Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-03-02

ID bile own family be could probably ere
this have made Soma progress in the dis
covery Of how this poisoning occ urred.
The ouly Ingredients in the medicine on
the fatal walters that were poison, were
srrychnia for Adams, but there was only
one sixty fourth part of grain. and the
hyoscyamus for Vauahan-both In too
small quantities to produce deleterlous
effect.
Mr.. Earman.-Have you any idea how
that poison could have been gotten by .
patient.
DR.. Hamilton.-I cant say certainly. It
might possibly have been gotten out of our
laboratory, just as it might have come from
drug store, but don't see In either case
how it could be done. The 81 ward wal.
ter was taken out of the safe by the atten-
dent first; the next attendent took the
4th ward waiter, and the waiter for wards
l and 2 was last taken.
DR.. Hamilton said he thought 1t was
impossible without chemical analysis, to
say what poison had been administered -
|
effect on the brain. Vaughan rallied from
the effect, but while his brain became
nearly Formal his stomach had great ret
ching, and while he died from the same
poison. he died Ia very different manner
from the others. The empty stomach OF
the patients, it being before breakfast. 10
doubt made the poison take deadly effect
quicker.
As antidotes. we gave white of egg,
sweet milk. mustard and whiskey, and
| used counter irritants very largely.
Witness did not think it possib!eor prob
able that DR.. Butler could have made
mistake IN compromising the medicine.-
The only opening for such mistake Was
an overdose OF hyoscyamus but the patient
for whom that dose was made had no symp.
toms of being poisoned by it, nor did any
other of the patients. Vaughan had been
under hyoscyanic treatment for some time,
taking half drachm twice a day.
TESTIMONY OF DR.. W. W. 8. BUTLER THE
ASYLUM DRUGGIST.
reside at the Asylum aud am the third
Assistant Physician Of the Institution
and have charge of the drug department
and compound all the medicines. tinctures
and prescriptions necessary for the wards
except those already prepared bv chem
| list. prepared the medicines administer
ed to the patients on last Saturday MORN
ing. On the evening before, about $50
O'Clock l prepared the tonics and sedati yes
for the separate wards. Tinctures and
sedatives of the same kind as those in the
fatal glasses were administered to other
patients on the male side and to at least
forty on the female side. But eight males
lions out of |, he same Lottles had been ad.
minister for week. The bottle of
tonic was prepared ten days ago and has
been used continuously since. The tpnics
administered were elixir phosphate of iron,
quinia and strychnia (all IN one prepara-
tion) and solution of the sesqui oxide
of iron prepared by myself-the latter was
prepared by myself ten days ago, two gal
Ions having been made then. Of the other
first mentiOned) preparation about dcz-
en- patients were taking it daily of the
latter, abnut sixty patients we g taking i,
daily. The sedatlves used were fluid ex-
tract of Hyoscyamus and Bromide of
Potassium. The fluid extract was prepar-
ed by Sharp & D,hme and was being ad-
ministered to only one patient (Vaughan)
at the time. The Bromide of potassium
always keep in solution-it was given to
II tan 70 AnIu
Ths strength of the sOlutio ion in twenty
grains to a teaspoonful. The dose of the
solution Of sesqui oxide is teaspeenfuI
to which little whiskey was added. The
doses of Bromide of Potassium vary but
are generally administered in twenty grain
doses. The elixir of phosphate of iron.
quin and strychnia was administered il
doses of dessert spoonful, three times II
day. The dose of Hyoscyamus is half tea
spoonful. After the medicine was prepar
ed I placed it in the hall Ia a case prepared
for that purpose, as usual. The walters
are placed in tiers OF three. Walters No. one
flor 1st and % wardsl. three and four are
placed 10 the l tier; in 2 tier, walters No.
five. six and seven we're placed. 10 3 ! tier.
walters eight. nine and ten are placed
The fat Il mugs were all on walters Occu.
pv ng The irst ti~r.
Top waiter OF LIST tier held four mugs-1
for Waller with whiskey; 1 for Krrschner
and for W ilkins with solution of sesqui
oxide of iron > and for Adams with elixir
of phosphate Of iron, quinia and strychnia.
OF these muqs those for wilkins and
Adams proved fatal. land Kurschner spilled
| about two thirds Of the contents of his
mug. Waller and Kurschner suffered no
| i'll effects.
The second waiter of that tier for the
Bird ward carried Eve mugs-.1 for Cur
Vile and for Beckham with whiskey, !
for Sesrs and for Stockton with solution
OF SO II oxide of i,on, and the fifth for
Vaug an with fluid extract of HyOscyam-
US. OF these i've mugs one, (Vaughan's)
proved fatal in four days.
The third waiter of the same tier (for
the 4th ~ard) carried six mugs 2 OF ses-
qui oxide Of iron and bromide of potassi
UNI for Myers and Hines respectively;
with solution of sesqui oxide of iron for
Thomas, HoIloman aud SDelry and with
whiskey for Looney. Of these Six five
were aft. cted-Sperry. Holloman. Hines,
Myers and Thorn As-and the three FIRST
named died. The other two recovered
The sixth mug with wbiskey had no. feet.
Much larger doses of auid extract of n.y.
oscyamus 1.-THE medicine taken by Waugh
am have been given here, even 80 large as
two teaspoorsful. used Prussic acid to
make cough mixture two weeks ago for an
employee. found the same amount there