Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1857-03-28
TESTIMONY OF DR.. JAMES c. HALL,

In connection with the above and as containing
matter of interest to the medical profession we also
place before readers the evidence given to the
Board of Health by Dr. JAMES G. HALL, an emf
nent physician of this city, emitting therefrom for
reasons which we presume will be readily appre-
hended by our readers, a few technical phrases not
necessary to the understanding Of the testimony;
Testinsony'ef DR.. James c. Hall.
am practising physiciaa the city of Washington,
saw one Of the first of the disease that recently
made Its appearance in the National Hotel The patient
occupied room in the fourth story and was affected
with diarrh@a loss Of Appetite and irritable stomach
This was IN the latter part of January. About the first
of February called see other eases the weather
at that time being extremely cold Usually the disease
would make It's first appearance IN the morning the pa
tent having retired at night apparently we'll Profuse
operations, always presenting the appearance
-. and of q frothy yesty appearance, accompa-
MED with much fatus If the darrhoea were checked
by opiaes astringens, vomiting supervened and if
the vomiting ceased the purging returned There was
some pain but not that characteristic of Inflammation
rather that caused by distenson from fatus. In
protracted cases there pain upon pressure but not
the pain OF acute Inflammation There great thirst
and q desire for acid drinks Sometimes there we're
cramps, but enterts farinaceous diet was the best
The stools did not present the appearance of metallic
poisoning have seen repeated attacks Of dysentery
and cholera in houses attributed filth but they did not
present the appearances this disease. do not
by metallic poisoning Poisoning by metallic substance
acts as local irrtant, causing PAIN tormna tenesmus
not profuse diarrhoea, and the disease proceeds
steadily either terminate fayoraby or fatally | be-
evethat the of the disease that has prevailed at
the National Hotel is blood poison taken into the sys-
tenn through the medium of the lungs that it is mi
asm peryadng the atmosphere of the hotel 1t may pos
sby also have been absorbed by the food from the at
mosphere. think that closing the sewer at the corner
of Pennsylvania and Sixth street causes the
noxous air contained in the to pass into the hotel
and disseminate itself throughout the whole house The
heating apparatus so constructed to assist in dis
semnatng the ytated air of the cellars throughout the
house The Immediately above the heater is par
hcularly offensive There fight of stairs coming
directly up from the Washroom and the and vapor
arising therein current of heated air ascend
the stairway which also the euvia be disri-
buted throughout the house. During the mild weather
in February the disease entirely ceased for two weeks
the house being well ventilated by the windows remain
ing open but when the cold weather returned and the
house closely shut the disease again made its ap-
pearance violently than before drank freely of
the water used the hotel and produced no disagree
able effects. have person who frequented the
BARRIERS shop connected with the hotel although not
boarder in the house. attacked with the disease and
persons who frequented the house have been affected in
the same manner as the boarders but the disease
not violent. Persons remaining in the house after
having become Ill worse than those who re-
moved from the house after having been attacked at
tribute the disease to poisonous miasm have had no
that terminated fatally. have had altogether
thirty forty have patient in the house at
the present time The disease usually returns after be-
ing checked for few days. and these relapses arc fire.
quent have seen persons accidentally or purposey
poisoned by corrosive submae acetate Of copper ar
senic lead and oxalic acid, and also BY arsenic ain
1stered as medicine, but in have the SYMPTOMS
resembled those of the diarrhea now under conside
ration.
beg leave to append the following quotation from
Christison on Poisons, Philadelphia edition. page 62I
In August, 1881, twenty-five boys living at boarding
school at Chaplain seized in the of three CT four
irritat roft
stomach and bowels cerbraltus of the muscles of tie
and excessive prostration of strength. A susn;
cion Of accidental poisoning having naturally arisen the va
rou utensils and articles of food used by the family
examined without and the only circumstance which
appeared explain the accident that two day before
the FIRST child took Ill foul cespoo had been opened and
the materials dhused garden adjoining to the chill
drens playground This considered sufficient cause IF
the disease by Dr. Spurgn and Messr Anglers and Saup
ders of Chapman, well by ORA Latham and Chambers
and Mr. Pearson of London who personally examined tho
whole particulars Their explanation NAV be the only
tona accosnt that be given the matter But as no
detail of their chemical inquiries ever published their
jurst and the since is supported far as
am aware by account of the effects hsdrs
sulphurc acid gas."
Christison also says, at page 49, another affection
sometimes brought by putrid exhalatons is violent
darrh@a or dysentery;" and refers to the case Of q
French physician whe from such exposure
was seized with giddiness, nausea, tendency to yomt
violent collie, with profuse diarrhea
DR.. CORNELIUS BOYLE, of this city, who. like
Dr. HALL was in attendance on some Of the earliest
cases of disease in the hotel was also examined bv
the Committee of the Board of Health His testi.
mony in all important particulars comedies with
that of Dr.. Hail.