The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-12-07
DID OPIUM KILL HER :?
A Dose Which Is Supposed TO Have
Caused an Infants Death.
DIR. WOLFFS DEFENCE.
"That Prescription Has Rendered Me Great
Service in Other Cases."

the Tenth precinct station on Friday evening on .
charge of endangering the life of child by admin
istering a prescription containing heavy dose OF
poison The complaint preferred by Officer
Chiard OF the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
TO Children. The babe died yesterday morning. and
Coroner Ellinger and his deputy, DIR. MacWhn-
ME. assumed control of the When the
complaint came up for investigation yester-
day an astonishing story of "baby farm
ing. and its peculiar effects, was brought
to light The prisoner is a stout. short man. sixty
two years of age with full, flowing white beard
Ten years ago he figured conspcuously in the Coro-
ners' office. where he was arraisned to answer
charge of malpractice on married woman. named
Magdalena Phillip of No. 81 East street.
On that occasion the jury found that death was
by metro peritonitis the result of malprac-
hce, produced by Dr. Wolff. of No. 251 East Tenth
street. He held in about So, 900 bail, and the
papers were sent the District Attorneys Office.
What subsequent disposition was made of the case
in the courts could not be ascertained. The Doctor
stated that he 'honorably acquitted" and that
the charge made for blackmailing purposes.
OFFICER cHIARDI's STORY.
The history of the present told to Coroner
Ellinger and his deputy by the various parties
cerned Mr. Chardi stated that he first received in
formation on the subject through Police Head
quarters. when he received despatch at half-past
forthwith at the Tenth precinct station. where he
urgently required. He responded to the summons
and met Captain Allaire. The latter informed him
that matron, named Henrietta ROUGH. residing at
No. AZ Delaney street. had reported at the station
house that baby four weeks old, was in q
dying condition at her house. Captain Allaire,
Officer Boyer and officer Chiardi repaired
to Mrs. Rouchs residence. which is on
the top floor of u tenement She exhibited the babe
for the inspection of the officers. The little waf
in commissions. and could swallow nothing. The
face and body were terribly emacated and the skin
had purplish tint. Mrs. ROUGH told the following
story:-About three weeks ago she adver
tisement in German paper for wet nurse to take
charge of baby. She went to No. 251 East Tenth
street, the place mentioned in the advertisement and
saw DR.. Wolff in his office. The Doctor informed
her that the babe female. and that he would pay
$40 per month to have the little taken Of.
Mrs. ROUGH agreed to these terms, and was given
charge of the babe. Now" continued Officer
Chiardi, 1--WE know that the child was born the
9Th of November. and that its mothers name is
Annie Nestea, and that she was confined at the
house OF Sarah Meyer IA basement at No. 1877 Eighth
sreet and that for the last year DR.. Wolff has sent
to this place fifteen women to be similarly taken
of. He is the proprietor of the basement and
Mrs. Meyer simply acts in the capacity Of assistant.
When the dangerous condition of the child became
known to called in the services of Dr. j. j.
Bureau. of No 70 Rvington street. He accompanied
us to the drug store of G. Adolph Problem. cor.
ner of Eldridge and Delaney streets, and
examined the prescription. from the effects of
which it alleged the child had suffered.
1t appears that when DR.. Wolff gave the child into
the custody of Mrs. ROUGH he instructed her call
on him in the babe needed medical attendance.
Last Saturday Mrs. Rouch's husband went to
DR.. Wolff and told him that the child was very sick.
Thereupon DIR. Wolff prescribed for the little suf-
ferer as follows:-
tincture opium crocota: acid aromatic
neture two draeh%s two half ounces syrup OF cinna-
mon One teaspoonful to DO given every hour.
"ENoUGH STRONG MAN."
when the druggist saw the prescription" con-
child He was astonshed when told the dose was
intended Tor d babe four weeks old. why, said the
druggist. that's enough to kill strong man He
thereupon modified the prescription. Instead
OF giving thirty-fve drops OF the opium aud
the other ingredients NIL, in proportion he gave
Saturday. containing two teaspoonfuls
OF the liquid was administered to the babe Satur-
day. and since then 1t has not been able to swal-
low any thing; DIR. Wolff saw the child Sunday;
1t was then feeble and in great distress; he said it
was all right; Mr.. ROUGH said the child looked IL
IT was going 10 die; the Doctor replied Il am sorry,
but have got nine more children not baptized so il
this one dies you can have another when these
facts became known to me asked Captain Allare IL
he thought we could hold DR.. Wolff if arrested
him. aud upon his answering in the affirmative I
determined to take the doctor into custody; Officer
Boyer of the Tenth precinct station. therefore
instructed to ascertain the whereabouts OF the doctor
and to arrest him; 1t lucky that acted
promptly, seeing the shape the case has taken
to-day"
Ofiiser Beyer said:-I arrested Wolff at eleven p
NJ. yesterday; he in Lang's lager beer saloon in
First avenue. between Seventh and Eighth streets;
he asked. What do you arrest me forr' he got so
excited that he could hardly breathe; when we got
into car asked him If he had child to board at
No. AZ Delaney street, he first denied tnat he had;
he said that he had child in Delaney street.
the river; after while he said. "Oh. yes, have got
one at No. AZ Delaney street," then took him to
Sarah Meyer of No. 3s7 Eighth street, testified
have no business; l take women to remain with
me during their confinement; about fifteen women
were confined at my house during the past year;
only one physician attends them, and that il DR..
Gabriel Wolff; the doctor sent them to me- have
two rooms and one bedroom arranged for the accom-
inodaton of women of this class; during the past
month only one patient received treatment in my
place; she came to my house on the same day that
hhe became mother; she remained week; the
child was healthy; DIR. Wolff brought the woman to
my apartments; 1 saw her on last Wednesday, when
she called for clothing she had left received
50 90 day for her treatment; DIR. Wolf paid me $40
more.
DR.. Wolff testified in his bchaf:-I reside at
No. PSI East Tenth street; am practising ply
stefan, having graduated in Europe Paris and Stras
boure) and also In the Medical Eclectic Society OF
New York; hold diploma from the latter college;
on November l attended a woman named Anne
Nestel. III her confinement, at No. 1897 Eighth
street; saw the woman at my Office three months
before and prescribed for her; l her several
times; she paid me for the advice and medicine;
four months after first her she told me shc
was about to become mother; after@ard recon.
mended her to go to Mrs. Meyer, No. 3S7
Eighth street; she went to Mrs. Meyers
two hours before she became a mother l
have attended two similar cases Mrs.
Meyers during this year; usually paid Mrs. Meyer
for the board OF tho patient and SO for the attend
ance In each case the day after the birth of the
baby went to the office of the Stldts Zeug and adj
vortscd Tor wet nurse and finally got one living in
Delaney street and paid her $40 per month; the /
mother paid me back; at this time she owes me
81 90; the mother told me she not married; a |
week ago the husband of the woman who took charge
of the child called upon and told the child
sick he described the trouble aud made dagn
OF diarrhea infantum without seeing the child; /
prescribc cd one half drachm of opium crocota two |
drachms acid aromatic tncture, two half ounces OF
syrup of cinuanon; one teaspoOnful directed to
be taken. aud the nurse not to administer any
more of the mixture until got there; in the pre-
scsption, gave in the dose and n half
grams of opium; two grains of opium will not kill
child four weeks old when milk Is taken between
the Doses saw the child the next morning and tho
woman told me that she had given only one tea
spoonful of medicine; the child nursed and seemed
to be all right did not see ii again. but heard
every day that IL was all right"