The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-11-23

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great pain in stomach and bowels, with
spasnodic distress, much thirst and hav-
ing frequent excavations from bowels (:
was there half OF three-quarters of an
hour; could not say who was there be-
'ides Mrs. Stewart and Mrs. Warner
did not see Mr.. Smith: thought he saw
Mrs. Chanlplin there at the ten o'clock
visit; called next morning about half
past nine or ten O'Clock, when she was
pnlseless, hands and feet cold. was in
collapse; room full of people; slaid but
few minutes; believe she died about
twelve; she described the pain as n
burning sensation which on Wednesday
and Thursday reached the throat and
mouth. She seemed to alternate in her
days of vomiting; Friday vomited a
great deal; Saturday about the same,
Sunday less, Monday more. | know
something about the indications of ar
senic, but never saw a case; the symp-
toms of arsenical poisoning are, vomit-
ing, thirst, burning in stomach and
bowels, restlessness, great anxiety to
get well, but sometimes Indifference
burning Mt the eyes, discharge at nos
tris, intense headache. difficulty in pas
sing water, spasm of the gloitis; j. sell
dom thot all these symptoms appear in
one case. Cross-cXamined: called il
case Of cholera morbus. a disease gen
orally easy to detect; found her suffer
ing with all the ordinary symptoms OF
cholera morbus, followed by inhamma-
ton of the stomach. This disease de-
ponds on weather and diet. is more
prevalent in hot, changeablc weather.
fIhtnH IN oSnritntinn innonn al
first have no memorandum of different
remedies prescribed; gave preparation
of mercury the first part of the week
and preparation of arsenic not earlier
than Tuesday, and more or less until
Saturday, then changed to white hello
bore: she had distressing cough, for
which, Thursday, gave phosphorus and
sulphuret of lime, which she took in al
formation with the other medicine; all
the medicines given were poisonous
might have prescribed other medicines,
but don't remember. DR.. Sanborn was
there Friday; was there every day I'M
til she died. When called by Mrs.
Stewart, Saturday night, remember
seeing only Mrs. Stewart and Mrs.
Warner, but others were around: this
was the only time was specially called
after the first time; saw Mrs. Cham
pin there on my visit at ten o'clock
Saturday night, helping with the other
women. Redirect: Think Mrs. Smith :
cough began Thursday before she died 4:
had good deal of it Friday and Satur-
day; the arsenic was given in solution
all of these remedies were prepared in
what we call Soths; any quantity of
30ths could not. be poisonous; there
was not all: appreciable quantity of any
of the poisons administered: she had
pain in the back which was Independent
Of the disease: she was quite restless,
changing her position frequently Satur-
day night. and drawing mp her limbs as
if in pain in bowels: delivered to Scion
Burroughs the two yials Of preparation
of arsenic from which took prescription
Re-cross: Attended Mrs. Smith in the
spring for bronchial trouble; was not a
strong woman: medicines generally act
more strongly ON persons Of weak con
sttution: gave the bottles to Scion
Burroughs when the case was being
talked up; nil medicines prescribed
were given in solution: would not be
likely to be found in the stomach :
would be found in liver and kidneys if
at all. After change of medicine, gave
by advice Of council preparation of bis
muth and chlOrate of potash: also coun-
Gil advised hydrochloric acid in making
beef tea; poisonous.
DR.. W. 5. Hopkins called: A practic-
ing allopathic physician, in Nergennes ::
was called to see Mrs. Smith BY
her father, the Saturday before she
died, in the latter part of the afternoon :
found DR.. Kidder and DR.. Arthur
there: went with DR. Kidder into the
room TO see Mrs. Smith; she was very
low; did not know much of the case be-
fore seeing her: she had symptoms Of
inflammation OF the stomach and
bowels; some sore throat: complain
cd of tenderness and pain over the
stomach and bowels; appeared hor-
prescribed bislnuth and salicine. n gar
gle for the throat, brandy and milk for
stimulus. and Iiebig's cold soup
symptoms ofarsenical poison are gen
orally nausea, vomiting, diarrhca, pain
III the stomach and bowels; could not
form any idea from what he saw or
heard what caused inflammation in the
stomach and bowels; in his judgment
Mrs. Smith died of collapse or cXhaus-
ton, which resulted from Inflammation
produced by some cause. Arsenic
would, in his judgment, produce the
symptoms described by DR.. Arthur.
Was present at the disbursement of re-
mains, and assisted DR.. kidder in re-
moving stomach and intestines; remov-
ed stomach, a portion of the liver and a
part of the small intestines. At the
second disinlermcnt removed rest of
bowels and liver, the kidneys and part
of the lungs. The body was in good
state of preservation at the first disinter-
ment, though decomposition had begun
in face; body had not changed much at
second disintcrment, but internal parts
had shrunk away; was in better state of
preservation than he expected to find
Cross-examined He visited Mrs. Smith
once; was told that she had cholera NOR
bus; do not often find inflammation
of stomach and bowels after cholera
morbus; should not expect TO find it in
such a case as this; bismuth in over
doses is an irritant poison; prescriptions
which he gave were for the purpose of
of allaying irritation, so that she might
retain nourishment.
DR.. G. W. b. Kidder testified: Am a
regular practicing physician in Ver-
gennes; was called TO consult with DR..
Hopkins and DR.. Arthur; symptoms
have been accurately described by the
other PHYSICIANS; retching, vomiting,
quick pulse, irritated condition. Pro-
scribed salicine and snb-nitrate Of bis
muth; doses abont five grains in each
dose; do not regard forty grains as poi
sonous; chlorate Of potash was pre-
scribed to allay irritation of mucous
membrane; Liebig's cold soup (rre-
scription given from book) raw beef
and water with little hydrochloric
acid to assist in assimilation; thought
arsenic in nppreciable quantities would
produce symptoms described. Was
present at the disintermcnt; the face
badly swollen and black, hands swollen
and skin loosened, tongue protruded at
the mouth; limbs and feet swollen
badly; iniestines remarkably well pre-
served. Second time removed all that
remained of the yiscera, which were