Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-30
BURNED TO DE AT H
Mrs. Thomas Russell's Sad Fate at the
Garfield Hospital.
Her Clothing Takes Fire md She Was
Burned so Badly That She Died
This Morning.

Mrs Thomas Russell, a patient at Gar
field Hospital died at half-past 9 o'clock
this morning from the effects of burns re-
ceived at 1:30 last evening due to her
nightclothes igniting from a gas jet.
Mrs. Russell, who is the mother Of DR..
H. c. Russell If No. $40 18th street, had
been under treatment at the hospital for
about eight weeks for spinal and other
troubles. Physically she had recovered,
but her mind was very weak. At times 1t
was stated that the lady was not rational.
Last night at half-past the attendant
who had been on duty during the day left,
to be relieved by the attendant who was
to be on duty during the night. The sick
patient was left in bed For weeks she
had rested quietly at night, and no trouble
had ever been caused by her in disregard
Ing the Instructions of the nurse. There
was not the slightest suspicion Of risk in
leaving her alone. She had never been
known, during her residence at the hos
pital, to leave her couch without the au-
thority Of her nurse. The attendant, be-
fore leaving, lighted the gas in the sick
room and turned 1t low. The jet was
about six feet from the floor.
A Cry of Fire.
About five minutes after the attendant
had left her charge the cry of fire rang out
from that part of the ward in which Mrs.
Russell lay.
1t was a wild, frantic shriek, and sounded
throughout the building. The nurses and
physicians rushed in the direction whence
II came and found the victim cut of bed
and enveloped in flames. One source Of in
formation stated that the victim was
writhing on the floor In anguish, and
another that she was beating her night
dress and heroically endeavor1ng to eX-
tinguish the flames. The attendants sue
ceeded, after some difficulty, in smothering
the blazes, but it was too late. All meth
thods of relief known, were resorted to-
but IL was apparent that she was too bad
ly burned to recover. Peculiar as it seems.
IL must have been the bottom of her gown
which caught first, as she was burned from
the feet up. Her feet and legs were wretch
edly burned, her trunk was quite badly
scorched. while her face and head. it is
said. were hardly singad. Her hands were
blackened and disffgured. Her son was
notified by telephone, and hastened to the
side of the doomed woman. She remained
unconscious to the last. Despite good
treatment. she died at 6:30 this morning.
The remains were removed early in the day
to the residence of her son, on 18th street,
and although the funeral ARRANGEMENTS
have not been perfected, 1t will probably
take place on Sunday.
What Her Brother Says.
The dead woman was the sister of Mr..
John L. Sergeant. He told Star reporter
the pitiful story of how his sister had been
taken to the hospital that she might have
the benefit of scientific treatment. He
thought that perhaps the nurse may have
believed that the patient was under the
influence of morphine, as she was kept in
that condition most of the time. In her
delirium he thought that she had left the
bed, and that her clothes had then caught
in some mysterious way from the gas jet
He said that 1t was great piece Of care
lessness that his sister had been left alone
He said that the people at the hospital
were well aware Of her condition, and 1t
seemed to be a case of carelessness that
should receive investigation by the proper
authorities.