Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-14
Poisoned by a Rival Doctor.

Paris Dispatch to the London Times, J4lv 81.
An extraordinary attempt made by a
French doctor to poison a rival practi-
toner was brought before the Assize
Court Of Naucluse yesterday. The &C
cused, DR.. Estachy, is a practitioner at
Pertuis, 40 years of age, and member Of
the Legion of Honor. He had the reputa-
ton OF being an able but not very temper
ate man. Some years ago another medi-
cal man, DR.. TOurnat0ire, settled at Per-
tuis. Both doctors were candidates for
the post of assistant TO the JUICE de Paix
and the appointment was given 10 Tour
natoire. This irritated DR.. Estachy, and
he inserted articles in a local newspaper
which led TO an open quarrel. At a po-
litical dinner at Pertuis he made the re-
mark that * he gave vent to his feelings
he would kick Tournatoire out OF the
room. In newspaper paragraphs he sub
sequently spoke of certain person,
known TO this rival as "Jesuit scamp,
coward and drunkard." He was accord
ingly brought in November last before the
Correctional Tribunal on charge of de
tamation, and was sentenced to pay y
nne Of 25f., and 25t. as damages.
Some of his patients then left him and
called IN his rival. This seems TO have
excited him very much. He ordered NJ.
bureau, druggist, to prepare an oint-
ment, the chief ingredient In which was
atropine, and which he said he meant u
use upon his shoulder TO remove pain.
The ointment contained % centigrams of
the neutral sulphate Of atrOpine In -
grains OF vaseline. The druggist said
that be would not have consented 10 pre-
pare a salve containing so much atropne
Tor any one but medical man. The med
icine was sent to Estachy on Jan. 9. On
the following dRy he bought four tsrts.
On Jan. 10 there was found In an omnibus
packet Bearing visiting card with the
words, "TO be sent 10 NJ. Tournatoire,
doctor at Pertuis, Nauclese." The packet
was sent TO this address and was found
TO contain four tarts.
On the following evening Nine. Tourna-
toire ate one Of the tarts. She fmmed-
ately afterward felt very i'll. The pupils
OF her eyes became dllated, and she cou Id
not read. Then she had spasms and hal
ORDINATIONS. which continued all night.
She thought that her child WAS dead and
that her husband was going % fight a
duel. She recovered on the following
day. The next day Claire Sazio, maid
servant, began 10 eat another OF the tarts
for breakfast, but IL was 81 bitter that
she did not finish IL. She suffered as her
mistress mad suffered. hut recovered her
senses on the following day. IL was evil
dent that there had been poisoning In both
cases, and the symptoms could only be
produced by vegetable poison derived
from the sotdnum family OF plants. The
two tarts which had not been eaten
were submitted TO chemical analysis and
found TO contain the neutral sulphate Of
atr0pine.
Suspicion fell on Estachy, who was
taken into custody. At tirst he protested
Indignantly. then he said he had sent the
tarts, but only as joke. IL was shown
that 46 millgrams at least OF the poison
had been introduced into each Of the tarts
a quantity sufficient 10 cause death
aud that there had been narrow escape
for those who bad eaten them. The court
ordered the trial to be delayed untn Oc.
toOer