The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-03-24

THE ARGUS last evening noted the case of
a man. taken suddenly i'll. Ii turns out to
be case of poisoning of very remarkable |
nature and was brought to the attention of
the city authorities on Tuesday afternoon.
One Henry Young. % years of Eage. re-
Gently from Muscatine Ia, and employed
as Waterman on board the steamer Ben
Hershey" at present lying at the Kahlke's
boat yard. was taken with copyulsions and
exhibited signs of poisoning SO unmistake-
ably that those who saw him concluded it
would be best to have him removed under
proper authority. DIR, W. l.. Sweeney,
the Poor Master. had him removed 10 the
Armory on Tuesday afternoon, but so
violent were the spasms, that it took oil
his efforts, combined with those of two
other men. to hold him in the wagon
Young had been taking his meals at the
Mississippi House. and had last eaten
there on Monday, but did not exhibit any
unusual systems till Tuesday morning
when his face and body began to swell to
considerable extent and the spasmodic
action set in. After being taken to the
Armory his head continued to svell
and his face assumed very dark color,
almost black. In addition 10 this his
tongue continued to swell, till the
mouth was forced open and the
breathing became impeded to such an
extent that it was thought he would die
for want of getting access TO the Lungs.
DR.. Craig the city physician, attended to
the case and administered the remedies,
which be considered the case demanded
That it was case of poisoning. the doctor
did not question. but whether produced
by sleeping in close cabin newly painted
as was the alleged cause, is not yet deci-
ded 10 his mind. II was stated By man
who knew him that he had been In the
habit of taking arsenic and buchu, as a
remedy of ague. but whether this could
produce the symptoms he exhibited, is not
satisfactorily decided The sick man raj.
lied somewhat towards morning and was
able te srtieplate little, and swallow.
| He said be came from the east 10 answer
| to an Interrogation by DIR. Craig, and
| further seemed to depreoate the enic
| and huchu theory, which was mentioned
| in his presence. That be was a half breed
was probably presumed from the dark
color of his face produced By the poison
but since to great extent wore off He
| is famiIiarly known as Shorty" and
seemed to have insisted on sleeping in
the apartment on board ship, because
| the Captain told him to remain on board
| till he came back. 4 nambcr of the
medical faculty of this city, including Dfs.
Bernhsrdi, Eyster, and Plunmer. have
seen the patient, but have not come to
any definite opinion as to the kind Of
poison that has become absorbed 10 bis
| system.
The condition OF Young this afternoon.
vas considerably improved from what it
was last evening and during the night.
He has been able to take nutriment such
as beef tea; and hopes are entertaised that
he will come out all right, still his case is
| by no means certain or free from danger.
and his condition is such that considerable
care and ettention will have to be bestow-
ed upon bin. DR.. Craig Is still undecided
as to the nature of the poisoning, and tbs
developments of the case are such thai
little if any light is thrown upon the poiL
10 question.
This afternoon Marshal Blackburn, went
to the Hershey" aud il Eta apartment
which Young had occupied. found a pun
Der of bottles 10 which medicine had been;
among them vas an eight ounce phial.
with the remains of afaida. The sick man
Identified the bottle and said he bad usen
the contents. The bottle ~as shown to
Drs. Craig aud Truesdale aud Mf John
Beugston, vino recognized the dug with
out difficulty. aud the presumption now Is
that it probably caused many of the sYmp-
toa}s exhibited
No one can witness tbs gatherings OF the
baby, wl;hou. feelings Of extreme pity;
for those suffering, however, DIR, Bulls