The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-06 00:00:00

DEATH FROM CHLOROFORM

An inquest was held at the Red Lion, Heathen-
cote, near Towcester, by Mr. A. Weston, deputy-
coroner, on Saturday, the 28th ult., on the body of
Wm. Rush, aged 11 years. It appeared from the
evidence of the boy's mother, and of Mr. E. F.
Watkins, surgeon, that the deceased had received
an injury of the foot some weeks previously, which
had resulted in a considerable shortening of the
great toe and enlargement of the corresponding
metatarso-phalangial joint. No surgical aid was
called in until a few days before his death. Mr.
Watkins was then requested to examine the foot,
but, in consequence of the boy's screams and resist-
ance, and the acute pain caused by the slightest
manipulation, the examination was not satisfac-
tory. As it was absolutely necessary to decide
whether the case was one of dislocation or diseased
joint,' Mr. Watkins proposed another examination
under the influence of chloroform, to which no ob-
jection was offered, the mother being made to
understand that the boy " would be put into a sound
sleep, during which the examination might be ac-
complished without causing any pain. Accord-
ingly, on Friday, the 27th, Mr. Watkins was called,
and having placed the boy on a bed, proceeded to
administer the cholroform by inhalation. As the ob-
ject was merely to secure insensibility to pain
during the very short period required for the
examination of the foot, it was. intended to in-
duce the very slightest state of anesthesia com-
patible with the attainment of that object. The
handkerchief upon which the choloform was applied
was a stout cotton one furnished by the mother,
and two of the corners folded over the part which
was moisted with chloroform were interposed be-
' tween the latter and the lips and nostrils of the
patient. Though the boy seemed somewhat afraid
of inspiring the vapour freely, it caused neither
cough, sneezing, nor any sign of irritation of the
air passages. Mr. Watkins had himself taken a
full inspiration from the handkerchief before apply-
inc, it to the patient. After an interval of from 30
to 40 seconds the desired effect being apparently
v-produeed, Mr. W. took hold of the foot, but had no
sooner done so than the boy sprang up and screamed
lustily, declaring' that he would not submit to the
examination, and placing his other foot across the
affected one, succeeded in preventing it ; thus prov-
ing that the apparent effect of the chloroform was
not real.

An interval of two minutes or more was spent in
pacifying and reassuring him, and the handkerchief
was again moistened and placed lightly over the
lower part of the face ; he evaded the inhalation of
the chloroform for some 20 or 30 seconds by first
holding his breath and then suddenly turning his
head. aside and taking a full inspiration quite clear
of the handkerchief, but, on being encouraged, he
steadily inspired the vapour. After some six or eight
inspirations the desired condition appeared to be
produced ; the pulse had not indicated the slightest
disturbance of the circulation, the countenance was
perfectly composed and natural in colour as well as
in expression, and the breathing was soft and uni-
form as in natural sleep.
Mr. Watkins, having given the handerchief into
the mother's hand, was again taking the foot when
the patient made two short stertorious inspirations.
The chloroform was at once discontinued; but the
change from a slight to an extreme condition of
anesthesia became rapidly apparent, the pulse fell at
once, and after a very few hurried and feeble beats,
ceasedto be perceptible at the wrist, the lips assumed.
a livid hue, which almost instantaneously spread it-
self upwards and downwards over the whole surface,
and a small quantity of frothy mucus ran from the
mouth. Cold effusion was instantly applied, and
the patient was turned over, care being taken to keep
his mouth from the pillow—twice or thrice a suc-
cession of short, laboured inspirations induced the
hope that the heart was resuming its functions..
Hot water was on the spot, and flannels taken from
it were immediately applied to the epigastrium,
but all in vain, for the patient ceased to breathe in
in about ten minutes. As a last resource, artificial
respiration in the direct manner was commenced
land carried on vigorously for several minutes, but
without any sign of the re-establishment of the
heart's action.

In reply to a question from the coroner, Mr.
Watkins emphatically stated that he was not using
the chloroform experimentally, for that his experi-
ence during the late war had made him so familiar
with its effects and the mode of its employment as
to render experiment superfluous, and he had since
been in the habit of using it very frequently, and
with the greatest advantage, in private practice,
both in midwifery and surgical cases.
In reply to another question, he stated that the
habitual presence of two medical men during the
employment of chloroform would be suite imprac
ticable in country districts, more especially in mid-
wifery oases ; but at the same time he wished it to
be clearly understood that he should never think of
attempting, under the use of chloroform, any ope-
ration embracing the section or ligature of blood
vessels, or in any way attended with danger of
hemorrhage, except with the assistance of another
surgeon, whose special business it would be to re-
gulate the anesthetic condition of the patient.
Mr. Farmer, surgeon, of Silverstone, was sum-
moned. by
.the coroner and examined, in order to
assist the jury in arriving at a correct opinion with
regard to the care employed in administering the
chloroform, the fact of Mr. Watkins being justified
in using it in this case, and the coreectness of the
means employed in the endeavours to restore the
patient.
The evidence of Mr. Farmer on these points was
such as to exonerate Mr. Watkins from any impu-
tation of unsidlfulness or of want of due precaution,
and to justify the use of the chloroform in such a
case.
The
jury,
after a short consultation, found" That
the deceased came by his death, from the effects of
chloroform, administered by E. F. Watkins for the
pumrpro.se.woaftpkriuods insensibilityuscaiindghella
,
'under
,the impression
that the use of a cotton handkerchief
of a
much
stouter texture than the silk, cambric, or lawn
handkerchiefs, which he had most frequently used,
might possibly have prevented the due admixture
of atmospheric air with the vapour, and thus the
chloroform might have entered the air passages in
a more oncentrated form than that which was con-
sidered perfectly safe—viz.' 5 per cent.—and this
opinion derives some weight from the report of the
fatal case at Epsom, on the same day, in which the
chloroform is said to have been placed on a " nap-
kin."—Northanzpton Herald.

THE CHARTER HOUSE.—The subscription for a
monument and a scholarship at the Charter House, in honour
of General Havelock, and of the other old Carthusians who
fell in the Crimea and India,. has nearly reached the sum of
ZOO. Among the subscribers are Lord Panmure, the Bishop
of St. David's Sir Proby T. Cautley, Sir Henry Storks, Mr.
Justice Cresswell, the Lord Justice Turner, Sir F. Currie,
Bart.; Sir E. H..'Leckmore, Bart., Sir Charles Trevelyan,
Sir Charles Eastlake, • the • Queen's Advocate, Sir J. D.
Harding, the Dean of 'Durham, T. Collins, Esq., M.P.,
'Charles Du Calle, Esq., M.P., and several other gentlemen
of distinction.—Court Circular.

SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST A COL-

LECTOR OF TAXES.

At the meeting of the Richmond bench of magis.
trates on Saturday the court was occupied for 3
considerable time in the investigation of several
charges preferred by the Commissioners of Inland
Revenue against Mr. Henry Burbridge, their late
surveyor and collector of income and assessed taxes
for the town of Richmond, of having embezzled the
public money to a very considerable amount, and
also with hawing illegally received taxes from seve;
ral of the inhabitants after he had ceased 0 hold
the office of collector.
There was a full attendance of magistrates. Sir
T. H. Reeve presided, and there were also present
Capt. Price, Capt. Penhryn, and Messrs. Cohen,
Lambert, and Lacy. The prisoner was brought 11P
by habeas from the Queen's prison, where he has
been confined under the warrant of the commis-
sioners as a defaulter. Mr. Hurrell, instructed 139,
Mr. Jacob, conducted the prosecution on behalf 01
the Commissioners of Inland Revenue, and an attor-
ney named Hall appeared on behalf of the prisoner.
Mr. Hall, at the commencement of the proceed-
ings, applied to the bench to allow the case to data
over for a week. It was a very serious charge, he
said, against a person who had heretofore filled a
respectable position in society, and for which, if
convicted, he would be liable to transportation, or
a long period of penal servitude. He was, therefore,
very anxious that he should have the assistance of
counsel, and he at the same time said he had hoped
that with reference to the deficiency in the pri-
soner's accounts, a proceeding would have been
taken that would have obviated the necessity of
any prosecution.
The bench said that ample time had already been,
afforded the prisoner to prepare his defence ;
with regard to the suggestion of a compromise, the
case was now in the hands of the magistrates, and
all they had to do was to ascertain whether the
evidence established any criminal offence against a
party accused, and they were not aware that the
Crown possessed any more power to compromise a
charge of felony than any private individual had.
Th evidence in support of the charges against
Mr. Burbridge was then gone into. It appeared
that he had carried on the business of a timber
merchant at Richmond, and was appointed income
and assessed tax collector for that district in the
year 1854. He continued to hold the office virtually
down to the month of Dec., 1857, but it appe9
that it is the custom for the commissioners to re"
appoint the collectors every year, and the appoint-
ments are made at the close of each financial rat'
on the sth of April. It appeared that Mr. -1511 r;
bridge was not re-appointed on the sth April, 185"
but he continued his duties in order to close the out-
standing accounts for the year 1856, and remained
in the position of collector until the 12th of D..ef*,
1857, when his accounts were investigated by Mr.
Sells, the surveyor of taxes for the district, and it
was ascertained that the prisoner's accounts were
i
deficient to the amount of £713, and he admitted
that he had embezzled and misappropriated the,
public money to that extent. In consequence 01-
this discovery the commissioners exercisedthe power
vested in them by the statute in such cases, andtile
prisoner was committed under their warrant to
Horsemonger-lane Gaol until he should pay the
money. It subsequently transpired that the prisoner,
after he had ceased to be collector, had received ti
considerable portion of the taxes that were due for
the year 1857, and the consequence was that thoso
inhabitants who had paid him were compelled to
pay the amount a second time, and under these ell."
cumstances the prisoner was charged with having
obtained the sums in question by false pretences.
Mr. Hall, the prisoner's attorney, cross-examined
Mr. Sells at very considerable length, apparently
with the object of showing that the commissioners
had treoted the deficiency in the first instance
merely as a debt, and that they had received a por-
tion of the amount by the seizure and sale of the
prisoner's property.
Mr. Hurrell said he was unwilling to throw alic
difficulties in the way of any one in the positionth et
Mr. Burbridge, but it really appeared to him at
the cross-examination was quite irrelevant, and that
the only question before the Court was whether,
money had been obtained by false represent:l6oo
or not?
The Chairman said that he Was of the sail
opinion. The matters referred to might be very go°4
topics to urge before a jury ; but the magistrate
had no power to try the case, and therefore they
were now quite irrevelant.
lls
In answer to a question by the Bench, Mr. ser
stated that the prisoner had no authority _whatevv,
to collect taxes for the year 1857. He added thi'
he appeared to have received some of the money
before the books for that year were even made out,
and he had altered the date of the rooeiptm for 1806
to 1857.
Mr. Harrell then stated that there were a great
number of cases in which the prisoner appeared t°
have received money from different inhabitants;
but he considered it would only be necessary to pro-
ceed upon four of them, in which the prisoner
peared to have received the sums of £l5 4s. 34''
£7 12s. 13d., £2 19s. 100., and 16s. 4d.
The Rev. Mr. Hillier, a Wesleyan minister, Nv:i.hee
had paid the first mentioned sum in respect of 'Lt.
Wesleyan Institution Captain Wood, and t,7,
other inhabitants who had paid the remainie,f,
sums, were then examined, and' they proved t.l't
payment to the prisoner, and that he gave a reeKo
, ~ea
and Mr. Sells deposed that the prisoner had
authority to receive those sums, and that he '1-
never accounted for them on behalf of the publie.ai
The prisoner, upon being asked in the use
form whether he had anything to say in answer to
the charge, replied he had nothing to say at.
sent, and he was then fully committed to take
trial upon the whole of the charges.