The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-01
TRAGEDY IN A MAD HOUSE.
DOSING ONE INSANE PITTEyT 70
DEATH WTTH OPTfTEs
The Fate Of Col. Hull. who linn gincd Him
self on a Held Of Bnttic-A Case TO be
Presented to the Legislature of Illinois.

serious case OF malpractice. resulting
IN the death ui 70 worthy CttizCn uf Chicago, is
Insane in tlgin.
On The LIST inst Col. lanes $. Hun, aged nifty
six years, was removed from his residence In
thl% c'!N-to the asylum IL llrin for treatment
for an Intermittent form of insanity. which was
the result oi an injury to the spinal column,
produced ny u guushnt wound which he re-
ccivod NJ the battle of stone River. where he
comtnnndcd the Thirty seventh Regiment In-
dinna oIdnteer Infantry.
On Tuesday morning last Mr.. Hull arose quito
early, and between the hours OF and I was
seized 10y one of the Intermittent fits, during
which he Imagined himself once more ON the
held of battle. and gave military orders Ia very
excited manner He passed from his room into
that of an adjoining patient. and thence into
the bath room. His ccsticulatiuns were wild
and his talk very loud Going W to one Of tho
bath TUT :. he began tO handle The faucets in u
way that seemed to budc mischief to- the patient
~ the tub. Several Of the raticnis became eN-
services Of the attendant, George Crane. were
called into requlsition. lie ordered Mr.. Hull to
retire 70 his own apartment. but no attention
was paid to the command Mr. liull AT thi' time
was thoroughly and dtngcrously excited, aud he
S nass ,h leoG attendant in the ace cnnsne his
The attendant lost his temper and Mr. Hull
made vigorous resistance, but to no purpose,
his feet got caught under the bath tub. which IL
raised about six inches from the door, and as he
Iei fracture OF The right Leg Just above tho
The attendant rushed for DIR. kilbourn, the
medical director. who wa in another part 81
the room. He hurredy appeared and with the
aid Of three or four of the attendants carried Ivy
nain force. the wounded man t. his own room.
Attempts were made To set the fractured limb,
but all Ia no purpose. AZ the then Thoroughly in
sane man fought desperately. Dr. kilhourn
ordered him to be dOscd with opium and
whiskey. gave him a hypodcrnic injection of
morphine and andins that these remedies given
in heroic quantities we're pOWerless, prescribed
an inhalation of chlorofprm
The doctor remained with MIN until o'clock.
with the hope that 10y that time the patient
nllEht ne reduced to such condition OF
helplessncss that he could make NO opposition
20 the setting of the limb ~ what Is known
the fracture box. Al that hour The condition OF
the patient showed no relaxation. His parox-
ysins were A. violent as ever and a- Or. kilbourn
had To leave Tor Chicago he gave Instructions to
the assistant doctors. Mes~rs Dewey and Brooks,
TO pcrsevere in the treatment prescribed. Dr..
Dewey gave him three DOSES each one dOuble
the quantity prescribed 10y Dr. kilbpurn Al II
O'Clock about two hours after the occurrence Of
the fracture, col. Hun sAnl, into IA profound
stupor The symptoms Of morphine poisoning
began to exhibit Themselves Rc~turatiycs were
applied. hut in vain The doomed man sIumbpr.si
ON. the vital functions gradually weakened, and
at ~ o'clock at night he breathcd his last
THIS fatal result completely unneryed the
bourn was in Chicago. They were afraid to tele-
graph the fatal news either to him To the rela-
| tives of Col Hun, whose address could have
beeil readliy arcert%incd ny an INSPECTION OF the
| books OF the n stitution. fog hours the young
physicians suffered intense torture. and finally II
| was determined that one oi them should take
the train the next "Wednesday morning, come
| TO Chicago, and impar the nos- to DR.. Nil
bourn. This programme was rigiily adhered to.
| Dr hilbourn at noon on that day. fourteen hours
after the fatal occurrence. called At the Office OF
| Col. Hull's son. who is n lawyer AT Isl Fifth av-
enuc. and broke the news.
The Wednesday afternoon train To Elgn took
| out to the asylum the two doctors, several
members Of Col. Hull's family. and the law
| partner of his son. An Investigation was then
| and there commenced. resulting in the recital
| OF the foregoing facts In answer to the a,ies-
| ton. " What caused Col. Hun deuthf" d. Nil
| bourn at first said that II WIS caused by the
breaking of the main artery near the ankle
Joint; but on being further pressed he admitted
that 1t was the result of the cumulative effect Of
| the Opiatcs used.
| II is the intention of the relatives to ask he
| legislature. ~ H. coming e.-fuu. to order
thorough invest CATION of tAc affair 50 that I'D
blame may be placed whore It belongs.