Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-12-01


Yesterday morning Mr.. Henry Hurlhert,
residing at No. COO 4 street southwest, called
in DIR. A. y. Williams to see his infant sIn,
about nine months old, who was i'll. The doctor
left prescription and il was sent To the drug
store OF K. A. Bacon, corner \ and z streets.
The drug clerk, Howard Radclitf, prepared the
medicine and handed it to the messenger wnO
returned with il to the house when il was
administered to the child, which soon went into
a stHpOr anG showed signs OF approaching death.
The parents thinking something was wrong
sent for the doctor again, and shortly after he
arrived the child died. Knowing that the pre-
scriptiOn was all right the physician conc uded
there was something wrong IN compromising 1t,
and told the parents that the proper thing was
% have sn inquest.
The coroner was therefore summoned and q
jury Of inquest imVanneled, and testimony
taken which developed the fact that instead o.
putting up six powders containing half a drop
Of tnCture OF opium, three grains had been
compounded, giving half a gram TO each pow
der, thereby causing the death of the babe.
DR. Williams testified that he was called TO
see the child between and 3 O'Clock; found it
suffering from bad cold. wrote a prescription
(here he was handed The one, which he az Orce
TecOgnized;) at O'Clock was called TO see the
child again; the messenger, woman, was very
much excited, and desired him TO call as quick
as he could, as the child had spasms He re-
piled that he did not think II sick enough for
that, but on his arrival found il in a deep sleep,
with its eyes rolled back in its head, ths eyeliis
hall closed, the eve balls diyeTgng in opposite
directions, and the pupils much cOntraCte :; was
informed that two powders had been given ~.
called for the powders and examined the al, and
found that instead of light gray color they
were brown; took the envelope containing them
TO the drug store, looked on the hle and found
the prescription corresponding in number with
the envelope containing the powders; called
Radclifie's attention TO it, and he stated thai ha
had compounded It. Witness told him be thought
a mistake had been made; he looked at the
powders and tie prescription, and, raising his
hands, said 'This Is terrible" Witness asked
him If he was sure there was a mistake. when
be replied that he was; that there were three
grains at opium, instead of half grain.
X. a. Bacon testified that Radcliffe had been
in his employ for nearly four years, and he
temperate and competent In all this time no
knowledge Of a mistake made by him had ever
come TO his notice, and all the physicians had
confidence in him.
After the testimony OF DR.. j. F. Hartigan AMI
DIR. q. III. A. hleinschmidt, the jury returned d
verdict that the child came 10 its death bv rea-
son OF an overdose OF opium, Improperly Gem
pounded by Howard Radcliffe, in the drug store
Of X. A. Bacon. corner of X and F streets.
The coroner did not order the arrest of Il sd-
clite, as he was OF the opinion that there were
no grounds Of an action for criminal intent. bat
only for a civil suit. The young man who COM
mitted the error overcome with grief al the Sc
Tious result Of his mistake.
.