The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1900-11-21
|Du1H Of Portuguese
CAUSED By HEllID0R[
So Says the Chemist
to the Board of
Health.
STUFF DRANK Vas NOT VINE
BUT METHYLATED ALCOHOL.
swEETENED AND rIHcr-
URED WITH POISON.
The Poison Found in tbs LIQUOR.
the viscera and the Blood
the Inquest Goes on
To-Day.


Sheriff Chillingworth. The jury wa.
| impanneled last Thursday and given {
chance TO view the remains of Joaquin
Silva. after which it was dismissed unit
such a time as the food commissioner
Mr.. Shorey. should complete an analyst.
of the contents OF the dead man.
stomach. Mr.. Shorey was ready yester.
day and the inquiry was resumed. The
jury consisted of C. J. Hutehins, W. f.
Bivens s. kuhey. C. Dickerson. Ed
Paris and K. Dexter.
The inquiry was conducted by Deputs
Sheriff Chillingworth. The first witness,
sworn was the police surgeon. Dr. En-
erson. who made the autopsy. DR.. En-
erson's story was that no external in
juries were found upon the body. The
internal examination revealed that the
bowels were congested and inflated with
gas. The stomach was congested au,l
pretty we'll empty. The stomach and
contents OF the bladder and some blood
We're given to Prof. Shorey for analysis.
DIR. Emerson went on 10 say that the left
kidney was a trifie large. congested and
fatty. The right kidney was little
smaller and also congested in a different
way The spleen was under normal in
size and very wrinkled The lungs were
congested on both sides and looked like
the beginning stage of inflammation as
in pneumonia. The heart was opened
and found empty of blood.
The membranes of the brain were
found injected. the Serious fluid being q
little in excess at the cortex. There
We're also signs of chronic meningeal
cord was found degenerated. The af
fected portion was the size of a hazel
nut.
Il consider the cause of death was
an irritant poison that affected not only
the organs directly that received it. but
also exerted a powerful influence upon
the nervous system and the brain"
Deputy Chillingworth asked: Would
hellebore produce death in this way"
Yes. it would replied the witness. Dr.
Emerson went on 10 say that helebore
is the root of a plant found in Europe.
1t is very rare in America and is I'M
known in these islands. 1t is well known
as an insect destroyer. Death from this
1t would be preceded by vomiting. purg-
ing and partial blindness. Hellebore
acts on the motor nerve system and
weakens the limbs.
DR. George Herbert was the next
witness. He told over again the story
of Silva's actions at the insane hospital
where he was an attendant He was at
his post of duty last Wednesday. the
day after he was drinking at the Punch
bowl wake. The story of Joaquin's ac-
tons was told in The Republican of last
Friday. DIR. Herbert's testimony relat-
ing 10 the autopsy was practically the
same as that of DR. Emerson. but he
went more into explanations of the eff
fects of wood alcohol.
DR.. Mcdonald practically confirms the
previous medical testimony He was
present at the autopsy. making the post
norton of the contents of the skull. and
moved the brain. No sign of violence
was found and it is his Judgment that
death resulted from some irritant poison
Stomach and kidneys were diseased. He
never heard of hellebore being used TO
fortify wines. He said it was used as
a poison and might be used as poison
against insects.
DIR. Pratt. the executive officer of the
board of health. was the next witness.
He further corroborated the other doe
ors as TO the post-mortem on Joe Silva.
His testimony was. however. more con-
ined TO the death of Joaquin Silva. the
Nd man. in which case he made seri-
rus blunder in not holding post-mortem
examination. He had concluded. from
What he could learn from the history
Il the case that the man had died from
Ieart disease. from chronic kidney /
rouble or from syphilis He had been
ssured that Silva. the elder. had not |
rank anything hut tea for some time /
etore his death and had shown no signs /
I. poisoning. He and DIR. Garvin later |
iScUssed the matter and came 10 the /
onciusion that Silva had died of syphi- |
5. Then the certificate was filed out.
Or. E c. Shorey. the chemist TO the 1
GARD of health. was next called and /
roved the only important witness of
ne day. He explained how the viscera
the body OF Joe Silva came into his
and also the poison which
He'd him and the two Others who ar
ended his wake. He said he had exam
he'd the liquor first He found il 10
'ntain methylated spirits. containing Ii
or cent OF alcohol and water. consider
BILE sugar and some vegetable infusion.
he isttet he found to be the alkaloids
white hsilebore. a vegetable that
rows in Europe and variety IS ,whic',
found in this cogpsry In the faresss !
Is used 10 sprinkle eurrant bushes AM
iher small fruit plants 20 kill bugs and
her insects He found four distinct
tive principles of the root OF the plant
e exhibited on a slide the quantity be
I'd found in four ounces of the liquor.
e found eight grains IN eight ounces
In the small quantity of liquid found
the stomach h. found a veTy light
ace In the Ave ounces OF blood taken
ON the thoracic cavity he got reae-
On very distinctly The urine showed
also indicating thar considerable guam
ties OF the liqnor had been consumed
sd never heard of Il being used 10 for