The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-03-19
Two Boys Fatally POisOned-What
Was the Unknown ROOts

A YORK (Pa.l special to the Philadel-
phia Times says: The physicians are
greatly perplexed over two most re-
markable cases of vegetable poisoning
which have resulted in the death of two
boys, and hardly know how to make a
diagnosis of the cases sufficiently clear
to ascertain what poisonous matter had
been taken into the stomach. Henry
w. Arnold, aged Is years, and Isaac
Simmons, aged ID, together with a
number of companions of their own
age, spent yesterday morning together
on the banks of the creek, catching
driftwood and pushing off the ice that
tioated down and caught on the pier of
bridge. On one piece of ice was a
slender root, described as being encased
rwithNa heavy bark shell and the heart
tender and juicy. This root the boys
mistook for what in their vernacular is
known as "Sweet America" and root
they describe as being very palatable
and entirely harmless. This root came
floating upon piece of ice, and attract
ing the attention of young Arnold and
Simmons, they took it up and ate heart
lily of it.
In about an hour after they had par
taken of it young Arnold went home,
appearing all right and hearty. Young
Simmons, however, remained, and
shortly after the departure of his COM
panion he was noticed by the other boys
to be acting in a rather peculiar man
ner. He ran over the road apparently
as if losing control of his limbs, and fin
ally his nose began to bleed, but stop
ped suddenly, with the loss of but a
drop or two of blood. Several of the
other boys, observing his peculiar ac-
tions, called Justify to him number of
times, but receiving no response, APP
preaching him, found he was barely able
to stand unsupported and was vomiting
violently. They started to drag him
home, and on his way he gave some I'M
accountable demonstrations, such as
licking the palms of his hands, and took
from his pocket wooden pulse-warmer
and began chewing it in a ravenous
manner. He was then seized by a vio-
lent convulsion, which lasted some min
utes, which was followed by others at
intervals. His face grew a deep red,
and discharge resembling white,
frothy substance, tinctured by delicate
red, came from his mouth. His body
was greatly contracted and he seemed
to be suffering keenly, although appar-
emily unconscious, as he could neither
see nor hear, and every effort to speak
died with a gurgling sound in his throat
1t was impossible to administer any
remedies, as the violent retchings and
constant vomitings refused to allow any
thing to reach the stomach. Finally
the spasms became constant, and the
boy died about four hours after, SEEM
ingly undergoing the most severe agony.
Young Arnold, who returned home
Immediately after partaking of the fatal
dose, was likewise attacked and seized
with constant retching and vomiting.
Commissions also followed in rapid sue
cession. He died in half an hour after
Simmons, with whom he had shared the
unknown root. Frank Frey, another
companion, was given piece of the
same fatal vegetable, but detecting in it
taste with semblance of parsnip, he
was afraid it was poison, and after chew
ing a piece spit it out and threw the
remaining portion in the creek. He
dlSO lulOILueu us COMPANIONS vi HIS
fears, but they thought his concern
groundless and paid no heed to his eau
ton. Young Frey, although getting
none Of it in his stomach, was likewise
attacked with vomiting, emitting some
white blood tinged with colored sub
stance. He is, however, out of danger,
but terribly frightened at the narrow es.
cape he made in sharing the same fate
as his young companions. The repre-
sentative physicians of the town are
making post mortem examination, but
it will doubtless take several days to
properly determine the nature Of the
root which caused the death of these
young men, as the illness and nature Of
their death was of such rapid and
violent form that the possibility of it
being wild parsnip root is not seriously
entertained. Both boys were sturdy,
hardy lads and left their homes in per-
feet health a short time before their
death.