New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-10-07
i SLNGULAR QUE or DE{rH

GEORGE A. GARDINER SAID TO HAVE BfEN POISONED
BY ARSENIC PLACED IN A TOOTH
George A. Gardiner died at No. 80 llcnry-st.,
Brooklyn, September 81. and the physician who at
tended him says that his death resulted from blood
poisoning caused by arsenic which had been used
by dentist i'll treating "A tooth. DR.. Samuel ;.
Guy the physician was called in by A. &. Lewis, a
friend of Mr.. Gardiner. September 10, four days
after the arrival of the latter from Boston. where he
had been treated by DR.. Waters. a dentist. for
ooihache, and where the tooth had been tempo
rarily filled.
Previous to summonng DR.. Guy, Mr.. Gardiner
had been forced again To 90 for relief from pain To
"a Brooklyn DENTIST DR.. {. A. Marvin, who had
taken out the filing To relieve he pressure. When
DR.. Guy Gardiner his appearance Indicated
poisoning of the blood and from that time the it's
sues OF the mouth and adjacent parts were gradu-
ally eaten away. The breaking of the large VEINS
resulted IN hcnOrrhages, which were at the last the
immediate cause OF death. DR.. Guy gave a certiii-
cate of death from Scp.icBmla from gangreue of
the mouth aud face, arising from treatment OF IA
tooth" burial permit was granted on tins cerilfi-
cate and the funeral took place: but the case did
not excite public interest until "A statement pub
lished IN Boston called attention to Or. Guy's
opinion that arsenic had been used and was the
cause of death.
Dr. Marvin, the Brooklyn dentist. said to "A TR!n-
UNE reporter yesterday that Mr.. Gardiner had come
to him suffering from what seemed Ice an inc nj
ent liberation. thinking that the filling might he
pressing the nerve, he took II out applied GREG
sole 10 take AWAY inc pam. ana advised Air.
Gardiner to return 10 his own dentist in Boston or
come back To hun to have the tooth treated fur-
thcr. He used no arsenic nor dld n sre any signs
OF aGy having been used and ne did not think tine
effect OF arsenic could have escaped his motto. had
any been introduced by another dentist. He did
not see Mr.. Gardner AGAIN. He hid not think the
quantity of arsenic generally used by dentists con Id
have toe effect that thls case had presented.
DIR. Gny also said Yesterday that while lie had mo
evidence that arsenic had been IA bis tooth, there
was undenlablc proof that arsenic had DESTROYED
the tissue and killed tine man; and the inference
that II came from the tooth cou.d lar W. avo led
He described at length the symptoms that pointed
to arsenical poisoning exclusively. symptoms
which neither a malignant abscoss nor erysipclas
nor scrolula would account for. The quantity 81
arsenic used by dentists usually guessed 10
stomach. that little, applied 10 IN abladrd
surface. would destroy the tissue. lie said that
lac did not mention the rse OF m--nic
when he made out his certificate Of death be
he had positive proof of II. lie
quoted Dr. Richardson, of Brooklyn, and DR.. Hell
ninth, homeopathic surgeon, OF Ncw-lOrN, a cor
seuic. lie said that A. G. Lewis had had portions
OF the tissue analvZed Tor arsenic, ana that It's pres
ence had been detected. lie added that Mr.. Lewis
had received letter from DIR. Waters, the Boston
dentist, saying that "A preparation OF bis own had
been used, which harmless. but he did not deny
using arsenic. DR.. Guy thought it possible that
DR.. Marvin might have uncovered arsenic IN TemOv
ing the plug, and that the effects were subsequently,
produced.
DIR. Wykhoif, of the Health Department. said
that DIR. Guys certificate was regular. and lndl.
Gated no necessity for calling In a Coroner.
Coroner Smms thought the reference to poison
ing from the treatment Of a tooth should have sug-
Cesfrd arsenic, and been followed by Investigation,
DIR. X 'chardson said he did not examine the
patient for traces OF arsenical poisoning.
aud had expressed opinion as Ia that.
Dr. Hcmuih could not be found last night.
Mr. Lewis IN behalf of Mr. GARDENERS family, pro-
poses to Dr. Waters vi Boston. Tor malpractice.