The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-11 00:00:00

SUSPECTED DEATH FROM POISOX.

An inquest was recently opened at Bradford, by
Mr. Jewison, coroner; on the body of a youth
named John Snowden Harrison; aged 16 years, who
had died rather suddenly, after being under the
treatment of several duly authorised medical,, prac-
titioners, but• the interment of whose corpse was
stopped in consequence of the last medical attend-
ant, Dr. Brady (a homoeopathist), having returned
a certificate to t\he effect that death was the result
of the over-administration of strychnine. The in-
quest was adjourned to give opportunity to Mr. F.
W. Rimmington, analytical chemist, to analyse the
contents of the stomach.
The adjourned inquiry was held at Bradford on
Wednesday, and occupied-- five hours, the evidence,
which was very conflicting, being altogether medi-
cal and scientific ; in fact, the case, in consequence
of publicity having been given to it, appeared to
have excited considerable commotion amongst the
medical men in the neighbourhood, of whom there
were eight or nine present, includinc, two homoeo-
pathic practitioners—Dr. Brady aneDr. Brereton.
The medical witnesses, Dr. Brady and Mr. J. N.
Terry, alleged that the appearances of the post
',wile??? examination, which they had. made jointly,
indicated death id be caused by asphyxia, produced
by over doses of iita r9»nca, from which strychnine
was drawn.
Mr. Terry, who had attended the deceased after
Mr. Field, found him sufferinF from St. Vitus's
dance or chorea, and had accorditsiy administered
medicine compounded of tincture of iron, tincture
of iodine, and cinnamon water; and at the same
time recommending the removal of ihc patient to
the seaside as a better remedy for the disease.
Mr. William Field, finding the disease one of
a desperate character, admitted that he. had. after
this preSeribed 12 powders of mix romkna of
ten grains each, On to be administered every
12 hours ; at the same time telling the parent
of the lad what the medicine was. Two of
the powders Were taken, • one on the 27th
ultimo, and the other on the 2tith ; but the
deceased refused to take more, saying the medi-
cal man should not " Palmer" him. Mr. Field
justified his treatment in giving the powders of
«,f romica as being perfectly consistent, under the
circumstances, with duly authorised medical prac-

tics.
Mr. Rimmington had made an analysis of the
contents of the stomach, but had not detected the
presence of strychnine. He thought that this, how-
..
ever, might be accounted for by the fact that such
poison, whether given in flux romica or othewise,
passed rapidly out of the system, aid that two days
had elapsed from the'time of taking the medicine
and death ensuing.
Mr. Joseph Harrison, father of the deceased,
stated that his son died in perfect calm, and not in
convulsions. •
Dr. R. B. Lewis and Mr. Beach, surgeons, were
called by Mr. Field in support of his mode of treat-
ment. The former gentleman, in opposition to Dr.
Brady and Mr. Terry, stated that chorea was
sometimes fatal.' He had himself seen such a case
in Bartholomew's Hospital in 1831,
.the patient
being a `,7oung woman of 16 years, who, as in the
prennt, instaive, bad previously been in rheumatic
fever, and Iliac , welt selTral cases on record.
Strychnine was reconimended in 1.641 by M. Trous-
seau, one of the highest medical Cuthorities in
France, as the best remedy for chorea, arid he hmad
reported upon it at intervals since, and still , crcio.cal
mended it. It was a remedy which any meo2
man was justified in using. This was a severe ease,
and a slight remedy would not have availed. N(..‘
one who did not see the case would he . i.us of n tified in
saying the dose was too large. Ten grain?tx
n);"". given twice, with an interval of 12 hours,
1
' :"—: - 4-4,e
before death, could have caused
and at such a t..—
..,,stied was given for the
svm Aoms detailed
no snob result. ICtix t- The
~,%.-7-4anine it containea, , ,1, ,
qse
of
chorea,
ei t;;. 'se ,
--- —: .. .- ~7.se were ahogeu-
in he PresiClit ''''.f Ileisoning by strychnine. The
Hht. 1-tit, :Iti`cC P K- '
. lara cages were entirely differ:mt._
symptoms in the ~
- "0
'' 'sy
'''t tens of the effects
.
The patient presented 1.
of mtx vend and conseue.l- -
ee, • that aould not be
the cause of death.

that eyen
'not

The Coroner, in summing up, obserreu
if the doses had been large, they had, he dm -
doubt, been given with the best intentions. Despe-,
rate cases required desperate remedies, and it would
be a monstrous thing—which would soon cure
dangerous cases would then be abin-
practitioners were to he deemed
itself,dol)d because a
medicalu se
guilty of manslaughter, when, after they had
exerted their utmost skill, such cases ended fatally.
The room was then cleared, and the jury were
engaged in consulting for a long time. They re-
turned a verdict to the effect that the deceased had
died of St. Vitus's dance, the conflicting nature
of the evidence preventing their coming to any
other conclusion.—Manchester Guardian.

CAPTURE OF A SLAVEI?.

(Front the .21-ma York Herald.)

The United States brig Dolphin, Lieut. Joh
Maffit commanding, arrived at Key West on
day, the 22d inst., from the coast of Cuba,
Dolphin caikd from Sagua-la-Grande on thr
ing of the 21st inst.
At daylight she discovered a sail a-head
on the same course as the Dolphin,
on her very rapidly during the day. A'
the sail ahead Mauled on the wind, as
get out of the Dolphin's course, whie)
to be considored a suspicious craft. -
tacked and stood off in pursuit, hoisti,
colours, and fired a blank eartrid
briny answered by the other vesF
fired at half-past four p.m., and tb
noticed, at five p.m. she fired a sly
of the suspected vessel, which
producing the American flag at
still continued on her course
making her best endeaxonrs
directed shot from the Doh
fore rigging, causing her to
colours. On sending a bos
be a brig from the Africa!
Her crew were instant]
placed in charge- of I
Second Lieut. Charles
from the Dolphin,
Charleston, S.C. Th
cn bThoeard votilpiehiDnollNiih.
ni
Boston. The brip
Echo WWI Q der