The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-04-05

idlosyncrasy to the use of opium and turpen
tine. Such idiosyncrasies do exist and might
have produced these symptoms.
: Ques-Did you know Of this idiosyncrasy
OF popularity of constitution when you ad
ministered the medicine?
Ans--I did not And was under the inn
preston that had given him the same dose
previous to that time, but no record was made
of the latter and am not certain about giving
him the previous dose.
Ques-Piease state whether Mrs. McAlex.
ander, the patient who was attacked and who
had peculiar symptoms on Friday, the ed OF
Feby, the day before the fatal poisoning cases,
and whom you were called to see in the alb.
sence Of DR.. Crockett, had taken or was TAX
ing any medicine prescribed In the medical
office
Ans--She has not taken any medicine since
I have been in charge of the dispensary
Ques.-If the poisoning Of the cath had not
occurred, would poison have suggested itself
TO you in the cases of Mrs McAlexander and
| Winde9
| i
would suppose it TO be apoplexy In McAlex-
ander's case she was found in profound coma.
Attendant states that she fell in the hall
During the fall she nigh: have struck her
head and produced this symptom. She did re-
ceive an injury as indicated by the swollen
and black eye, the hemorrhage being consid-
erabIy 10 the eye-lid or this symptom might
have been due to apoplexy: rupture Of a
blood vessel in the brain having occurred pre-
yious TO her fall, or only to congestion.
| Ques-Piease state whether the medicine
1 when prepared as prescribed in the dispensary,
Is usually diluted by the dispenser or taken TO
the respective wards and diluted by the ward
master before being taken by the patient?
| Ans-It ls diluted by myself, the dispenser,
the mug holding 3 ounces being about Two
| thirds filled, including the edicine and water.
The water is obtained directly from the n.y.
drant In the dspensary.
The drugs of the Asylum are obtained in
Staunton exclusively.
| In answer to direct question Dr. B. stated !:
I have no further information with reference
to how the poison got into the drugs on the
| Gath February
THE DRUGGISTS.
DR.. Carter Berkeley, of the firm of Berkeley
| Allen s. Co.. DR.. Newton Wayt, of the firm
OF Wayt s. Bro; DIR. Geo. S. Walker, of the
| firm of G. W May & Co.; B. F. Hughes, of
the firm Of B. F. Hughes s. Co.; W. B. Logan,
OF the firm of Logan, Tyree s. Martin. drug
gists, each seyerally testified that he had never
sold aconitine, nor.had he sold any preparation
of aconite to any stranger or TO any person
whom he did not regard as capable of prop.
ery using it.
DIR. RO. 8. HAMILTON,
Superintendent of the Asylum, was recalled
and in answer to interrogatories testified as
| follows:
Ques-Is VIM. Windle an inmate OF the
Asylum? If so, how long has he been there,
and would you feel safe in giving him dis
charge? Can you approximate the time when
be will be in condition to be discharged
Ans-Nlr. Windle is an inmate. of the Asy.
lum for the second time, having been returned
there six OF. eight months ago. He is much
improved both mentally and physically, but
| is in my opinion, In no condition to warrant
his discharge. l cannot under the circum-
stances approximate the time when he will
probably be in such condition.
Ques-Have you examined the bills of pur.
chase of the Asylum, to ascertain if any aeon
| itine has been purchased?
Aus-Yes, sir; have examined as Iar back
as 1879 would have examined farther if l had
been certain the records of all purchases were
accessible. l found that no aconitine had
| been purchased.
Ques-At the cleaning of the dispensary in
July last, do you think it possible that any
poisonous drugs could have been obtained by
patient or other person?
Ans-No, sir; our chief. II not sole object
was safety in the renovation and renewal Of
the dispensary.
| Ques-Since your former examination have
you obtained any further knowledge that will
assist this jury in determining how the poison
got into the medicine that destroyed the afore-
said PATIENTS and hsye you diligently sought
to obtain such information?
| l.
second, have as diligently as could under
the circumstances.
Ques-Is there any person or persons known
to you, whose testimony would be likely to
throw any light on this poisoning.
Ans-No, sir
VERDICT.
After thorough deliberation the jury made
up ard signed the following verdict:
STATE OF VIRGINIA, ),o,;,.
CRY OF STAuNToN,
An inquisition taken at the Western Lunatic
Asylum in the city of Staunton, Va, on the
Oath day of February, in the year 1883, before
| George Harlan, coroner of the said city,
upon the view OF the bodies of Leonard twill
kins, Jno. W. Hines, J, Thomas Holloman,
Thos. W. Adams, and Isaac s, Sperry, there
| lying dead, the jurors sworn to enquire when,
how and by what means the said persons came
to their deaths, upon their oaths do say: That
after the viewing Of the bodies of the said
parties at the said Western Lunatic Asylum,
on the gath of February, 1888, as above men
toned, said inquest was adjourned from time
to time by said coroner, said adjourned meet
inps being held atthe said Lunatic Asylum and
at the law Office of Edward Echols, in said
city of Staunton, for the purpose of taking
and hearing all testimony and material facts
bearing upon the questions-when, how, by
what person or persons and by what means
said parties came TO their deaths After hear
ing the evidence of sundry witnesses, together
with the report of DR.. Mallet, who made
analyses of the stomachs and their contents +
three of the said parties, to-wit: Holloman,
Hines and Adams, they do, this Goth day Of
March, 1883, come to the conclusion and say:
that the deaths of SAID parties were caused by
some very active poison, which, i'll their opin-
ion, was The alkaloid Of aconite; and they do
further, soy that said parties received said
poison in the medicine taken by them on the
Gath Of February last, but how said poison
got into the medicine thus taken. they are
from the evidence unable to determine.
In testimony whereof, the said coroner and
jurors have set their hands.
GEORGE HARLAN, Coroner,
F. N. YOUNG, Foreman,
NJ. p. FUNKHoUsER,
P. N. POWELL,
JH. WAYT,
Jos. Fl. EARMAN,
J. A. TEMPLEToN.
1.-THE RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS" by j..
| ID No If