The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-14
POISONED uITH sTRdMoNIUM
a Ten Hours struEui. to Save n Young wife
who had sought TO KIN Herself

Mrs. Il. +. Vcrmilye Of Miller avenue East
New York. the young wife of a tinsmith. on last
Wednesday afternoon attempted suicide by
drinking decoction Of the rank leaves Of
jamestown weed or thorn apple. the popular
names OF tho plant strumonium. She is a
comely woman about ~ ycnrs Of age. Her
husband ia ono Of the members VI the old and
aristocratic Ncrmilyc family and a relative "
tho New York banker Of that name. but he IL
somewhat cstrangcd from his Weather rela-
tivcs. and s in humble circumstances. He
lives in n neat frame house In Miller avenue
between Atlantic and Liberty avenues. He was
married when he was n boy and his wife was
then II years of age. They have four children
but their married life has been discordan, and
has of late been accompanied with many quar-
rcls.
The couple had dispute about some house
hold subject on Wednesday Mt dinner. and after
Mr. Ncrmilyc had gone to his business his
wi,c went into vacant lot where there were n
number " strnmonium bushes with their
thorny fruit upon thcm She pluckcd of
number Of branches. some OF them bearing tho
prickly pods full Of seeds and putting tho
whole into pot. added wntrr and set ii over
the kitchen fire 10 boil She then clcnnod up
her dishes. put everything IN perfect order. oc-
castonnlly Watching the preparation OF her poi
son. At about o'clock sli" drrw Of the ldunr
IRON the woods. md strained il into n dish to
cool. II measured nearly pint. md the phy-
sirian says that II WIS strong enough 10 Nil
lyc men. She drank tho whole NJ II. md put
the dish away. The poison WINS slow in il : No.
ton, hut in about u quarter ~ an hour SHE lost
her reason and lcgun to shrck, laugh. and yell
lik"a rlaiar; some women living next door
went into the huus" 10 ascertain the cnuse. and
they found her children standing In terror
about her. the eldest crying. Mrs. Ncrmllye
was sitting upon the noor grns ping Mt mn
imaginary Object IN M air, irothing at the
NOUN, ana now ana th"n tutoring piercing
shrek. Sh" dar,cd at her Nistors. who fed he
sent for. and he md one r two other men
seized her. and attempted to get hcr to bed.
she had supernatural strength from the uuison.
and sh" was almost beyond their control.
Every symptom NJ hydrunhobia attended the
ca~r. She mnde An attempt, to bite or scratch
claimed that she wished to die and uttered
many incOherent s"utrnc"s.
Dr. \. \. Wcmmc arrived ut about o'clock.
hut when he approached Mrs. Ncrmiiyr sh"
scratched his wrist nipning out n bit 81 skin
nlhg 10 act. anu the doctor was in hurry To- all
minister cmrtics. He gave her powerful omci-
irs but 70 DO 50 he was first obliged To get seven
men To- hold her. When he hcld m the srnon
10 her mouth she snapped -ayngcly at il. The
"mctics did not act and stronger ones were nd
minist"r"d. Then IA" doctor gnyc orders To-
have the patient walked up and down the floor
stop. After she had been walked for m hour
nud n hnlf her body eCHn To- glow ard She was
sr2ed with nausrn md the emrtrs acted. Then
coffee. agetic acid. and ammonia w"rc admin
istnrrd; Tho patient had amazing strength. and
the might beinE wnrm. her attendants were soon
completely exhausted. Fresh ones walked her,
hut She struggled with them. and begged 10 ho
allowed to die. pr. Wemmcll said that her life
depended upon Keeping her body in action. for
Il she lay down and went to sleep her death
must surely follow.
Mrs. N"rmilye. On rcgnining consciousness
snid. ~ q do l,f me alone and let me- die. Tor
am glad lid IT," The walk WINS continued for
ten hours up and d .wn Ia" floor. aud then the
Doctor pronounced her out Of imm.dint" dan
thing because NJ the Inflammation in her
throat and stomach. and Dr. Mcmmc.l said
last night that 1t would Doubtless be six or
seven weeks before she would be- we'll
II = not known what led Mrs. N"rmilve TO
chups" strnmonium in preference To- other
poiSons The roison Of de seeds. wi,ich mr..
used IN med zine IN n tinciure ns "a narcotic. j.
very powerful one seed being enough - set
man wild.