Star.
London, England, 1830-08-23 00:00:00

MOST EXTRAOODINARY CASE.

saturday morning, at eleven, Mr. Stirling, the Coroner for Middlesex,
and a Jury, assembled at the Gate House, public bowie, in the Hemp.
stead-road, to inquire into the circumstances attending the death of Miss
Catherine Cashell, a young lady highly connected in Ireland, who is
stated to have died in consequence of treatment received by her from a
person named Long, residing in Harley-street, Cavendish square, and
who professes to be able to prevent the possibility of disease of al-
most any description, but particularly consumption, by a new mode of
practice.
A Solicitor attended to watch the inquiry, on behalf Mr. Long.
Mrs. Mary Anne Roddis stated that she was the wife of Mr. Boddie,
a-seine-merchant, residing at No. 32, Mornington-place, Hampstead.'
road, and that the deceased young lady, her mother, and a younger
sister, were lodgers in her house. They were persons of the highest'
respectability, and kept their carriage. On Friday se'nnight witness
was requested by Mrs. Cashell to accompany her and the deceased
to Mr. Long's, in Harley-street, to state the fears which she (Mrs.'
Cashel]) had respecting the wound in the back of the de-
ceased. They went together, and saw Mr. Long, who looked
at the deceased's back, and said it was precisely as he
wished it to be. On the following day (Saturday). at an early hour,
vitnems was called up to the apartment of the deceased, and found her
in the greatest agony, at.d witness then looked at her back, and saw it
was in a state which it was impossible for her to describe. On the en-
ning of the same day Mr. Long came to see Miss Cashell and looked
at her back, and said he thought it was in a very good state, and "that
he would give 100 guineas if lie could produce a similar wound upon
the persons of some of his patients." Witness pointed out one particular
spot upon the deceased's back, and asked what could cause such an ap-
pearance ; and he said it was in consequence of inhaling, which was a
part of his system ; and unless those appearances were produced he
could expect no beneficial result. Witness then begged that he would
give her a composing draught, to which lie replied, that a tumbler of
mulled port wine was a better composing draught than all the doctors
in the world could prescribe. The symptoms which alarmed witness
continued. The doctor said these were what he wished to see, and de.
nicd that the patient was in danger. At length Mr. Brodie, the sur-
geon, was sent for, and he ordered a poultice to be applied to the wound
in the back, and some saline draughts. The sickness under which the
deceased laboured was timid by Mr. Brodie's remedies, and she seemed
more composed. On the following morning witness left her in the care
of the nurse, put while witness was at breakfast, a bell rung violently,
and on reaching deceased's room she found her in the agonies of death.
Witness tried to administer some brandy, but her jaws were quite set,
and she immediately breathed her last.
In answer to questions from the Coroner, the Jury, and the solicitor
for Mr. Long, the witness stated that she understood the system of Mr.
Long to be professedly that he could prevent any disease with which a
person was likely to be affected from coming on by making a wound in
the back, and treating the patient according to his plan. The deceased
was in perfect health when she first applied to Mr. Long, and she ap-
plied to him only in consequence of understanding that it had gone abroad
that he could prevent any disorder with which a person was likely to
be afflicted.
Mr. Benjamin Collins Brodie, of No. 16, Saville-row, surgeon,
sworn—He was sent for to 31orningtomplace, between five and six on
Monday last, and saw the deceased in bed. He looked at her back, and
found a slough as large as the palm of his hand. The skin was dis-
coloured to a considerable extent, as if it had been inflamed, and was
then threatening to become a slough also. Her stomach was much die.
Curbed, and witness was informed that she brought up whatever was
swallowed almost immediately. He prescribed what were, in his opt.
pion, suitable remedies, and said he would call tile next day, believing
at that time that, although the patient was very ill, she was not in im-
mediate danger. On the following day witness called again and found
that the young lady was dead ; and on examining her back, he found
that the sloughing (a term synonymous with mortification), had very
considerably extended, and witness concluded had been the cause of
her death.
Mr. Brodie underwent a long exmination by the solicitor for Mr.
Lnng, but lie elicited nothing material, except the expression of that
able surgeoc's opinion that death was produced by the wound in the
back, and cot by any inflammation of the stomach. Mr. Brodie knew
nothing of Mr. Long's mode of practice, but he had been informed by
numerous patients of his own that he professed to be able to prevent
diseases, especially consumption, by the means already described.
A juror—Do you think such a mode of treatment as has been de-
scribed likely to effect that object?
Mr. Brodie--1 would rather say nothing about that. Certainly, how.
ever, producing a slough in the back is not a matter likely to pre-
vent disease.
At this period a conversation arose as to the propriety of opening the
body, and finally it was determined to adjourn the inquest until Mon.
day, in order that the body might be opened.
Mr. Sweetmati, an Irish gentleman brother-in-law to the deceased,
was present, and said that every facility should be given to procure the
fullest investigation into this extraordinary affair. This gentleman
stated that Miss Ellen Cashel, the sister of the young lady whose un.
happy death was the subject of the present inquiry, had died that day
(Saturday) morning, and that she also was a patient of Mr. Long'.
An extraordinary sensation was produced amongst the Jury by this
as nouncement, and Mr. Sweettuan shed tears when he mentioned the
fact.—The inquest was then adjourned until this day.
A corresrondent says—" Madame de Polastron was the
name of the lady to whom Charles X. was attached when he lived in
exile. She died at Edinburgh of a lingering decline. On her death-
bed she made Charles swear that he would be faithful to her memory.
She had a son, who went to a dancing academy, on whom Charles doated.l