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

The Mystery still Mystery.
CLOSE OF THE OFTHE ASY-
LUM POISONING CASES-TESTIMONY OF
DRs. VIM. HAMILTON, BUTLER AND r. s.
HAMILToN-vERDICT OF THE JURY.
The work OF the coroner's jury. summoned
to investigate the cases of fatal poisoning
which occurred at the Western Lunatic Asy-
lum on the gath of February, is ended, and
still the mystery remains mystery. Every
possible clue was followed up; every sug-
gestion whether it originated with juror, or
was proposed by outside parties, was thor
oughly and searchingly investigated; no stone
was left unturned. no effort unemployed, to
reach the facts and locate the responsibility
where it belongs The jury was composed OF
six as intelligent business men as can be found
in Virginia, who, together with the astute and
untiring Commemorative attorney and cor
oner, did everything that could be done in the
line of their duties They went to work without
prejudice OF favor, preiudgipg no one, bat de-
termined to pursue their inquiries without re-
gard TO whom it would help or whom it would
hurt. That they faithfully, conscientiously
and efficiently performed their duties no one
who followed their investigation as IT pro-
crossed can doubt And yet the end is that
nothing definite is determined beyond the
character of the poison itself. Who placed II
in the mugs, or how il got there, is left 10 The
interest conjecture. without the slightest shade
of suspicion pointing 10 any definite parties.
The jury work was csosedon Thursday morn
ing last AT niue orlock the members with
the coroner and attorney met Ia MIR. Echols
office AMI proceeded with the testimony.
DIR. VA. HAMILTON
| was The first witness examined, and lie tesi.
| fed as follows
reside al No.,lT New street, Stanton, Va,
and am practicing physician | was assist
ant physician al the Asylum from the LIST OF
July, 1851, 10 June the 9th 1882. AT the time
l lett the Asylum DIR. Robi. 8. Hamilton WIS
| Superintendent, he having been elected TO that
| position Oh the 9th of March. 1889. was in
the habit OF dispensing medicines myselfuntil
DR.. Murphy was chosen thru, assistant physi-
clan, during lie administration of DR.. Fauntle
| roy. After the election OF DR.. Hamilton 10
the SUPPLEMENTARY, DR.. Butler was In charge
of the dspensary. The dispensary was my
business place and WAS there considerable
part OF eveiy day. To my knowledge there
was never amy nconitne AT the Asylum. nor
do eyer remember To have seen the alkaloid.
do not recollect OF seeing any OF the fluid
extract in the Asylum. There was tincture OF
the root in the dispeusaIy last winter, kept in a
glass-stopptred bottle with printed label on it,
| think too, it was marked poison" II was
seldom enthusiastically in acute infam-
matory affections and heart disease. The
tinciure was kept in quantity between one
and TWO pints. The bottle held one quart and
! it was there tor several years. We always
bought the tincture prepared. The poison
ing of the patients on the Esd might have &C.
Cured in several ways. 1t might possibly
have been mistake Of the dispenser by his
adding tncture of acoEitc or the fluid extract,
if there was any of the latter there; or the
poison may have been added after the cup,
| were put in the hall by some homicidsl unstic
or some malicious person. About the prob
ability OF any of the three theories have no
decided opinion.
Qucstlon-From the analysis made by DR..
Mallet of Adams stomach, one OF the poisoned
cases, it was ascertained that there were more
| than fOur-ffths Of a grain of aconitine con-
tanned therein. The cup from which he drank
his medicine, US ascertalned from DR.. Butler,
when trimming full contains about three fluid
ounces. Could you state. without Analysing
either the fluid extract or tincture of aconite,
how much aconitine three fluid ounces would
contain
4 AnsWer-No, sir. | will, however, state that
three fluid ounces ofthe tlncture could not prob
lablycontain as much aconitine rs was found in
Adams stomach. The reason think so is
that have given rs much as half fluid
draohm of that tincture at one dose without
producing any very marked effect. The fluid
extract of aconte contains much more aconi-
tine than the tinctnre, but how much more
cannot say.
Ques-Is it not more than probable that
Adams rec lived more than four-fifths Of
grain of aconitine, and if other organs of the
body had been analysed more aconitne could
have been found?
Ans-Yes. Every tissue in the body con-
tanned some of 1t.
Ques-Are there any other points, or any
information you deem necessary for this in
vestigation?
Ans-Nothing special. | would state how
ever, that formed high opinion Of DR.. But
ler's ability and fidelity whilst was associated
with him at the Asylum. think it is due to
DIR. Butler that should state this.
DIR. W. s. BUTLER,
third assistant physician a: the Asylum, was
recalled and testified as follows in response to
heterogeneous
Il Ques-About what quantity of tincture of
aconite has been in the dispensary since you
have had charge?
} Aus-Preyious to last July. can't exactly
state, never having used any up TO that time.
/ In fact had no knowledge of the bottle prior
to that time. In July ordered one pound of
fluid extract of aconite root from which
three ounces were taken to prepare Sounces of
| Vic tluCtufC. IL IucIC WINS duy pTC-
vious to that time it was thrown away with a
, great many other drugs when the Office was
!, refurnished. The contents of the bottles were
thrown where no lunatic could have gotten
them
Of the pound of fluid extract of aconite
purchased, the remaining thirteen ounces are
still there and about six ounces Of the tIncture,
two ounces of the latter having, been used
since July.
do not know who threw away the aconite
and other drugs referred to. 1t was thrown
away in the month of July, l think. 1t was
certainly done at the time the Office was re.
furnished, at which time had two colored
: servants assisting me. / would take the bot
t ties from the shelf and direct what should be
: done with them. 1t is very probable that all
fluids destroyed were emptied either out the
g dispensary window on the ground, or into
: the sink attached to the dispensary. The boz
. ties were thoroughly wssAed and used again
for purposes of the dispenssry.
Ques-Have you ever heard of any medi-
cines or medicine then thrown away being
!, found by any patient?
Ans-k have not.