The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1892-08-08
THE pALLRs po1sONINa.
A Statement from Coroner EASTWOOD,
OF Wasco Coanty.

A Statement from Coroner EASTWOOD, |
of Wasco County.
From the oregonian.
I see an article in to-dav's Oregonian
in which DIR. Otto S. Binswansger ex-
presses his opinion rather freely con-
corning the poisoning OF Mrs. Matilda
G. Rogers, of this place. 1t occurs to
me that the doctor. is expressing him
self upon few fragmentary portions of
the report sent by some one to the Ore
gonian, which does not .purport to give
the evidence, in the case at all. 1t
would seem, therefore, that an opinion
based on such report must necessarily
be worth far less thanithat of the chem
ists-who analysed the stomach of the
deceased, and his judgment as to the,
merits OF the case far more likely to be
wrong than that of the justice, who
heard all of the testimony y; and the argu-
ments in the case. It appears TO me
that one with the information that was
before the doctor is little presumptu-.
Gus in thus criticising others who are in
far better situation TO understand the
case than he is.
think the facts will show that he is
llaboring under mistaken ideas through
out the case. He says the statement
seither sulphate of zinc or chloride of
zinc after the analysis is made is worth
less. The examination must show with
absolute certainty which one of the two
was contained in the stomach Does
the doctor know that quart of en-
balming fluid was injected into the
stomach, and two and half quarts
more were injected into the abdominal
cavity around the viscera, and that this
fluid contained large quantities of both
sulphuric and hydro-chloric acid2. i
I. not then he does not understand the
case and should not--be yenturing hi!
opinion upon it. Can the doctor tel
under these. circumstances in whicf
form the poison entered the stomach?
Again, he says that the report say
that Mrs. Rogers died suddenly ant
/, that neither of these poisens will xii
suddenly. Again he does not under
, stand the case. Mrs. Rogers was sicl
r from Sunday until Thursday morning
/ Does this give the poisons time to pro
, duce death2 IF SO, then there is moth
: ing in his argument to the effect tina
: death cannot be attributed to either. {
a these poisons. Again he says: "It
e very tloubtfulthat after a body has bee
buried for one or two weeks even if j
Twas embalmed in the ordinary way, j
would show vet distinct inflammation
of the stomach and intestines. In oi
der to carry some weight such a state
ment must come from a physician an
not from a chemist, whose knowledge {
pathology is at, best very rudimentary.
The three physicians who removed tn
> stomach and intestines have all testifie
that the same were in a good state (
preservation, while one of the chemist
: who made the analysis was also ply
: sician and testified to: the evidences
inflammation. So it seems that the do
! tor is laboring under misconeeption
= the case throughout. / am informe
: that he was consulted in regard to mai
: ing this analysis, but the job, for son
reason, was given to other parties. Pc
), haps this fact accounts for his intere:
= in the case and possibly dreams of a CO
: roboratiye analysts may have enliste
some OF tile sympathies he espresso
;, Let the proper officers try. this case
;, the law makes it their duty to do. Th
= they will discharge this duty to Il col
z scIentious manner no one doubts, an
s the defendant stands in no danger
n being convicted on insufficient test
"a mony. n. NJ. EASTWOOD,
:. Coroner OF Wasco count