National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-04-08
THE HEMLOCK POISONING.
Revival Of the Use Of Conium in spasnodic
Affections

Revival Of the Use Of Conium in Spasmodic
Affections.
The post moTtem examination OF the body of Mr.
F. W. Walker, who died after taking an over
drauGht OF hemlock, on Saturday, was made on
Tuesday, in the deceased eIectriciau's house, at
800 State street, Brooklyn in the presence of DR..
Ayres, DR.. Miner, United States Surgeon, Dr.
Shaw, DR.. Bell, DR.. Segur, sanitary superin.
tendent, DR.. Dralce, DR.. Watt, the registrar of
vital statistics, and Coroner Simms. The brain
was minuteiY examined, as we'll as the stomach
and heart. The result is to be made known at
the inquest next Monday.
In letter to the Sur, DIR. q. r. Agnew says:
Mr.. Walker had had for several years violent
spasmOdic contOrtisns Of the muscles of the face
and eyelids, freqently incapacitating him for any
form Of labor, and always producing distressing
Brown-Sequard and others, and for many months
had had my services with little or no beneht.
Tie recent revival
OF HENLoCK or CoSIUM
in spasmodic affections of this character induced
DR.. Webster to propose that Mr.. Walker should
have q trial of Its saIutary effects. The extern
sive experience OF Harley, London, (see London
Practitioner, vol. 8, lS7O) and Of others in this
country justified such a course. Mr.. Walker &C.
cordingly came to my office by appointment on
Saturday, April 3, ut 10 O'Clock, to take the medi-
cine and to be under observation. He remained
there from about 10 o'clock until twenty minutes
past !, during which time he took, at the hands
of DR.. Webster, $50 drops Of an extract OF conium
without producing any Of the effects of the drug.
After waiting an hour and thirty-fEe minutes
after the last dose he walked away, saying that
he was in his usual health, and
DID NOT FEEL ANY OF THE SYMPTOMS
which the drug was supposed to produce. Be-
fore his going DR.. Webster gave him a prescrip-
tion for fluid extract of cOnium, with instruc-
lions to carry the prescription to the manufac-
turer OF the extract In Brooklyn, and to see the
manufacturer in person, and to ascertain from
him what dose Of his extract could be safely
taken. He went, IL seems, to the manufacturer,
saw him in person, was observed by him to be
free from any intoxicatiOn from the drug given
tract Of conium, and had the dose prescribed by
him, with
CAUTION NOT TO REPEATIT
if be experienced any OF the symptoms which had
been previously carefully enumerated.
To return. During the three hours and twenty
minutes that he was at my office under the OBJ
serYation of DR.. Webster, the latter fully in
remedy was expected to produce, and read to him
an account of the drug and its action as detailed
in . standard work. / also explained carefully
the effect which the drug might produce, and in
quired an hour and twenty minutes after the last
dose whether such effect had been produced, and
was
DISTINCTLY ANSWERED IN THE NEGATIVE.
Mr.. Walker went from the manufacturers to his
home, took, as 1t is said three doses of the eX-
tract, although the first dose had produced the
effect which he had been warned should be con-
siGered as foTbidding its continued use, and be-
tween and 7 O'Clock died.
In this case 1t should be observed that very ex-
traordinary and minute precautlOn had been
taken by the medical men concerned to guard
against every accident. Mr.. Walker had had
large experience in the use of nerve remedies,
and was a man of remarkable intelligence. As
directions which had been so carefully given.