The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-07-21
DISEASE SENT BY MAIL.
A Horrible Infection Intended, Mr.. Com
stock Thinks, for Himself, Fallen Upon His
Clerk.


A Horrible Infection Intended, Mr.. Com
stock Thinks, for Himself, Fallen Upon His
Clerk.
New York World, July 81
About two months ago an envelope bear
ing New York post mark, and directed to
Anthony Comstock, was delivered at his
Office, $50 Nassau street. He was absent at
the time, and the envelope beirg torn
partly open, by rough handling in the mail
perhaps, Mr.. Ducret, bis secretary, opened it
in the presence of several clerks in the
office. 1t contained what appeared to be a
porous plaster covered with foul matter. Its
odor was very offensive, and those in the
office at the time were at once affected by an
itching and prickiDg sensation about the
face. Ducret, who opened the envelope
handled the matter and smelled of it, When
Mr.. Comstock arrived, two hours later. he
suspected that the missive had been sent to
him by some enemy to do him bodily harm.
He caused the package to be destroyed, and
sending to q drug store he procured q wash
for himself and his clerks as well as q disin-
fectant for his office. The subject was then
dismissed and thought no further of. Two
weeks later, while Ducret was walking with
his brother, he noticed q return of the itch
ing sensation about his neck. 1t was accom-
panied by an unusual purple discoloration
of the skin. He returned to his house at 1853
Clifton Place, Brooklyn, i'll. Beginning at
extended up over the whole body. The
purple appearance of the skin was succeeded
by reddish rash, accompanied by high
fever, and DR.. John r. Quinn, OF 423 Kent
avenue, who was called in, told a reporter
last night that the patient appeared at fret
sight to be suffering from scarlet fever. The
symptoms, however, soon assumed more the
appearance of erysipslss. Ducret has now
been confined 70 his bed for seven weeks.
During that time the disease has been ac-
companied by q constant taking off of the
skln and the fever has continued very high,
with but brief intervals. The joints began
to swell, first on the left SIDE until it was
found necessary to open the swelling at the
left knee joint, and the left arm has become
stiff at the elbow. at present the right knee
is greatly swollen, and similar operation
will have to be performed. The patient is
helpless, and is in constant suffering. He
has wasted away almost to a skeleton, and
his physicians fear that he will not have
strength enough to withstand the disease.
Dr. Quinn and DR.. Hutchinson can not make
a diagnosis of the case. 1t is, they say, an
unqusstionable case of pyemIa, the pus
being of very malignant type, and DR..
Quinn thinks that they have gained ground
against the blood poison. But they are COM
pletely at a loss as to the nature of the
poison, and can not do otherwise than set
upon the hypothesis that the envelope ad-
dressed to Mr.. Comstock, which Mr.. Ducret
opened, was the cause of the mslady. DR..
Quinn said last evening that Ducret was far
from being out OF danger. bnt they had hope
that he would be able to hold out until the
blood poison had been expelled.
Mr.. Comstock, who was found at his resi-
dence, 354 Grand avenue, Prooklyn, said
last evening that he had been anxious to
keep the facts of Mr. Ducret's sickness from
the public for several reasons. one of which
was that he did cot desire to give the perpe-
traitor of the deed-which be imputes with
out question to a vicious intent-the salts
faction of knowing that his misstve had 90
nearly reached its destination. He said that
he was satisfied that he knew who sent it
but he was afraid he could not command
evidence enough on which to make any ar
rest. He suspects practitioner in New
York whom he says he once arrested for a
crime, and to whom he afterward traced an
internal machine which he had received by
mail, but from which he had escaped uHin-
jured. The address of the present package.
he says, was in the same handwriting. Du>
ret, who is but twenty-three. he says was a
most faithful young man In the discharge OF
his duties as Stenographer and Secretary,
and the Society for the Suppression OF Vice
has cared for him during his sickness.
Last night Mr.. Ducret was resting more
comfortably, his brother said, but they could
not see any material improvement In his
condition.