The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-07
DEATH IN a DENTISTS CHAIR.
A Boy Expiring after InhaIina Ether-Fovp
Phvsiciaus Poweries to save Him.

subject OF talk in RAILWAY Yesterday
was the death In a dentists chair of waite,
Lewis on Friday evening. The boy was a pupil
In the Montrose Military Institute and had pros
cured short furlOtlh to spend his fourteenth
birthday at home, and intended to return to
school on Monday next. IIo was greatly troubled
with an aching molar in the left lower jaw. liz
lost much sleep In consequence, and being of
slight, delicate frame, he grew nervous and weak
He resolved to have the tooth extracted. and %
Friday evening went to DIR. westlakc's Office Ia
Main street. The dentist was absent, and
his son, DR.. Warren westlakc, under
took the work Young Lewis said he
wanted to take gas. DIR. wcstakc chlded him,
telling him that II he could wear a cadets uni
form he ought to have pluck enough to face
the forceps without Supplying his senses. The
boy insisted that no must inhale the gas; his
mother had told MIN that he must do 80. and he
could not endure the pain without 1t. DR. West
lake saw that the boy would likely make great
noise and much trouble when the forceps wera
Inserted and a pull was made: and though he
tried to persuade him to take the chair without
the an1sthettc, he concluded to give him Whit
or two OF ether. He put to the boys nostrils
small bottle that held scarcely enough ether to
cover the bottom Young Lewis laid his head
back, a young companion held his feet, and DR..
Westlake inserted the forceps over the troublc-
some tooth. The boy was not unconscious, only
slightly ,daacd. He cried ont once. although the
pull had not been made The doctor uttered a
soothing word. and as the boy grew quiet he
slipped the tooth out and LAYING IL on his table,
told Lewis To straighten up.
Young Lewis sat up, found n vacancy In his
Jaw. and said, why, Doctor where is tho
tooth I" II was shown 10 him, and the next i'm
slant he clasped his hands over his head. aud
said, "oh. Doctor, how my head hurts p and
then quickly laying one hand on his chest, ex-
claimed, oh, what's the matter with my
heartr Then throwing up both arms he fcll
back ln the chair. gasping. aud was unconscious.
Dr. Westlako says that he saw at once that
the boy was diving He instantly ran for
the galvanic battery, and applying, disk
70 the boys spinal cord ut the back
OF the neck, and another over his heart
tried to rouse him with shock Of electricity.
u had no effect and Dr. Westlakc scnt across
the street for Dr. DAILY and laid the unconscious
lad on "A sofa DR.. DAILY that the case WA
h,opeless: Dr Seloyer aud Or. DRAKE soon ar.
rived, hut the combined efforts Of all those
physicians failed In rcsuscitatng the boy. who
soon ceased to breathe. Late at uight the body
was taken to the residence OF young Icws's
parents, In the same street His father Is ein-
ploycd In New York. and his mother has fancy
goods store in her residence.
Dr. Gillette Of Elizabeth. County Physician.
was sent for yesterday and further examination
was made. lie was satisfied that there had been
no irregularity on the part Of DR.. Wcstlal,c and
he gave certificate Of death from extracting
tooth" They decided that death was caused
by the congestion Of the veuous blood At the
mtral valve of the heart which was superin-
duced by nervous exhaustion. The Coroner
gave a burial permit on the representation Of
the physicians that a post norton examination
was unnecessary.
Mrs. Lewis expressed dissatisfaction last even.
ing, and her distress would not be relieved by
the assurance that the trining amount Of
ether the boy inhaled could not cause his death.
She said IL was adulterated chlorufurtn that lie
took. She said that her son healthy. al
though not stout. other persons said that lie
had eaten scarcely anything in the past fort
night, and was weak and restless
Dr. Westlake, who l. graduate In medicine
ns well as dentistry assumes the entire spon-i-
bllity, and courts the fullest investigation. His
father has been practising dentist for about