The Sun.
London, England, 1860-09-11 00:00:00

DEATH FROM CHLOROFORM-.

A most extraordinary and painful circumstance
occurred to a patient named Carrell, at the
Northampton Infirmary on Wedir:sday, from the
administration of chloroform. Deceased had been
lodging in Commercial-street, and went to the
infirmary on Saturday with the determination of
having a tumour taken out of his back, which had
caused him annoyance for several years, and which
he had been informed would some day prove fatal
if allowed to take its own course. This had been
repeatedly pressed upon deceased by his fellow-
workmen, at Mr. Mulliner's, coach-builder. UnOer
these impressions the poor man went to the infir-
mary, where he was dieted until Wedneoday
morning, and then taken to the operating room,
for the purpose of having the tumour
extracted. Dr. Gray and 1)r. Mash were present, to
whom deceased expressed a wish that chloroform
might be administered before the operation com-
menced. Dr. Mash did not think it necessary to use
chloroform, and therefore explained to Carrell the
nature of the operation, telling him that it would
not be very painful nor very dangerous, but deceased
still persisted in his wish. Dr. Mash therefore con-
sulted Dr. Ashdown (as is usual) and requested that
gentleman to examine the deceased to ascertain if
he was able to bear the effects of chloroform. Dr.
Ashdown said there was no danger, and accordingly
the house-doctor, Mr. Gray, was instructed to admi-
nister the anaesthetic, which he did ; the chloroform
being given on a handkerchief. Its effects were
soon visible upon deceased, who duly became insen-
sible, without anything unusual being observed,
although strictly noticed. On removing him into a
proper position for performing the operation it was
observed that his countenance was very much
changed. The suspicions of the operators were at
once aroused, and immediate steps were taken for
bringing the man to his senses again, instead of
commencing their surgical operation. Water and
other restoratives were resorted to, but all to no
purpose. Artificial breathing was hen tried, but
this, too, was unavailing, and after an hour's futile
endeavours at restoration, the deceased was re-
luctantly given up as lost. An inquest was
held at the Infirmary, on Thursday, before E. P.
Hicks, Esq., county coroner (acting for J. Becke,
Esq.), and a respectable jury, on the body.—Mary
Carrell was the first to be examined, and said
the deceased was her husband. His name was
Patrick Carrell, a coach-smith, He was 42 years
of ago. He had perceived the tumour about nine
years ago, and often talked of having it taken out.
It originated through a blow inflicted by a police-
man at Liverpool, when the deceased was under
the influence of drink. He had only been in
Northampton since March last. (The unfortunate
woman was in tears, and appeared deeply affected.)
Drs. Gray, Mash, and Ashdown were examined,
all of whom stated that they had known patients to
inhale double the quantity of chloroform that had
been administered to deceased without any dan-
gerous effects resulting from its use. Every
precaution had been used by them in this as in
former cases, and it had been administered to hun-
dreds with perfect success. They could not account
unt
for this unusual occurrence, but had no the effects
in saying that deceased had died through
of chloroform. A post mortem examinationp had
been made by Drs. Mash and Gray, Presence of
se
the medical staff, and it appeared
g much con es
returned
ha bitsdecea d
His
had been a man given to drink
brain, heart, and lungs
were very very ted. a
The jury, without any consultation,
ver-
dict, "'That deceased's death was caused by chloro-
form duly administered • They also begged to state
that in their opinion the surgeons were entirely
free from blame in the matter, as it appeared to
them that the proper caution had been taken when
administering the chloroform."— Northampton Free
,PreBa.

JRJS DAY'S SHIPPING.

LONDON, Sept. 11.—Wind this day at noon—North-
Easterly ; fresh breeze, and fine weather.
OFF THE *WIGHT, Sept. 10—Arrived—Edmund, from
New Orleans for Bremen.
pLymotrut, Sept. 10.—Wind N.E.—Arrived—Ann
Warren, from Dordt.
LONDONDERRY.; Sept. 10.—Wind N.E.—Arrived—
North American, screw steamer, from Quebec ; left on
the let Sept.
DEAL, Sept. 10—Wind N.E.—Arrived—Adventure,
from Sierra Leone.
SOUTHAMPTON, Sept. 10.—Wind N.E.—Arrived—
Indus, screw steamer, from Alexandria; Oneida, steamer,
from the West Indies.
BRIUPORT, Sept. 10.—Wind N.E.—Arrived—Johanna,
from Archangel.
FALMOUTH, Sept. 10.—Wind E.—Sailed—Mount Sinai,
for New Ross.

(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)
SouTHAurroN, Tuesday Morning..

Wind E.
Arrived—Mary Coles, from Port Talbot; Oberon, from
Liba ; Halcyon, from Plymouth ; Fellowship, from Sea-
ham ; Indus, steamer, from Alexandria ; Havre, steamer,
from Havre; Courier, steamer, from Jersey; Charlotte,
from Guernsey ; A. S. Ormsted, from Harsens.
Sailed—Oak, for Cork ; Oneida, steamer, for Rio Janeiro;
Dispatch, steamer, for Jersey ; Alliance, steamer, for
Havre; Georges, for Cherbourg.
(BY SUBMARINE AND MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH.)
GRAVESEND, Tuesday Morning.
Wind E.N.E. ; fresh and fine.
Arrived, Sept. 10—St. Huron, from Pillan ; Arnen, from
Cronstadt ; Novena, from Archangel; Maria, from N~earz,
Arrived, Sept. 11—Wilhelmina, from Wisma gleeAlL
from Hooksil ; Catharine, from Worcum ; Ba 1-"-"
Memel.

DEATH OF A PRISONER' _trN THE CLE.REIZr.
WELL HOUSE OF CORRECTION.

AN ADJOURNED INQUIRY.

-
Yesterday, Mr. Wakley, *Droner for West Mid-
dlesex, opened au inquiry in the Clerkenw ell House
of Correction, on the body of Joseph Scott, .22 yearn
of age, who was detained in the above-mentioned
prison, on a sentence of a mm ith's hard labour, con-
sequent on a committal for gl tmbling.
Mrs. Rosetta Scott, of Br: inch-hill, Hampstead,
said-1 am the mother of tl te deceased. He has
been suffering for the last tw 'o years under disease
of the heart, and has conseqi tently been unable to
bring in a penny. I saw h: im this day (Monday)
week, when he told me he 'had been pretty well
attended to in the prison, and made no com-
plaint against any one. He I lad been in the prison. .
three weeks and a day, ai id at the time I saw
him he was in the infirmary. He had a bad cough,
and spat blood, and for tw, ) years had been ill.
His time of release was up last Saturday, and I
expected now to have had hi mat home. He was
not guilty of the charge for w hich he was punished.
Mr. William Smith, infirt nary deputy-surgeon,
said—The
deceased entered t he prison on the 13th
ult., and was admitted to the infirmary on the 31st
ult. His time was up on Satu Niay last, but he diedon the previous day.
pneumonia and swellingHoef h
taLl .1' esegns suffering
H e
had
from
not
been put on the wheel.
The mother—He had been put o.n the wheel.
Witness—Ho might have be en for an hour or two
in the morning.
The Coroner—Are we to interpret the sentence
of hard labour, to servitude of t the wheel.
Witness—Yes, if of suitablc) age.
The
omhseme lothetetre(rts?othe Coroner,—Have you, sir, not
seen
The Coroner—That will be attended to.
Witness continued—On the 14th ult. the de-
ceased complained of a pain i n the side, and an in-
quiry was made as to wheth.ttr he worked on the
wheel, and I believe he did s for an hour before
breakfast. The wheel did not work every day.
The Coroner—Under what disease was the de-
ceased suffering? Witness— Inflammation of the
lungs and air passages. He had also swelling of
the legs. He was allowed, al.; may be seen by the
book, gin, arrowroot, barley -e ~ater, and sherry.
The Coroner (to the moths] .)—Was your son of
intemperate habits ? The mi )ther—No sir ; very
temperate and steady. He t( iok a little gin and
water, which was advised by t he doctor.
Witness—He was getting bc tter under the treat-
' ment, and when I saw him, aiome days before he
died, he appeared to be gettimg well. However, a
relapse came on, and he died. I fully believed he
would have been discharged f rom the prison. At
the time of his entry there w as no distinct report
entered outside as to his being; unfit for labour.
The mother—Ah, that cell c aused his death.
Witness—The cell, why it i.s perfectly dry.
The mother—We have had good proof that he
was put on the mill.
The Coroner—Why did yot t not go before a ma-
' gistrate and complain,.which 3 roumight have done ?
The mother—l did not kno• re what to de.
A Juryman—Cannot we see the warder who was
in charge of the deceased ?
The Coroner—You shell see all.
Witness continued—The warder is not now in the
way. He has gone to his dinner, but he shall be
instantly sent for.
A juryman—Was the deceased put upon the
wheel or not? Witness—lf on the wheel at all, it
would not be more than half•an-hour.
A juror—What, after being ill, :and reported as
such ? Witness—l never knew that the wheel was
injurious—it was a matter of exercise.
The mother here made use of same explanations
respecting the treatment of hor son, which the coro-
ner considered necessary to suppress, informing her
that if she made such observations, sale would have to
leave the room, as they had onl v to deal with facts.
The Coroner (to wituess)--fhen this mill torture
was exercised for half an hour? Witness—lf
excused from the wheel, it would be put down by
Mr. Wakefield.

The Coroner—You see, gentlemen, in this case no
post-mortem examination has been II lade, the notice
referring to the death being such th a:t it was deemed.
unnecessary. That, however, must now be done.
A Juror—l should like to hear what the warder
has to say.
The Coroner—We must have more valuable tes-
timony than that of the warder ; for if he has done
anything wrong, were he here, we could not expect
him to criminate himself.
At this point of the inquiry the Coroner re-
quested the court to be cleared of strangers, during
whose absence letters were read scaowing the state
of the deceased on his entry to the prison, and his
innocence of the offence for which he has suffered.
After which, it was decided that a post-mortem.
examination should be made, a.nd three gentle-
men were named, residing outside tt►e prison, one
of whom should perform the same.
On the re-opening of the court the announce-
ment of an adjournment was made.