The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-24
DOCTORS Do NOT AGREE
Hanson Insists That It Is a Case
of Poisoning.
HE DIFFERS WITH SHEERAN
Says There Are No Evidences Of Cerebro
Spinal Meningitis and Calls for
Further Examination of the
Childs Organs.

The death of Alma Chounard, the A.
year-old daughter of German Chouinard,
which occurred Friday under circum-
stances which inclined the attending ply
slcians to the belief that death was pro-
duced by poisoning, is likely to produce a
controversy among the physicians who
have become interested in the case that
will doubtless prove more than interest
ing if it is not settled at the inquest to be
held this evening what the real cause of
death was.
DIR. Hanson, who was responsible for
the original theory that the child was
poisoned by ptomaines in the milk she
drank, takes issue with DR.. Sheeran, who
performed the autopsy and gave the opin-
ion that death was due to an acute attack
of cerebro spinal meningitis, and yester-
| day Offered to prove to Coroner Julien
that DR.. Sheeran was wrong in his con-
clusion.
DR.. Sheeran stated to the coroner and to
Standard reporter after he made the
autopsy that he had found the stomach
liver and intestines in a normal condition:
that he removed the brain and spinal cord
and that he found them greatly inflamed
and congested. From his examination. he
stated, he came to the conclusion that
death had resulted from cerebro spinal
meningitis.
DR.. Hanson, on seeing in the Standard
yesterday an account of Dr. Sheeran's
findings, visited Sherman's undertaking
rooms and was permitted to see the body
OF the child. AS the result of his in
qulry he sent communication to the
Standard in which he says:
There is not the slightest foundation
for the statement that the Chouinard
child died from cerebro spinal meningitis.
But very imperfect autopsy was made
on the cadaver. The spinal cord was not
examined by the one who made the au-
topsy. The spleen was not examined.
There was nothing said about the lungs.
heart, kidneys or bladder which would
all be necessary for such an important
case. In fact, there was nothing what
ever in the autopsy which would show
to any physician that there was ever any
indications Of spinal meningitis. There
was nothing reached by such an autopsy
except perhaps, that the child was dead.
The child that died did not die from GER
ebro spinal meningitis, and there is not
any evidence that can be brought that
will show that there was at any time such
a disease The doctor states that he did
not find any evidences of ptomaine poi
soning. Before such a statement is made
to the public there should have been an
autopsy made and a microscopical exam
nation as well as a chemical analysis
of the brain, spinal cord, stomach, intes-
tines, liver, kidneys, spleen, bladder, etc.
The spinal cord was never seen by
the ones who made the autopsy, and if
the spinal cord was not even seen by the
operators how could there have been made
such a statement? The child and the ones
who are now sick have never shown any
symptoms of such a disease, but they
have all shown signs of poisoning. AS re-
CARDS the sanitary inspectors statement
that there is no sickness of a similar
character in the neighborhood as that
with which the Chouinard children are
affected. must state that there are sew
eral cases in the neighborhood who are
suffering from the same trouble There
is nothing at It's late hour on the cadaver
to show that the child died from anything
except poison. If the child died from
cerebro spinal meningitis it could be seen
now on the cadaver and by the appear
ance of the skin. In fact rigor mortis
has not even taken place now Sunday
afternoon).'
DR.. Hanson had an interview with Cor
oner Julien yesterday and insisted that
he could not be mistaken in his conclu-
sion that the child died of poisoning He
said he could not be positive that it was
ptomaine poisoning, as it was impossible
to tell except by microscopical analysis,
but everything indicated to him that
death resulted from poisoning of some
kind, which he would undertake to prove
if the coroner would order a microscope
cal analysis, and he still believed it would
be found to be ptomaine poisoning.
In view of the controversy that has
arisen it is certain the inquest this even
ing will be unusually interesting as all
four Of the doctors who have become in
terested, Drs. Sheeran and Tremblay on
one side and Drs. Hanson and st. Jean
on the other, will all be present to testi-
fy. AS there is little doubt their evidence
will be very conflicting, Coroner Julien
will, in all probability, find it necessary
to order an analysis of the organs of
the child before it can be established to a
certainty what the cause of death really
was.