The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-20
BREATHING p0ISONEDA AIR

Four Deaths In rwepty-four Hours VIVA,


Four Deaths In Twepty-four Hours what
the Autopsy Disclosed Land NInde with
Chy Gurbnge-A Bnd rincs for "A Hospital.
II has long been suspected by the physi-
clans In charge Of the female unatics, epilep-
tics, aud paralytcs on the northern end OF
Blackwclls Island, that there woro malaral in
0uences at work against them. Last summer
was unusually dry but the year before they
found several cases OF tvpho- malarlll fever on
their hands and the dislerecable odor arising
from the ground was distinctly perceptible. 1t
WIS not until few days ago, however, that tho
existence OF a fatal malaria was satisfactorily
demonstrated.
On the 9th inst Bridget FrawIey. an epIleptic
patient in Pavilion ID. dicd after a very brief
illness. On the same day Lottie Clifton died In
the same pavilion. The latter. "a a post NOR
OF the heart. The former undoubtedly died OF
congestive chil+. On the 1lth three patients
died In rapid succession, and or the Eth inst.
another patient In the same pavilion was taken.
These were Amelia Iape, Margaret Poth, Lavinia
u. Merrill. ana Caroline Gardiner. The symp-
toms IN these cases were nj most Identical with
those IN the case Of Bridget Frawlev. The
patient first became drowsy, the surface Of tho
nody being cold and the pulse slow and feeble.
The colduess OF the body continued for an hour
or two, when there was a slight Improvement,
but the respiration and the pulse were weak and
slow. The patient lay motiOniess and insensi-
bic with the pupils Of the eye greatly contract
ed, until the time OF death. which, In the four
cases mentioned was In from ak to nine hours
So many deaths within twenty four hours In a
pavilion containing less than 20 patients naturally
biafmed DR.. Naylor, the house physician. He
Informed DR. Alex. Mel. Hamilton, the visiting
physician. and requested nls attendance. DIR.
Board of Health, visited the hospital on the
I'm, and. after hearing the statement OF DR..
MAYOR. came o the conclusion that the deaths
were the result OF opium poisoning. Owing to
the suddenncss OF the deaths, DIR. Hamilton
tisated by the Coroner. The bodies Of the four
patients who died on the 1lth and 12th were
sent to the Noreue. and on Monday last Deputv
Coroner McWhinney, assisted 10y Drs. a. McL
Hamilton. 4. y. SterinY r.C Knox, T. Il. Fin
pel aud Dr. MAYOR, made autopsies In three Of
In each instance they found that tho brain.
iun3s' liver. aud kidneys were congested while
spleen was greatly ENLARGED. / his exploded tho
theory OF opium CT other narcotic poisoning,
anu gave 70 many of the physicians the impress
sion that death resulted from congestive chlils
produced 10y malaria. DIR. Knox, one of the
u I to pronounce this opinion, did no. know
| from what part OF the city the cOrpses Fad been
brought. DIR. Hamilton AMI others co.nciied
with him.
DIR. ID. II. Kitchen. chief Of staH Of the Char
| ny HOSPITAL, said to a sun reporter yesterday
tn 1t he could scarcely subscribe to the malarial
theory. though the physicians who had been
present at the autopses ought to DO no ter able
| u N he to judge Of the cause Of death. lie de-
! clined to express an oplnton until he should
| have heard the result OF the snalN sis OF the
stOmachs. these might possibly beiray tue
| presence Of opium.
DR.. Naylor. u Pavilion u OF the hospital, said
| he had administered narcotics to only one Of
the dead patients. To her he gave three-e ighths
OF grain one day. Ii would take from two to
four grains to Kill.
The pavilion In which the deaths occurred IL
| near the northern end Of the island. and Ia
built on mide ground Formerly this end OF
| the island was marsh which partially in-
| unda ed at high water About twelve years ago
II was MED IN, the material used being city gar
baAe ana refuse such as made the Harlem fats
so great nulshn'e two or three years ago. 10
raise this marsh IL was necessary to MI In six
teen teet of garbage and other dir. Then the
| pavilions-lOw wooden buildings, founded on
| spiles sunk deep into the ground-were built
ABOUT Ave feet above the surface. They are
| nine In number. That in which the recent
| deaths occurred was hu II N 1885.
| sun reporter visited Pavilion ID Yesterday
| IN company with DIR. NaSlor, the house physi-
| clan, anu found that the patients h ID been re-
moved TO an adjoining building while the payil.
put In thorough repair. Upon the removal OF
one OF the boards from the floor. DIR. Navlor
| proddet the earth beneath With "A pole TO which
| apiec. OF lion was attached and bi ought w a
| clpd OF sticky mu1, which had faint but disa-
greeahe Odor
was pointed out as an old inmate OF the hospi-
| tai. " IT, fr' Ne now. In the summer time tho
| mud down there IA a foot and half thick"
| To this DR.. Naylor added that he h ID more
| than once last summer detected an odOr which
| he could only describe ~ miasmatic
| Two fatal cases. with symptoms somewhat
| Ike those described above, have been recorded
| In the IL ospital for the Insane, and one or two
| In other psvilions. Even the physicians and
| nurses nave not been exempt.
| lite analyses OF the stonitchs are to be made
| by Dr. NittHaus u the University OF New York,
| aud Coroner Croker will not proceed with tho
| Inquest until tney shall have been completed.