The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-05-25
NOT A new THING,
Clinton Physicians on
Mr.. Giles An
esthetic.
CLAIM AN EARLIER DISCOVERY.
Liquor Cases in District
Court Attract Con8id-
cradle Attention.

Clinton, May 24.-Clinton physicians,
or some of them, at any rate, are in
clined to question the newness of the
new anaesthetic discovered by young
Mr.. Gile of Worcester, about which
SO much has been printed in The Spy
and other newspapers in the last
month or two.
The Statement in yesterdays Sly,
that the new, method of producing an
esthesia would be tried by Mr.. Pea
body, has been much read and com
mented on by physicians here.
The Clinton physicians take the stand
that Mr.. Giles discovery is not dis
covery at all. They allege that bromide
of ether or bromic ether was first dis
: covered by Scales, a German, in 1897.
and came into some use as an anes-
thetic in 1S49, or Whereabouts.
1t is said that Dr. P. T. O'Brien has
used bronaio ether in his practice to
produce anesthesa in operations in mi
nor surgery for three years. 1t is
claimed that this bromic ether is iden-
tically the same substance with which
the Worcester young men are now ex-
perimenting.
The correspondent of The Spy saw
DR.. O'Brien this afternoon, and asked
him if he knew anything about the new
anesthetic. He replied that If bromic
ether was the anaesthetic referred to,
it is an old and not a new thing.
He said that so far, while it had been
known to surgeons for many years. it
had never proved useful in any except
minor operations. He confirmed the
story that he had used professionally
in his practice over a period of three
years
DR.. O'Brien did not care to express
an opinion as to whether the usefulness
Of the bromic ether might be increased
so as to make it an anesthetic superior
to chloroform, or sulphuric ether.
There will be no town usneting Sat
urday night. The warrant for the
meeting designated Bigelow hall as the
place for the meeting. AS it happened,
the hall had been previously let to the
socialist labor party for mass meet
ing. The lselectmen decided, under the
circumstances, to get out new war
rant which will name Saturday week
later, for the day.
charged with keeping with intent to
SELL" in the district court this morn
ing Herman F. Pragler and John Has
tings were the accused. Each was con-
victed and fined SIS. Attorney David L.
Walsh took an appeal in each case
Pragler,s bond was furnished by his
mother. Hastings bond was furnished
as before by his brother, Michael Hast
ings.
In the Pragler case Chief oren B.
Bates testified to finding a considera-
BILE quantity of liquors of various kinds
in the store room attached to the bar
room of the Pragler place. He said
one. George Tasker, who had since
been sent to the house of correction
for drunkenness, was in the PraSlss
kitchen when the raid was made.
officer Michael F. Smith and Off1cer
John Mitchell testified to finding keg
of beer in the cellar, which was at
tached to a faucet on the bar. Officer
Smith drew some of the beer. It tasted
flesh and had foam on 1t. Mitchell
said the beer seemed fresh. officer
James O'Malley testified to seeing 20
persons leave the PFagler place on sun
day evening about 10 O'Clock. on the
following Sunday he saw other men
leaving.
Attorney Walsh, for the defense, en-
deaYored to show that the liquors were
being kept In the storehouse until they
could be returned to the dealers from
whom they had been purchased. He
attempted to introduce P. H. Morri-
son, for the purpose of showing that
Pragler had returned some of the stuff
bought in town. Judge Stone would not
admit the evidence.
Pragler testified in explanation OF
some stains which the police found
upon the floor, that they were occa-
stoned when the contents of the several
packages were being measured, and
poured from one receptacle to another.
In the Hastings case no liquors were
found. except those contained in six
lager beer bottles, which We're being
drunk from by Hastings and four ON
ers. when the police entered.
Hastings mother an aged woman
was put upon the stand. She said the
beer belonged to her, and was part of