The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-13
THE COyIUM POISONING CASE.
CONCLUSION OF TIE NoUEsr-INrEREsTINa
TESTIMONY OF DRs. AGNEw AND soUBB-

Yesterday afternoon the inquest was concluded
touching the peculiar circumstances attend
ing the death or the late Professor Fred
erlcK W. Walker, who died from the effects
or poisoning produced by swallowing large
doses OF conIum, extract or hemock
which he look 10 alleviate nervous facial anec-
ton 10 which he mad long been subject. The par
ticulars or the case have already appeared IN the
! HERALD A: a quarter.past three O'Clock yester-
day afternoon several prominent physicians being
present, Coroner Slmms NJ. d., resumed the inyes-
ugaiion.
THE POST .MoGTEA.
Dr. ]. q. Shaw, who made the post morton ex-
animation OF the body OF the deceased in con-
Junction with Drs. Ben and .segur, testided:-I
made n post-mortem examination on the body
or Frederick W. Walker on April 6, 1875 In
presence OF Drs. Wells Smms, Segur and Drake;
IN the brain was good deal OF venous congestion
| folk ceiebri slightly thlckened aud opaque its
| anterior portion; arachnoid and pta mater very
| much thckened and vascular but turning readily
| from brain substances; curra cerebri slightly
SOFT right crus tore in removing the brain
owing to its softness. and presented dis
coored appearance; right vertebai artery much
longer than normal, ana undergone calcareous
and atheromatous degeneration; basilar artery
larger than normal, with calcareous and ather-
omatous degeneration post cerebral and middle
cerebral both undergone calcareou5 and ather-
/
vessels extended to the smaller divisions OF the
artery; small foreign growth found on pia
mater, just at commencement OF the cume cere.
bro puncta vascuasa, not more than normal;
J. chord piexus very vascular ana thickened other
wise the brain appeared healthy; the weight
| OF the brain was fity-sevea ounces; the
lungs were very much congesled, being iull
! OF blood; 90 not mean hypostatc congestion:
they were exceedingly soft, and in places torn
an hair fha irha pafa
ounces; valves perfect; not the slightest rough.
| ness on the walls OF the heart; the abdominal
viscera were found sound; in my opinion the cause
OF death poison by conium: he died from
asphyxIa from suGocatlon; did not use the
microscope In the course OF my examination:
could not make any inference as to the length OF
time the poison mad been operating before death;
without knowing that conIuu had peen taken
could not have known that death was ca1sed by
that poison; have never used conium myself
nor have l watched any patient to whom 1t had
been administered.
TESTIMONY OF DIR. AGNEw.
G. r. Agnew. NJ D., being recalled testified as
folows:-I wish to state that the extract that was
used a my onlce by DR.. Webster the extract OF
conlum leaves, so stated TO me by the apotnecary
who filed the prescription; find this on inquiry
from the chemist, s'tnat extract made from the
leaves Is weaker than that made from the fruit -
deceased was told that by gong TO DR.. Squibb ne
would get stronger preparation, as that which
he had been taking evidently had no effect; they
have in the use OF such drugs such Data as the
dspensatory would glye also the literature on
that subject and the experience or DR.. Harley, or
| London, as TO the strength and the amount OF the
dose to be taken; nave had no opportunity since
| of trying whether the conlum ne took at my ONCE
| was inert; nave never experlmented with 1t on
the lower order or animals.
DIR. SQUIBBS TESTIMONY.
DIR. Squlbb then read q very lengthy paper on
10 n ha nQE
conIum was not the cause OF death, but heart
lalntlug. Iae Doctor corld not accouns Tor the
SqutoD'sl directions III taxing Two doses more
than ne prescribed. He read IN substance, as iol-
lows Tine arst anu only time saw the deceased
WAS about haf-past Two O'CLOCK on saturday aifer-
oHh Ap r - no ,o ne nee o sen e ~ s m name was
| ana Webster WAN q written prescription with
specln To see me persons, ~ and trusr
| his message else; lie tnen told lie
had been long Affected with involuntary contrac-
| tious about the lace and ewes: nad tried unsnc.
! cessuly, many plans III treatment: ne said that
| DR.. Agnew had gwen him mud extract or conium
! IN Dr. Agnew's Office so ~ TO
! WATCH THE EFFECTS;
had given him tour doses nj intervals OF about
nali an hour; the nrst three doses consisted OF
making $50 drops ia ali; tins. he told me, had been
taGen wltaout any sr snl enect on MN, and
! want OF enect 70 tue bad quantY OF the incidence
! he told me tnat they had seat nm 70 me 10 try 10
get some OF better quality, which might be
stronger, and therefore. directed him TO take par
ucular Instructions from me ia person as TO how
! mucn to take, and how often 10 repeat the dose.
ana 10 follow my instructions closely; he presented
tue prescription 10 me, and saw lt called Tor
! one ounce OF nuid extract OF conium;
told him that could not supply his prescrp-
| ton upstairs where we were Ano asked MN 70
mm; then gave MIN, verbally, the directions 10
take every hall hour MY minims OF tons huiu ex-
| tract or conium seed that he would get at the
once, until he should feel some effect from Il;
told him that the eiect 10 be watched for was a
commenced By dizziness aud muscular re
Taxation and that when ne iet TINS or
nth ffnr
taxing the medicine he should stop TAX
ing II; | considered Mr.. WalSer's condition
from the medicine aud was not at ali surprised
that Drs. webster and Agnew wished TO use u IN
his case; now that / know the full history or his
disease 1 saould have blamed them mad they
dismissed u without. using the remedy; | Knew
but one which did not then, and
DO NOT sow CONSIDER VERY DEADLY
or dangerous from the TACT that the deceased had
taken MoGer n QUANTITY q sas mS6lslns Sls;
ne was not very sensitive 70 me ELECTS oil this
drug. and attributed the want OF me effect 10 tne
insuaclency oil dose well az 20 the Ia lerlorlty
Of quality this Induced me 70 Increase the dose
iroll Toe uncertain quanIlty q 20 drops % ths
knowing well that toe oneota VI this medicine are
nrSp SUar ana aSa scd s "c, ws D nec.
sary 10 ths particular use " tne uruE, adhered
Ias sSa bad peen aon,ea ~ Dr. ng
also knew that ang possible enect from that winch
no had taken In DR.. AQnewis ONCE, must. By lapse
OF time, have passed Oh before ue could begin upon
4 the new portion; nad he followed the directions
1 Igave MIN Mr. Walker would never nave taken
the second dose, mucn less the third one, although
| had been present should probably, or almost
/ certainly nave given him the second one; ne. how
! ever, acted as though ne believed his ADVISERS
were tImld and overcautious, ana as though
\ he was dissatisfied with the effects wnlcn
had been described TO him. and was
seeking some ideal effects Of his own; IL IS well
I known characteristic % rns medicine that nc does
not disturb the intellect, and as Il y plain from
4 his detailed accounts OF himself while nnoer its
influence NJ aid NOT disturb his intelligence;
/ N MS mlnim measure be anything IKE correct
THE DOSE HE TOOK WAS NOT A LARGE ONE.
/ and tne cases upou record where c0nlum has Oeen
most successful IN overcoming muscular spasm.
have, on the average. been treated 0y doses mucn
larger; a prominent physician In this city had a
case which y woman TOOK sixty minlms more
I NJ .his prcparatf0n every lour hours