Evening journal., 1893-10-11
DEATH IN A HANDCLASP.
Blood Poisoning Resulted
From An Act of Friendship,
AND DB. MORRILL, IS NOW DYING

Body of Boy and Shook Hands with
the Undertaken. who Had Not Taken
the Necessary Precautions.
NEW York, Oct. 11-Dr. Jesse Lee
Morrill, lies on bed Of agony from which
he may never rise alive. He is suffering
martyrdom from blood poisoning, the
result, his friends suppose, Of an under
takers carelessness.
Dr. Morrill, had slight abrasion on the
fore finger of his right hand near the
first joint and attended an autopsy last
Thursday evening, but took no part in
the work himself At it's conclusion he
shook hands with the undertaken and
left for his home, No 67 East Seventy
ninth street, near Madison avenue. Blood
poisoning set in the following day and
the only explanation that can be made is
that the undertaken had failed to prop
erly cleanse his hands after he had han
died the body and that the poison was
communicated through his touch
| The autopsy was performed on the
body Of a boy who had died about a
week before The parents Of the lad
who are well to-do residents Of the east
side of the city, had criticised the treat
ment Of the attending physicians, whom
they held responsible for the death, de-
claring that there had been mistaken
diagnosis of the fatal malady.
shook Hands with the Undertuker.
| N. AF...;u ,.bo lad dt.c-,.o.tfo.t.1
the case as appendicitis, was directed
by the parents to absolutely determine
the matter by post-mortem examina-
tion. He employed young surgeon,
until recently a hospital inferno, to as.
sist him and to do the cutting. The
result was as hehad supposed mum.
Der OF grape seeds were found lodged
In the yermiform appendix This point
settled, DR., Morrill, bade a CHEEKY good
night to all present and shook hands
with the undertaken who bad taken
part in the work
His wife nj the Fair.
Mrs. Morrill,, the physicians second
wife, and his younger sister had ar.
ranged to start for Chicago on Saturday.
10 was a long-anticipated journey to see
the Worlds Fair and DR.. Morrill, insisted
that they should not postpone It. He
told them on Friday mig ht that he was
improving and that there was no possi-
bility that he would have any serious
trouble from his sore finger With some
misgivings the two ladies' left the city
and he promised TO Join them within
two or three days. His brother in-law
Was the only member of the household
] who remained behind.
! Instead OF improving DR.. Morrills
Z trouble grew rapidly worse. Dr. w. 4. Bull,
, who recently married Marie Nevins Blaine,
/ has treated Dr. Morrill,, with the advice
Of several eminent consulting physicians.
He expressed the opinion yesterday fore
noon that DR.. Morrill, could not possibly
recover.
Dr. Morrill's condition had been very
a bad on Monday night. He had shrieked
o with agony as long as he had the power
TO raise his voice and had continually
d begged those who gathered around his
, bed TO end his troubles by giving him a
= dose Of poison
An operation was contemplated yester.
9 day afternoon, but his condition had SO
far improved that IL was postponed He
q had relapse during the evening and
recovery seemed more problematical thar
ever, as his strength was fast waning
{ A lawyer called at about nine o'clock q
draw up his will The only hope ex
y pressed was in case the poison in his
Il veins localized and formed an abscess.