Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-06-16

Ouaclsa and Quaekery-The Recent Sud-
den Deaths at the Commercial Hospital.
Within the past week two deaths have
taken place at the Commercial Hospital, both
Of which, if the evidence before the Coro-
ner's Jury may be depended on, were pro-
duced by the malpractice Of medicine.
The first was the case Of William Rey-
nolds, who was taken To the Hammond
street Station-house, with predisposition to
congestion Of the brain. While In this con-
dition morphine and laudanum were admin
istered, which, as might have been expected,
increased the difficulty instead Of relieving
the patient. He was therefore removed 10
the Hospital, where he died in few hours.
An inquest was held, and verdict rendered
Of death from apoplexy, superinduced by
intoxication; but no word was said in regard
to the treatment he had received.
The second was that of a young man
named Chas. Romminger, who complained
to physician of illness, and described his
symptoms. II was plain that he was on the
verge of delirium tremens; the physician sent
him TO barber, who took from him about
twelve ounces Of blood; the patient was con-
veyed to the hospital, where he died In about
an hour. Verdict--death from intemper-
ance.
Il is plain that narcotics are not proper
medicines for persons suffering from conges-
tion of the brain; every one knows that they
produce it. The conclusion, therefore, is in
evitable that the first physician did not know
what he was about. II is none the less GER
tain that depletion of the human system,
whether it be effected by emetics, enemas, or
blood-letting, is the worst possible treatment
for persons whose excesses have caused de-
liriun tremens, consequently, the second ply
scian knew quite as little of his business as
the first.
By mere accident these cases came TO the
knowledge ofthe Coroner, and his investiga-
ton developed the facts and made them
public. How many similar deaths occur
every day in the city no one can tell; but
these suggest innumerable assassinations,
from which it appears no barrier Of law can
protect society.
A few months ago the community wal
startled by the case of woman, who, abou
to become mother, called in a.couple o
| neutrality-suspicious., that in their efforts Il
| relieve her of the new life which was strug
Cling for entrance into the world, by thu
bungling use of instruments, actually cut tn
uterus in such manner that the child passet
| into the cavity of the abdomen instead o
being born, and both the lives were thereb.
destroyed.
Instances of this kind are not isolated be
cause they are not made public. If citizel
be stabbed to the heart in one of our publ
thoroughfares while attending couple 9
ladies from concert, the act causes kin
of social earthquake rewards are offered 70
the arrest and conviction of the assassin, an
prayers are offered in the churches to the e
feet thathe may be brought to justice. Whe
one of these quacks, however, enters th
household under the pretense of being able
cure, or at least relieve, person who is su
fering from one fthe many ellis that flesh
heir to, and by some vile decoction or con
/ pound of poisons, or by opening one or tw
veins or by plunging a knife into some Wit
portion of the body, succeeds in sending h
patient, by the most direct and speedy rout
into eternity, he simply sends in a bill f
services, and from such easily-earned wag
grows rich, and thereby respected.
Sociely has fallen into the error of supp
sing that it is protected by its laws. Their
fore, legislators are elected who go to u
Capital and pile statute on statute, and COZ
, on code, until enough are printed to wall
,, the universe, and still we are not protecte
!; Every week some one is murdered in Il
! street, every hour we doubt not some one
poisoned to death by quacks.
Investigation seems to be.wholly usele
, They only develop the fact but what is Il
: knowledge worth, unless some practical go
be derived from it2 Crime is committe
6 laws are made TO punish it; no one is pu
ished; the law is not executed, and socie
is not yet protected.