Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-11-17

Monday morning lac was called upon Ly tue
father Of the deceased, 10 examine an ari-
Gle which he produced in paper, part O,
which he said had produced The death o!hi,
son. He found the contents 10 be Epson
Salts, and said to him that that had no; pro.
duced the death OF his son. He viewed ,b,
body, and offered TO open j: for the purpose
Of ascertaining the cause Of the death; the
friends of the deceased declined having Ii.
body opened, and he applied to Mr.. L,
Brun, surgeon, King street, Covent.gardep
(of whom he was informed the Epson SAT-,
was bought) 10 know what he had sold The
deceased. He there learned that You're
man had purchased, on the preceding nigh
one ounce of Epson Salts and one ounce Of
Acid of Sugar, IA deadly roison) in paper
! The article sresemble each other. Witness
was of opinion that il was extremely impo.
per to sell articles resembling each other.
one being poison, without its being writ.
ten upon in large letters, poison" Mr..
LIE Brun informed him, that he did offer 10
write poison" upon The Sugar otLead,
but the young man declined it,
- Dillon deposed, that the deceased
was her brother; he was well in health %
Saturday night, except a breaking out upon
his hand, and doctor advised him to take
some salts. The deceased purchased some
salts at Mr.. LIE Bruins shop, and told her
on Saturday night TO mix the powder the
next morning in some water for him to take
About o'clock on Sunday morning she
went to cupboard in the deceased's bed.
room, and saw two papers Of an equal size,
and both Of the same colour. She supposed
that they both contained salts. She called
the deceased to breakfast, and when she
had desolved the contents Of one paper in
warn water, and gave it to the deceased.
be drank about halt Of it, and became very
sick. and soon after stamped on the floor
and said" Ny inside is burnng-oh the
boot top stuff" She went to Mr.. lie Bruins,
and he sent an emetic. After she returned
home her father came in; he was distracted.
She held the remains Of the poison in her
hand: her father endeavored to seize il,
and declared that be would 60 with him,
and take the remainder Of the poison: she
threw il out Of the window to prevent him.
The deceased lived about half an hour al.
ter lie took the powder. Neither Of the
papers were written upon. The deceased
spoke or Saturday about cleaning his boot.
tops.
Mr.. Accum, being re-examined, stated.
hat he had, at the request OF the Jury,
opened the body, and from the appearances
after dissection, he was Of opinion the death
Of the deceased was caused by his taking
some corrosive substance; Acid Of Sugar
would produce the effect.
Mr.. John Cooper, assistant 70 Mr.. lie
Brun. chemist, King.street, Covent-gar-
den, stated, that on Saturday night last the
deceased came TO Mr.. LIE Bfun's shop, and
purchased an ounce Of Acid Of Sugar, for
which he paid one shilling. He was going
TO write the name Of il on, when the de.
ceased said, "never mind" and seemed
IN hurry. He was about to leave, when
be asked for ar ounce Of EPSON Salts, and
lelt The shop Immediately.
Coroner-A superficial observer might
mistake acid OF sugar for salts
Mr.. Cooper-There is a difference in ap-
pearsnce and in taste.
Coroner-Yes, one is very sour, and the
other extremely nauseous.
Mr.. Cooper-One is larger in the chrys'
tails than the other.
Juryman--I am OF opinion Mr.. COOPER
conduct was extremely culpable. Pray MIR
Cooper, if you had seen the two papers in
few hours afterwards, could you by SUI
pericial view, have told which contained
the salts and which the acid Of sugar!
Mr.. Cooper-No, | should not.
Jurymsn-Then hope this will prove
caution, not only TO you, but every otbeE
medical man.
Dir. Stirling, in summing up the evidence
marked the improperly Of Dir. Cooper
conduct; he said that he had acted with
great incautlon, but not with any criminalty
Juryman-Every medical man ought 10
have the word poison written on dela'e
rious drugs.
Coroner-Your verdict will then be The
deceased died from taking acid Of sugar IL
mistake Ct salrs;'i If any gentleman is of