Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-03-20
THE WESTERN LUNATIC ASYLUM
MYSEEHY GROWS DEEPER.
ACONITINE THE FATAL DRUG UStD.

naQ proved SO 1aCal at Tue eSIerl DuudblC
Asylum, it was hoped that the mystery at
tending this sad affair would be cleared up
and the result of his test mony before the cor.
oner's jury was awaited with great interest
and anxiety.
Toe coroner's jury met AT the Asylum about
10 o'clock last Tuesday fnorning ana first went
to the DSpens4rS. whe DR.. itler. in an
swer to int rogatories, stated that he had no
hyoscyamine. and That there had been none
there since DIR. VIM. Hamilton left the Asy-
lum. He had seen no aconitine since he had
been there.
The jury then returned to the Superinten-
dents ROOM where the testimony of Dr. NAL
let, Professor of Chemi try at the University
of Virginia, was taken. After detailing the
appearance of the contents of the stomachs of
the poisoned patients, of which he had made
analyses, DIR. Mailet proceeded to five de-
tailed statement of the methods and tests he
used in making his analyses, OF which we give
below brief summary:
"The very speedy death of some of the par
ties suggested the propriety of looking for
prussic acid or cyanide Of potassium, although
the absence of the characteristic smell rem
dered the probability of finding eithe of these
small. Immediately examined for these in
portions of the contents of the stomachs Of
Holoman and Adams. but with entirely mega
tive results. Six specimens in all were sepa-
rately tested by the appropriate method for the
extraction of the alkaloids. The residues the
poisonous agenD were found in different guam
titles in the several stOmachs, ranging as high
as BAT of grain in that of Adams They were
most carefully tested. The very peculiar taste
tongue' which is characteristic OF aconitine.
was distinctly outlined in the residue from
each of the six specimens. Taking the record
ed statement as correct that l50 of a grain OF
aconite has been known to endanger life, the
quantities of the alkaloid extracted from the
contents ofthe stomach of Holoman andAdam
thew in q state of nuritV
may certainly be taken as producing the fatal
result. CThe quantity of the poison taken
times as much as one. fiftieth of a grain.) am
surprised at the rapidlty with which the fatal
result was reached. In three of the cases. In
Guiding two of those chemically examined,
Holoman and Adams, find 1t conclusive that
in the two mugs examined the materials pre-
tered to them with the addition of the aconi-
tine. The charge Of aconitine must have been
very heavy, as from Wilktns's mug, Tin which
there only remained for experiment a thin
film of the preparation upon the bottom,) the
residue being small chunk, about grain,
when placed upon my tongue produced a
He did not think. from the symptoms and
the speedy deaths that followed, that any mis-
take in the quantity of the medicines intended
to be given In the mugs would account for the
fatal result.
ACoNITINE
is the active principle of aconite root. Strictly
speaking, the roots of two or three species of
aconite are in medicinal use and in these at
least two or three distinct alkaloids are found.
and the aconitine of commerce is usually va
riable mixture of these alkaloids. Two OF the
three which have been best examined are very
very much more active than the third. AS
found commercially, aconitine is a white or
yeliowish white powder, either uncrystalized
or imperfectly crystalized. This form of aconi-
With oroo+ cor,ior
,-,-r oo,,-r,,ro or, ,,s,n,,rs ,rrr ~, r1,r
MUGS
of wilkins and Adams were also examined by
DR.. MalIet. which gave the following results:
In both cases the singing and pumbing taste
most distinctly The residue in Wilkins's mug
responded also to the tests with chloride of
gold. picric acid. iodine dissolved in iodide of
potassium and bromine dissolved in HYDRO.
bromic acid This also gave most distinctly
the rea .tion for ferric iron. The residue in
Adsms,s mug responded also to all four of the
chemical tests. but their yalue in this case is
of course Unmarried by the other a kaloids
present in the medicine. Tn this residue the
presence of sugar and phosnhoric acid and fer
rio iron was verified Int strvchnine could not
+ be tested for on account of the very large
rmount of sugar present in a minnie Quantity
of the material available. He stated that the
very marked physiological effect upon the
tongue produced by the yery minute portions
tof residue from these mugs. taken as an indi-
cation of the amount of aconitiue present. and
considered in connection with the absence of
any dark color in the residues. or any color
other than that naturally arising from the
medicines themselves. is suggestive of the
mere probable use of aconitine itself or one of
its salts rather than any of the usual medici-
nal preparations from the crude root: but on
this too much stress ought not to be laid. The
other material examined consisted of piece
of cotton sheet stained by matter vomited by
another patient. Joel Thomas. The stained
piece of cloth. cut out soaked in very dilute
acetic acid, pressed out, and the solution treat
ed by the method for alkaloids. gave a chloro-
form residue yielding a slight trace of aconi-
tine taste. There was also some LIQUID matter
yomfted by the same salient Thomas after
whiskey had been administered. This smelled
strongly of whiskey and treated by the method
for aIkaloids gave slight chloroform residue
Welding a sight taste of aconitine taste. not
much to be relied on, The remains of the
tbree medicines used viz muriate of iron
tonic. Elixir of phosphates of iron, ouinine
and strychnine, and fluid extract of hyoscy-
anus were all examined. but no signs of aconi-
tine obtained from any one OF them. Finally,
q few ounces of whiskey found in q bottle in
the pocket of Wilkins was examined and left
much sugar on evaporation, but furnished no
indication of aconitine.
DIR r q Hamilton exnlained that there had
been some hvoscvamine in the Disnensarv be.
fore DIR. VIM, Hamilton left. but making q so.
lrttonLof II and II ot onsuar,ro ~, for
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ooortto o,,d ,,s s,s ~ 1ro
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aoodI,- go 20 g. 80 - " --AON'
A. +I,o -a,,,,o,os+,o,, - ~ Nil. n r,,,
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