Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-03-30
THE POISONING AT THE w. L.
ASYLUM.

THE POISONING AT THE W. L.
ASYLUM.
THE FINDING OF THE JURY OF INQUEST.
The jury of inquest in the Asylum pois-
oning case re-assembled on Tusday OF this
week. heard Drs. Strain and Crockett who
were recalled, then adjourned and met
again yesterday morning in Common
wealth Attorney Echols' office. The fol-
lowing is the evidence heard on Tuesday
and yesterday, and the finding of the jury
of Inquest.
D. e. STRAIN ASSISTANT PHYSICIAN
RECALLED.
On Friday, February 23d, I saw Mr..
Windle-the evening before the deaths by
poison. DR.. Hamilton came to me In the
hall and said to me that he wished me to
60 and see WinGIe with DR.. Butler, that
he tHamilton) was sent for to go home to
see his sick daughter. DR.. H. said Windle
had been taken sick soon after taking a
dose of laudanum and turpentine, and had
symptoms of syncope, followed by some
symptoms Of paralysis. He also spoke Of
WIS having some brain trouble, and he
seemed ito fear apoplexy. I went imme-
diately to Windle and staid with him IN
til supper time. He was entirely conscious,
answered my questions, but spoke with
some difficulty. His tongue was thick,
and he seemed to talk like drunken man.
His pulse 1 thought was somewhat de-
pressed. He told me that he got sick soon
after leaving The office after taking his
medicine. He laid upon bed in the
centre. In short time he got up and
went to the sitting room door and called
to MI. Fentoh his room mate; he told me
that he asked Mr.. Fenton to help him to
his room on the second story he said his
sickness was caused by a dose of medicine
that DR.. Butler had given him in the med
ical office, which was given in the presence
of DR.. Hamilton and myself. asked Mr..
WiHdle if he had ever taken laudanum or
OPIUM in any form before and what effect
it had produced on him. He told me that
he some years ago had taken three ounces
of laudanum and that he was saved by
some physician. He said be had frequent
ly since taken opiates and it Railways flew
to his head" l then asked him with re-
gard to the effect of turpentine. His reply
was that thirty years ago he took dose
of turpentine which had produced similar
effects to those be was experiencing at
this time.
then asked him why, knowing the
effects, he took the turpentine at this
time. He said he didn't know the dose
contained turpentine until after he had
swallowed it was very well satisfied that
his sickness was produced by the turpen-
tine and the effect was due to an idiosyn-
Grassy and so told him, saying thought he
would be better by morning. 1 didn't see
him the next day at all, but Sunday even
ing, February 255h. | saw him with DR..
Crockett, we found him in his room sitting
on bed. He made statements similar to
those I have just given you, i'll the pres
ence of DIR. Crockett, with reference to the
turpentine. DIR. Buffers notes show that
the dose given was IL drops of Munn's
elixir of opium, IL drops of turpentine and
q drachm of gum arabic.
Windle was sick and depressed but did
not show any disposition to vomit, as the
patients who were poisoned did. Nobody,
not even Wipdle himself. would have
thought of poisoning in connection with
his case had not the other deaths occurred
afterwards.
DIR. CROCKETT.
DR.. H. s. Crockett Assistant Physician
recalled, testified:
My first visit TO Windle was on the night
of February 25th, in company with DIR.
Strain found him sitting on his bed !;
asked him how he felt. He replied that
he was feeling considerably better that
he had taken dose of tuIpentine thirty
years ago and was similarly affected by it
then. That was all the conversation had
with him.
c.. State what you know about the sick
ness of Mrs. McAiexander.
A. first saw her on the evening of the
oath of February. She was in a comatose
condition and not being able to swallow
any medicine did not prescribe any for
her. DR.. Butler saw her first and L only
had it by hearsay as to the first attack. l
saw her later in the evening of the same
day and did not see any change ia hsr
condition. Having been confined by sick,
ness myself DR.. Butler was called to Mrs.
McA. at her first attack. | have never
prescribed for her since. She has been I'M
der my care since last June. and [ am GER
tain that she has never taken medicine
since June, 1882 She would not take it. 1
visited her twice on Sunday. the stupOr was
less profound than on my previous visit
On Monday she spoke for the first time
since she had been taken, and gradually
improved from that time.
@. Did Mrs. Meas symptoms CORES
pond in any particular with the symptoms
of Thomas and Myers, the patients who
survived the poisoning of the Oath Feb. ?
A. There we're some symptoms in her
case which were present in Myers case,
and some that were wanting. The con-
tfnued stupor alluded to may have been
caused by conclusion of the brain as the
result of fall she received on the morn
ing of the Esd Of Feb'y, as reported to me.
There are no other points that have &C.
casion to refer to.
The Evidence Yesterday.
DIR. WILLIAM HAMILTON ON THE STAND.
DR.. VIM. Hamilton. Assistant Physician
at the W. L. Asylum from July, 1851, to
June 9th, 1882. nearly 81 years. being
sworn, testified. Was himself in the
habit of dispensing the medicines until
DR.. P. L.. Murphy was chosen Sd Assistant
Physician under DR.. Fauntleroy's admin
istration. Never saw any Aconitlne III the