Morning journal and courier., 1883-09-10
Aworkman'g Fatal 'Error.

He Accidentally Swallows Dose oA
 Cyanide ORPOtassfum-DteS i'm Great Ag-
 Ony Two Hours Later-A COrOner's I'm
 veSt1g@tHOm to be Had.
 On Saturday morning young man named Henry White, who was employed in the plat ing department at Sargent &>Co.'s factory, met with an accident which resulted in his death shortly after. In this department is used cyanide of potassium, a corrosive poison used in cleaning metal before plating. The liquid is drawn from large tub through 8 rubber tube used as ''syphon. into smaller one as occasion requires. pump is provid- cd for this purpose, but the easier method of running has been in vogue by the workmen, care being taken to remove the tube from the mouth before the poisonous fluid reached it. If this rule was carefully observed there was no danger, but it was well understood that if any of the fluid was swallowed it would prove fatal This. method of starting the liquid is said to have been set by an Italian chemist employed in the plat ing department some months ago. It was his custom to suck not only the cyanide of potassium1 but also hot potash through the tubes, and his escape from any injury in do-
 
 example. He sometimes took the precaution of partly filling the end of the tube which he placed in his mouth with water, but usually neglected even this safeguard.
 The only object in following this method instead of the safer process of filling the tube by immersing it in the supply vat was the slight gain accomplished in time. MT. Saw yer, the contractor, has frequently warned the men of the danger of filling the tube by suction; but his warnings were lightly treat ed
 The first thing the unfortunate young man did when he felt the poison slip down his throat was to run to the foreman and tell him Of the fact. The foreman advised him to try and eject the stuff from his stom- ach by vomiting Then it was that White went into the closet He failed to raise the poison and was fast losing control of his muscles and senses, so acute was the pain in | his intestines His brother, seeing his con- dition, had presence of mind enough to get some sweet oil and pour it down his throat, but it was too late to be of any use, seven minutes having elapsed from the time the stuff was swallowed. White was then raVipg and failing fast and in one hour and twenty minutes was dead. Dr. Lindsley could do nothing to help him. Saturday was the first time that White had worked at that particular branch of the business, although for the last five months he had been working at silver plating in the room. AOOOI G"ACo d year II O0COu0S uoC6BSArY. to filter the acid in which the articles to be sill yer plated are washed. Friday night it was decided to cleanse the acids, and only those who were to do the cleansing had any work Saturday. Rather than lose days work, young White volunteered to help at the fil- tering. Nobody gave him any instructions as to the manner in which it should be done, and he therefore did it as he saw the others do it. They have learned to judge so closely that they allow none of the stuff to enter their mouths, but young White was inexperienced and made fatal mistake on his first trial.
 Dr. Lindsley gave orders to have the body removed to the residence of the young mans mother, No. 2O4 Wallace street. Coroner Bollman was notified and after an investi- gation decided to have jury summoned. He gave orders to Chief Webster yesterday to summon the jury to meet at police headquar- Gers this morning at 8:30 o'clock. The coroner requested that at least one physician be sum- moned on the jury and the remainder of the jurors selected be, as far as possible, men of intelligence. The coroner is of the opinion that there should be thorough investigation as to all the circumstances connected with the case.