The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-11-30
How Man Feels when Poisoned.
AN INTERESTING PAPER--THE sCFrEREE's
OWN STATEMENT. =
The Harrisburg State Journal says:

| The recent case of poisoning In the lower
section Of the city has created considerable
| Interest in this community, especially
among men versed in medical science and
the theory and practice of medicine. That
the complete restoration OF the patent,
after having taken one gram Of strychNanc-
| one Of the most subtle and powerful veSc-
[ table pOisonS known-was owing to the
| skill, prompt action, and very valuable
remedy employed by the attending physi-
+; clan, no candid or unbiased mind Will
! deny. Annexed is the patients own state
mcnt, which will bc read with interest:
"UARRIsDURG, November %, 1871.
| "The cause thut led me TO commit the
| rash act Of which l am about TO give an ac-
count can be of no particular interest, and
| omitt,ng all illusions TO motives, and
making no attempt at excuse, l will simply
state the circumstances or the case, which
T.. I think may be O! interest to those cnG1g ged
| in the advancement of medical science. l
am induced to do this ct the request Of my
| friend and physician, Dr.. Z. II. CoOver,
with the assurance that the case is re-
markable one. likely to attract the attcn-
tion Of the medical profession everywhere.
"On the morning Of November 20, 1871,
at about II O'clock, l swallowed nearly, if
not Quite, one grain Of strychnine, which
| had been in my possession since the 18th
Instant. | Was sitting on the side OF the
bed in the second-story back room, in
which apartment have slept since have
occupied the house. | took the powder,
dry, from the paper, and held il in my
!mouth until it had become mOistened with
Ispltllc, when / swallowed 1t; walked to
| the table and drank glass Of water went
Into the room over the kitchen, ard hid
the paper in which the poison had been,
and then went down stairs, where took
Ia seat in rocking.chair iii front Of the
stove. In the course of five minutes be-
gan TO feel slight cramps in the calves Of
my legs. My wife was sitting by the table,
sewing, and / asked her for couple of
crackers, which she gave me. The cramps
had by this time increased in intensity,
and extended to the feet and thighs, caus-
ing the most intense pain. l asked if there
was an egg about the house, and being
Eanswercd in the affirmative, told my wife
to break it and give it to me raw. She
lthcn suspected that l had taken some
thing, aud began questioning me closely
about 1t.
II expected soon to be in eternity, and
Thought that no human power could avail
Ito save my life, so told her what had
ldone. She Immediately raised an alarm,
land Mr.. John Hoyer came in, followed by
sseYeral other neiglbors. The egg was given
Ime, besides large quantity of warm salt
water and strong tea, and messenger was
lssnt for DR.. Coover.
"About the time I called for the egg
latttmpted to rise from the chair, but fell to
1.-The floor with convulsions in the lower eX-
strcmiteS, " hich became violent on the least
sattempt 10 move, and the feet were drawn
in towards each ether, becoming stiff and
Iimmovable save as The occasional conyul-
Sions shook them. Unsuccessful attempts
were made to battle them in hot water,
each effort to raise me bringing on violent
paroxYSm, in the last one of which
thought NY jaws had become unhingcd.
was now perfectly paralyzcd from the hips
sdown. and suffering the most eXcruciating
;paius, which began 10 extend upWard-thc
MUSCLES Of the shoulders and neck soon
being considerably conyuised, the fore
arms sill being free from pain.
! :" now bade my wife good byc,' and
prepared for the fnal struggle, which
KNEW must be near at hand, as | now had
become 1ry,A from the neck Qo,rn, gave the
ltoream. The conyulsions OF the muscles
Hcre becoming fearful, and the torture aw-
fnl to endure. And no% came on 4 tTe-
mendou. sonYusion. My hands were drawn
lin 10 my sides, With the fingers drawn apart,
and slightly bowed, and the jaws became
rigid. | felt myself raised as if By some
mighty power. and fixed immovahly, with
only nv feet and head touching anything.
heard some one say, II is all over with
him. and felt something Ike black pail
settling down upon my brain, when / be-
came unconscious o. everything except my
own agony, which was now beyond all de-
scriptiou. l cofla feel my heart futtering
ike wounded BIRD, and my brain bea'ing
and throhbine with al irregular motion, lis
/ though at every beat iC would burst from
4 Int, Inn a
and eysrv drop Of blood seemed Stag0atcd.
| remember thinking it could not he long
| thus, when must have lost consciousness.
| q rrmcmbrr nothing more until felt Il
| sensation Of relief, as though the garments
| Of death. which had been drawn over me,
| were now being drawn back. Those tcrri-
| hle cramps seemed to be descending TO-
wards my lower limbs. 4 sweet feeling OF
relief stole over me, and began to be again
conscious. Turning my head-of which /
now had commando saw Dr.. Coovcr
kneclng at my side, pouring medicine into
| nv mouth from spoon, and spoke to him,
remarkin.: "Here is the man that can save
me-" or words 10 that effect.
| ~ was now free from cramps ms far as
| the hips, acd WAS fully conscious OF all that
| was gong on. | could feel the cramps re-
| ceding before the antidote, and leaving the
| limbs Tree from pain until after the second
dose WAS aumlulslei CD Dy tne DOCTOR.
| From that time | resumed consciousness,
whom was entirely free from cramp, with
| the exception OF little in the feet. I was
then moved Into an adjoining room and
| placed upon pallet, feeling comparatively
comfortable. l had tut one attack Of
cramps afterwards. which was Immediately
relieved by dose administered by my
wite-the Doctor having left for q short
time-and when he returned felt that the
poison was completely neutraized.
II have since felt no return OF cramps or
| commissions, have had good appetite, and
could be out Of bed were it not Tor the sore
ness of the muscles, caused by the intense
! pain to which they were subjected"
[Signed]
| Tie following is the remedy which was
| used in the case referred to. Having per-
| mitted typographical error to creep into
| the paper, we deem it advisable to re-pub-
| lish it Tor the benefit of our readers:
Hyd. choral, Il ounce.
Bromide potass., drachms.
Water, TX ounces.
Syr. orange, TX ounces-(mix.)
FATAL CASE OF SoKNAIBUL1sH-DEATH
OF CHiLD-INJURY TO It's MOTHER
Shortly after o'clock last Friday morning