Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-02-27
POISONED.
Fatal Mistake of a Druggists Clerk.
Melancholy Death of Mrs. Col. j. NJ.
ThOrnburgh.

We IRE called upon to chronicle one o
the nost melancholy events that ever SAD
dened our communicable death by mar
coti, poisoning, of Mrs. Addie Smith
Tho nlburgh, wife of Col. J. NJ. Thornburgh
Of tots city.
Err some days past, Mrs. Thornburgh
had been suffering moderately from slight
intermittent fever, which disturbed her rest
On Tuesday, she was visited by the family
physician, DR.. John NJ. Boyd, and on Wed
nesday, upon calling again, he left pre-
scripton designed to breakup the recurring
chillness. The prescription reads as follows:
"For Mrs. TR0Tnburgh: r. Qutllioe, grS.
| 2. Sdlicne. grs. Xxx Syr. Acdcig, q. s.
1T. mass. N. DiU. in Pills, No. Il. s.
J.M.B.
Sir to be taken by O'Clock, p. M"
The Interpretation of which in plain Ian
guage is: "Take Of Quinine 5 grains; of
Salicine, 20 grains; of Syrup of Gum Ara
bic, a quantity sufficient to make mass
mix and divide into y pills, and write on
the label "Salicine Pills"
This prescription was sent to the drug
store of Messrs. Head 81 Locke, and filled
by their prescription clerk. The pills were
administered as directed, six Of them being
| taken by Mrs. Thornburgh before 8 O'Clock
Wednesday night. She having fallen asleep,
! Col. Thornburgh retired about 10 o'clock.
! At about twelve O'Clock he was awakened
! by the peculiar, stertorOus breathing of
| Mrs. ThoInburgh. Being satisfied at once
! that her condition was an alarming one
Mrs. Thornburgh having in the early part
of the evening spoken of the fact that the
pills seemed to have morphine in them
he promptly sent for medical as
sistance, meanwhile, with remarka-
bic presence of mind, resorting to artificial
aids to promote respiration, by which means
she was kept alive through appliances and
devices of his own, for three-quarters of an
hour, and until DR.. Boyd arrived, about a
quarter before one o'clock. DIR. Boyd at
once concluded that she was the subject of
narcotic poisoning. She was in an uncOns-
cious state, perfectly relaxed, the pupils of
the eye contracted, temperature of the body
cold, unable to breathe, except by means of
artificial aid, which inability TO breathe,
without assistance continued for five hours,
and, in the opinion Of the Doctor, she would
have died, without such assistance, at any
time during the five hours.
An hour after DR.. Boyd's arrival, Drs.
BoyntOn and Deaderick, having been sum-
mOned arrived. After daylight the efforts
to restore life were more promising and at
several periods during the day gave some
slight hope of success. though at no
time were the physicians sanguine of
conquering the fatal drug, each tempo
rary rally being quickly succeeded by
utter prostratiOn. Such alterations cOntin-
ued until about quarter past twelve O'Clock
yesterday morning, when death closed the
scene. We should have stated that Drs.
Thornburgh and Rodefer, of New Market
uncle and brother-in-aW-whO had been
sent for, arrived by the l O'Clock train,
Thursday, and were assiduOus in their at
tentions until the hour of death.
Our community were shocked at the an
nOmcement yesterday morning of Mrs.
ThOrnburgh's death, and the painfulness of
the intelligence was intensified, when the
melancholy cause of her death came to be
understood. As was quite natural, in the
state of social excitement ensuing the an
nouncement, various and confused rumors
and versions of the affair were in circula-
ton. In order that the history OF the case
may be correctly understood, we have pre-
pared our report with strict reference to
the authentic facts, as furnished by those
best informed and authorized to give them.
Upon examining the prescription files of
MesSrs. Head & Locke, yesterday, the pre-
scription of DR.. Boyd was found as above
given, written in a legible handwriting.
Upon examining it, the clerk expressed a
confidence that he had put into the prepar-
ton precisely what was called for and
nothing else; and the proprietors, with a
view of thorough examination, promptly
set aside the two bottles, containing Qui-
nine and SGliCiRe, for chemical inspection
placing them at once in the vaults of the
Knoxville Bank. ThereupOn, the physi-
clans in charge Of the case called a confer
ence of physicians for the purpose of ascer-
tanning the chemical properties of the medi-
cine administered. There were present in
this conference at DR.. Boyd's office, Drs.
Rodefer, Thornburgh, Boyd, Boynton,
Deaderick, Curtis, James Rodgers, and Mr..
Head of the firm Of Head 81 Locke. Six
of the pills not having been taken and
being still in the box, they were made the
subject ofcareful analysis. The tests were
vaTiously repeated, to the satisfaction of
every one present. The result of each test !
was that morphine was prominent ingre-
dent of the pill-that the pill had not been |
compounded according to the prescription,
and that the morphine in the pill, which had |
been substituted by mistake for the QlJiHiRe, |
was the cause of the narcotic poisoning and /.
death.
The conclusion, as to the result of this
dread mistake, was that Mrs. Thornburgh (
had taken two grains and half of NOR
phine, within three hOurs-enOugh TO pro- /
duce death.
The bottles of quinine and salicine which .
had been placed in the bank were produced /
and their contents examined by the physI-
clans. The drugs were found to be pure,
and incapable of producing the combination .
found in the pills. The tests were conclu-
sive, therefore, that the prescription had not
been filled according to its terms and direc-
tions.
Mr.. Head, who gave his careful attention
to the examination, with the sOhcitude of a
man desiring to ascertain the truth and
palliate nothing, asSented to the correctness
of the medical conclusions and at once dis
charged the euing clerk. This clerk-a
young man by the name of Sykes-had been
but few days in the house of Head &
Locke. His recommendations as a pre-
of eight years standing are Of
the first order, and it was only upon the
most satisfactory assurances that he was
engaged. After the analysis of the pills,
and when notified Of his discharge, he yield
ed to the evidences of his error and con-
feSsed that it must be "a mistake, without
excuSe"-but a mistake, alas, without rem
edy.
Under any circumstances, the loss of so
lovely and estimable a woman as Mrs.
Thornburgh, would have been a source of
deepest sorrow to all who knew her; yet
that an insiduous poison should thus steal
in amid husbands care and physicians
and take away her young lite,
when she thought she only slept, adds
keener pang to the universal sorrow over
her death. She was one of the most ami
able and attractive of her sex, filed with
the graces that adOrn a virtuous woman
hood. She was the daughter of the late
James Smith, of MadisOnville, Tenn, whose
death, years ago, left her in Orphanage. She
grew up in the family of VIM. NJ. Stake
", ESQ, of MadisOnville, and about the
close of the war was married to Col. Thorn
burgh. She was about 20 years Of age,
and leaves but one child, a lovely girl of six
and the care and comfort of the
stricken husband and father.
We most sincerely unite with our entire
in extending to him the Of