The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-25
Investigation of the Death of
Alma Chouinard.
BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT
Was Given the Physicians Who Made
the Autopsy and the Jury Decided
That the Child Died of Cerebro-
Spinal Meningitis.

Alma Chouinard, the child who died
widely as to the cause which produced
death. There were four of them and
they were evenly divided in their opin-
ions. DR.. st. Jean, who attended the
child, and DR.. Hanson, whom he called
in consultation, both adhered to their
original opinion that the child died from
poisoning, most probably ptomaine.
They both said there We're positively
no symptoms, no evidences whatever
of cerebro spinal meningitis. In sup
the Chouinard children suffered from
ptomaine poisoning they said that when
the milk diet was withheld from the
two living children they Immediately
improved without the use of medicine.
Directly contrary to the testimony of
Drs. ST. Jean and Hanson was the tes-
timony offered by Drs. Sheeran and
Tremblay, who performed the autopsy
on the child. These said there was
every evidence of cerebro spinal men
nights and none whatever of poisoning.
Dr. Sheeran adhered very closely to the
statement he made to the coroner at the
Tremblay supported him in all his
statements. The jury felt that the ply
sicans who made the autopsy were in
a better position to judge than those
who diagnosed from outward symptoms
and, though the conflicting evidence left
much doubt in their minds, they gave
the autopsy physicians the benefit Of
the doubt and found in accordance with
their conclusion.
tl,o
Chouinard children, was called as the
first witness. She began nursing two
of the children on the 10th of the month.
Alma, the deceased, was taken later
with violent retching and was in great
agony till she died, Is hours after she
was taken on Thursday evening last.
DR.. St. Jean attended the children and
prescribed for deceased. Witness stated
the child drank quite a quantity of milk
and ate some headcheese just prior to
being taken sick. All the symptoms
during her brief illness were those of
poisoning. The child was taken with
violent vomiting fits early in the even
ing. During the night she had a high
fever, relapsed into Inconsistencies. be-
came paralyzed and died in IS hours
after being taken
Prior to this time the boy. Louis,
manifested the same symptoms, and
the same was true of the little girl, An
ME. These symptoms ceased in Louis
and Annie on the day deceased passed
away. Witness stated that she was a
trained nurse and that in her judgment
deceased died from poisoning.
DR.. J. E. St. Jean testified to being
called to attend the boy, Louis, on
Tuesday evening last. Subsequently
Annie was taken and a day or so later
the deceased. Louis case was very Pc
culiar. Witness could not remember
having seen another. Witness thought
the boy had been poisoned and treated
him accordingly. He also treated the
boy for epilepsy, as he manifested
symptoms of that also. A few days
later, when Annie became ill, the same
symptoms were apparent, and the day
following Armies being taken, Alma,
the deceased fell i'll in the same man.
ner. Witness became suspicious and
studied the cases closely. He came to
the conclusion that the fault lay in the
milk the children were drinking. He
cut the milk off and no more. medicine
was necessary with the two living chill
dren. The deceased manifested the
most marked symptoms OF poisoning
and witness called DR.. Hanson in con-
sultation. The two reached the con-
clusion that poison was the cause Of
death and that it was ptomaine pois-
oning. None of the children had any
fever, which always attends menin-
gifts. All the children became uncon-
scious Immediately upon being taken
sick. Asked why the poison took effect
on the child that died quicker than
on the other children, the witness said
she must have taken more of the poison
or that she must have been weaker
than the other children.
E. H. Sherman, the undertaken, was
called to identify the body, which he
did.
Dr. H. H. Hanson was next called.
He said he had been called in consulta-
ton by DR.. st. Jean on the deceased
Witness examined the child. 1t was
normal. He was informed the child had
been taken i'll Immediately after drink
ing milk. He thought the child suffered
from poisoning. AS soon as milk ceased
to be given, the two living children i'm
proved. A human could not have me-
ningitis without having fever, and in
the case of the deceased the fever would
have been very high. Witness was in
formed by DR.. St Jean that the child
had no fever. Witness thought the
nurse was mistaken when she said the
child had fever. In a malignant case
of meningitis a person would have the
symptoms manifested by deceased,
with fever added, but death would not
ensue so quickly. Witness took issue
with the statements made by DR..
Sheeran, as published. and said his con-
illusions We're not correct. Rigor NOR
It's did not set in for two days, whereas
in cases of meningitis rigor morris sets
in Immediately and the flesh becomes
spotted; the disease is called spotted
fever from this fact. There We're no
such evidences in the case of the de-
ceased. An examination of the brain
was not sufficient to ascertain the cause
of death if it was from meningitis. The
spinal cord should be examined also.
which was not done. The liver and
kidneys would be congested if death
was caused by meningitis.
Dr. P. ]. Sheeran testified as to the
autopsy. The stomach, intestines and
liver were all in normal condition The
brain was removed and the cord down
below the base of the brain. They were
enormously congested. and all the ar
teries We're filled with dark clotted
blood. The back was discolored from
cOngested blood. There was no doubt
in witness mind that death was caused