St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-20
A PHYSICIANS MISTAKE.
DR.. McGrail, of Minneapolis. Care
lessly Mixes His Medicine
Bottles Up,
And Prescribes Tincture Of Aconite, In
stead Of Prickly Ash, for Two
Young Men.
One of Them Discovered in Time, and
the Whole City Looking for the
Other.
[sbecial Telegram to the Globe.

Especial Telegram to the Globe.
MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 19.-Dr. McGrail is o
physician associated with DIR. Spinney, the
well known specialist, who has his office at
No. 81 Third street south. This evening
about O'Clock the doctor prescribed for two
young men who were under treatment for
constitutional diseases. In compromising
the prescription he used for the vehicle or
principal in gredient what he supposed was a
tincture of prickly ash. After the young
men had been gone few minutes the ply
stefan made the horrifying discovery that by
mistake he had used
TINCTURE OF ACoNITE
instead OF prickly ash, the former drug being
deadly poison. He rushed into the street
bareheaded, but the yong men were not to be
seen. Half beside himself he ran to the
American District telegraph and relating the
| circumstances, offered large rewards for the
finding of the men. The full force
of messenger boys was at once sent, and
the work OF searching the city
was begun without an instant Of delay. The
doctor next informed the police department,
and the news was telephoned to all the pa
trolls with instructions to do their utmost to
find the men. In addition number of men
were provided with carriages and sent out.
The city detectives added two more TO the
force of searchers. In short no step possible
was left untaken to prevent fatal consequent
ces from the PHYSICIANS error. One of the
| young men was
JOSEPH FELLOWS,
carpenter residing on Eighth street north,
between Eighteenth and Nineteenth avenues.
He was found within fifty minutes BY dis
trict telegraph messenger boy and notified
not to take the medicine. The other patient
is young man, who gave his name to the
doctor as
| CHARLES JOHNSON,
and up to midnight all efforts to find him
have been unavaiIing The name, such a
common one, is the great obstacle encoun-
tered. In the directory there are forty-one
plain Charles Johnsons, and six of the same
name with other initials. The city has been
divided into four districts and slips, contain
ing the following information placed in the
| hands of the searchers:
''Chas. johnson, aged about twenty-five years,
who obtained a prescription at DR.. Spinney' s
Office tonight, is notified not to take the medi'
cine, as it contains aconte, deadly poison. II
already taken gargle with salt and water and
send Immediately for a doctor"
The manner in which DIR. McGrail made
the mistake was as follows: TIE bottles con-
were the same in size and shape.
The former was very rarely, II
ever, used and was kept on
top shelf In the dispensary. The latter was
kept on lower shelf. In cleaning the shelves
recently the aconite was inadvertently placed
on the lower SHELF near the place occupied
by the bottle containing the priclIly ash. The
DOCTORS mistake was, of course; then very
easy matter. Whether the consequences are
fatal or not he is certainly to be credited with
doing every thing possible to prevent the
DEATH OF EITHER
of his patients. Neither he nor DR.. Spinney
gave the slightest thought to the damaging
effect likely to result to their professional
| reputation and have circulated the news al
widely as possible. DR.. McGrail has remained
in the American District telegraph Office con
stantly, receiving reports and sending GU
messages. To GLOBE reporter he said:
The mistake was one of these occurrences
which seem preordained. / cannot see how
It happened, and | felt that it was entrel,
due to carelessness, but | was careful II
preparing the prescription and have no
made mistake before for twenty years
The thought that / may have caused young
mans death is almost naddcning but
mean to bear the consequences without an,
eouivocatiun To give ten years o
my life or all l ever will have in the world t.
know now that Charlie johnson has beer
found in time. / have great hopes that HI
may be found, especially as the medicine wa
not to be taken until after breakfast. Tn,
great fear have is that he may possibly talk
it tonight and GO to bed. If so he viii
probably die. If he takes it In thu
morning he will be noticed
probably, and remedy may b'
at hand to save him. Possibly his address i.
not In the directory, and perhaps he gave
a fictitious name, as some do who are being
treated for such diseases. He seemed to b'
a young man, who, l should judge, was EN-
ployed in a shop or factory. Aconite act
upon the neumo gastric nerve and paralyzes
the action Of the heart. 1t is especially liable
to prove fatal where there Is any cardiac afIec
ton.
NOTIFYING THE JoHNsoNs.
| Tn TO 9 a. m. no trace has been discovered
OF Chas. Johnson. An effort is now being
made To notify persons named Johnson IL
the city, and as the directory contains $50
persons Of that name, the task is hard one
DR.. McGrall is having handbills printed t,
circulate about the streets and shops, askinl
everybody to insist in warning johnson no
to take the medicine he obtained at DIR
Spinney's office. In the meantime thu
search is being kept up.
Pillsbury Elevator Burned.
Special Telegram 10 the Globe.
MooRHHAD, Mimi, Jan. 19.-At 0 o'clocl
this morning Pillsbury d. Hurlbert's elevator
| L. f-. 81 Nx.f l