Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-21
HIS DEATH A MYSTERY.

Physicians Puzzled by the Case of Louis
Szinyer-UIcers for Which There Is No
Reason-An Analysis of the Stomach to
Be Made.
The inquest on Louis Szinyer, the Home
stead mill man who died on Sunday last at
the Allegheny General Hospital, WAS begun
yesterday in the Coroner's Court. Coroner
Mcdowell presided. Before the inquest
Coroner Mcdowell held a private consulta-
tion with Dr. W. J. Walker, of Homestead;
Dr. Corbus and Dr. Dunlevy, of the ALLIE
ghenv General Hospital. and Captain A. S.
Hunt, the chemist, of the firm of Hunt &
Clapp. 1t is understood that the consulta-
tion developed some circumstances that
clearly pointed to poison as the probable
cause OF Szinver's death. The evidence
given below does not include all these
facts
DR.. W. J. Walker was the first witness
called. He said: 81 practice medicine in
Homestead, where have my Office. 1 was
called in BY the man with whom Szinyer
boarded at Munhall to see the latter. He
had not received medical attention before,
that know of, and supposed he had been
taking patent or proprietary medicines. He
was emacisted and bloodless. His chief
complaint was diarrhes, though found he
had lung trouble also. The diarrhea was
violent and continual"
Ordinary Remedies Had No Effect
Coroner McDowell-Did he suffer any
particular pain when his abdomen was
touched?
Dr.. Walker-I cannot say, as 1 never
tested him in this particular. 1 gave him
bismuth and lactopeptine TO allay the diar-
Thea They are recognized remedies, and
gave them in ordinary full doses. The
medicine should have checked the diarrhea,
but it didn't.
Coroner McDowell-Did you see any evil
dences OF poison, mineral or vegetable?
DE- Waike--No, sir. Chronic diarrhea
might have resisted treatment as in this
case. have had a good many cases of
diarrh9a in Homestead, but only this one,
il it were one, ended fatally. 1 still have
case OF diarrhea which came to me last
week.
DR.. Howard L. Corbus, resident physician
Of the Allegheny General Hospital was the
next witness. He said: ''Szinyer was re-
ceived at the hospital on Saturday, Decem-
Der Il. He was very weak, in fact thor
oughlv exhausted. 1 found that his right
lung WIS absorbed apparently, and that he
had pneumonia Nothing he took stayed
medicine. Bismuth and lactopeptine are
good remedies for diarrhea, but 1 gave
him arsenate of copper and also carbonate
Of ammonia; neither in quantities to hurt
him. They had no effect and he died on
SUNDAY 1 made an autopsy with DR.. Dun
levy and 1 will read the results
The Result of the Autopsy.
Examination at the time revealed the |
fact that Szinyer was suffering from pneu- |
monia, also from dysentery and died at A. |
N. on Sunday morning, December Is, 1892
Found the liver much enlarged: On the |
right side of the liver were found several |
large abscesses which appeared to be |
chronic as they were surrounded by /
pyogenic membrane.
The right lung was partly consolidated /
showing that he had pneumonia.
Very little change in heart and spleen,
kidneys somewhat congested and appeared
diseased. The stomach, which was not /
opened, appeared healthy. The small III
tsstne also appeared healthy, as it was
opened in several places and showed no
signs of disease and typhoid fever ulcera-
tons in ileum.
The large intestine was very much dis
eaSoG. and showed signs of ulcerations, one
of which had perforated the intestine and
several more almost eaten through These
uleerauons were dysenteric and were found
ali through the large intestine. The per-
foratiun was probably recent, as there were
no signs OF peritonitis.
No Known Cause for Ulcers.
Coroner McDowell-What caused the
ulcers YOU found?
DR.. Corbus-Perhaps dysenterv. There
were 10 traces of typhoid liberation The |
ulcers were probably of recent growth or
they would have adhered. If the ulcers
had been caused by corrosive poison intro
duced at the mouth it is strange that the
smaller intestine was not affected while the
lar0e intestine, which is below it, was
liberated
Dr.. j. B. Dunlevy, another of the ALLIE
gheny Generals staff, produced the organs
81 Szinyer in sealed package, which was
handed over to Captain Hunt. The latter
promised to report the results of the
analysis by December so, to which date the
inquest was then adjourned.
Coroner Mcdowell said after the inquest
that he never saw a man reduced to such an
extent as Szinyer He was practically
skeleton. If it was not the result of poison
u wss most singular case.