture to the doctor. I think I mentioned both powders
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
nay 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;
after 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.
_ their
sister's testimony as to fetching the medicine from
Farmer's, and delivering it to their sister Maria.
John Farmer, chemist-1 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 of
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 powder
had been rejected, from sickness, and the draught had
acted only once, and that mildly. She said that the de-
ceas, d 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 two table spoonfuls to
be given if the sickness came on. The quantities of the
various medicines which I supplied were the usual quan-
tities for a person of the age of deceased. I have been
in the habit of supplying the family of de ceased with
my mild anti-bilious pills. They contain in each pill one
grain of blue pill. They 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 seams ony
and the watery extract of aloes. One is an ordinary
dose for a person of the age of deceased ; but two are
quite safe for one of constipated habit. On Sundae
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 head
ache, giddiness, sickness, and pain of the stomach. The
illness was described as a little bilious attack. Ido not
visit patients. Ido 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 unable 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 deceased, I made no inquiry as to the state of her
pulse.

- [oh this answer being given, a juror remarked that it
Was not usual when one went to a chemist fur a dose to
Bay anything about the pulse.]
John Rose Cormack—l am a doctor of medicine, and
reside in Putney. I was first called in to the deceased
on Tuesday, the sth, at nine in the morning. I received
8.11 urgent message, and want without losing a moment.
I found the deceased in bed. I asked her 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 understood
that no medicine of any kind had been given excepting
a brown powder on the preceding evening, and a black
dose that morning ; and that these medicines had
peen got from " over the was." I asked what
powder and draught consisted of, and was told
that. she supposed both to be common aperient
thetheines. 1 asked the colour of the powder, and was
it9l4 that it was brown. I could get no definite or dis-
" 44 recount of the medicine, excepting that the PcTder