Evening journal., 1890-01-11
LAST EDITION
AN INCONSISTENT VERDICT
WAS IT. PNEUMONIA OR SULPHuRlc
ACID GAS.

A Chemist Explains the Eject of the
Deadly Gas on the Lungs-Six Men Yet
Suffering From Its Efects-Opinion of
Doctors.
The verdict by the coroner's jury in
the case of the three laborers who died
from breathing the acid fumes created
some what of a sensation this morning
An EVENING JOURNAL reporter left the
office and asked every one he met, right
and left, his opinion of the verdict A
great number had not heard of the yer.
dict and when they were infoSmed of its
substance denounced it in unmeasured
terms.
THAT jury's been sOaped,p said one
can outrageous verdict. 'said another.
Transparent case of whitewash, said
third
at reminds me of the verdict in the
Diamond State Iron Works some years
ago said another.
ut looks a good deal like the decision
of the western justice of the peace who
decided that man bit off his own nose,
stated another citizen.
Every person spoken to denounced the
Jury. RitdJ III udBb budb WAS
neither polite nor elegant.
Stlle and Maishe National Dispensatory
states in speaking of sulphuric acid
"When swallowed in a concentrated
form it destroys all tissues which it
touches When in its pure form and
also when weaker it causes the most
severe pain in the throat and stomach
and violent efforts at vomiting The
mind always remains clear. If death
does not Immediately occur it is al
most certain to kill the victim. The acid
in contact with air gives off fumes
which ara known as sulphurous acid "
That is what evidently killed the men, A
gentleman informed an EVENING jour
NAL reporter this morning that Walton &
Whann did not manufacture the sui
phuric acid which they used from sui
phur but from iron or copper pyrites, a
much cheaper way of making the acid.
The gentleman also stated that sulphuric
acid made of the pyrites contains arseni {
and is therefore more deadly than that
made of sulphur. He also stated that the
acid made of pyrites made far more sedi-
ment than the other method
This sediment. continued the gentle
man. the manufacturers ship away tc
some point where cheap paint is manu-
featured from IL.
The above facts were submitted tc
Frank r. Smith, chemist, and he stated
that as far as the statements related Il
the manufacture and constituent parti
of sulphuric acid, they were correct
Mr. Smith was asked his opinion about
the coroner's verdict. He replied that il
his opinion it was wrong. He stated
however, that a person suffering witt
the prevailing grip would probably di
with symptoms similar to those de
scri5ed
Dr. Blocksom is attending four mel
who worked in the deadly acid chambe
on Monday All are suffering from pneu
monia. Their names are Frank Penny,
Pole; John Burke, a German, and job
Comegys and W. &. Ward, two colore
men. All Of these men were sufferin
from colds or grip before the
worked in the acid chamber. DR.. Blocl
som said this morning that the men wer
improving, and two were convalescent
speaking of the matter, he said: "Thel
are four stages of pneumonia; congei
tion, Inflammation, suphuration and e.
pectoratiou. When the lungs are !
the congestiye state, cold air wi
cause Inflammation, and if cold al
will do it, such fumes as Thu
acid chamber contained would cause s
we're inflammation. ! think that the me
who died had the prevailing infueni
before they went into the chambe
Their lungs were congested and in Il
first stage of pneumonia and the FUN
caused the last stage to develope rapid
If man can stand the expectorati
stage and throw off the mucus from b
lungs he will recover. If he can't
must die
DR.. p Pyle is attending two mo
men who worked in the acid chambe
Clark and Abram Brown by name BROW
has been quite sick and is not yet out
danger. but is improving.
DR.. NJ. r. Corkran said this mornin
Pneumonia is slways result. A co
air will cause it; sulphurous fumes W
cause it, The men may have had Il
pneumonia before they went into the
chambers, but think the fumes CAUsI
the pneumonia from which they died,
The Freie Presse of this morning CO
tains a letter from Mrs. Julius Humm
The letter begins by telling that b
husband was born in Wurtemberg. a
was employed by the Walton and VIVA
Company. The letter further states til
Hummel came home from his work
Tuesday afternoon, at o'clock.
complained of being very tired.
also stated that his work that day
almost killed him He said that he b
been forced. TO remain in the acid ia
more than three hours.
His wife asked him why he did j
come out. and he replied that there v
no way of getting out.
She states that her husband suffe
the most intense pain. He also suffe
greatly from shortness of breath. At
o'clock that night be had hemorrha
after which he was much better. All
o'clock he became delrious, in VIII
state he remained until he died.
About o'clock she sent for DR.. Bio
som, but before he arrived, DR.. Ma
who was sent for by the company, arri
aud prescribed for the man About Z
o'clock the woman says in conclusi on,
was taken to his maker.
Low salarfed Government Ofiicers.
0wdtxta,,ca Caroa.n4 pvrnaa who