The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-11-19
CHILDREN WHOSE DEATHS
WE'RE INVESTIGATED.

WERE INVESTIGATED.
The children whose deaths were under in
vestigation by the Coroner were Jacob Cen
turio. No. Sl7 Wash street: Aenes Adele
Keenan, and Mary c. Keenan,. No 3St9
Cozens avenue; Isaac Stein. No 1925 North
Eighth street; Flora Fuerst. No. 14s. Fran
els street; Emma Mary Ernst No 500 North
Jefferson avenue. and Viola Baker. No lil0
North Garrison avenue. Other fatal cases
of tetanus which were reported either
occurred before the cause of the trouble
was suspected or were not sufficiently
marked. In the opinion of the attending
physician, to make an inquest necessary.
The inquest began October 30 and con-
tinued almost daily until November is.
Nearly 100 witnesses were examined, and.
as far as possible. every bottle of the
suspected serum was traced and its effect
noted. Every step taken in the preparation
of the serum was related with utmost de-
tail.
But to Doctors Fisch. Walden and Bolton
was given the task requiring great skill
and wide knowledge of bacteriology. es-
pecially so far as it applied to the cases
under consideration. They attended the
autopsies held on five Of the bodies and
took such specimens of tissue and human
serum as they needed for their investiga-
ton. From one living patient they OBJ
tained small quantity Of the liquid that
surrounds the spninal cord.
From the day that they were called into
the case until they had completed their
work. more than two weeks. they were busy
day and night with their experiments. Sew
eral dozens of guinea pigs and mice were
used in the various tests made. The little
creatures were watched with the utmost
painstaking care and every symptom was
noted.
When every deduction desired had been
completed. the report of the experts was
handed to Coroner F'unkhouser. last Fri
day. This was not Immediately made pub
lie. but Coroner Funkhouser and his depu-
ties kept the document under consideration
until their verdict was rendered yesterday
morning. Then the report was placed on !
file.
Health Commissioner Starkloff, who has !
been hunting In Arkansas ever since a few .
days after the tetanus inquiry started, was |
notified yesterday morning by Acting |
Health Commissioner Francis of the result |
of the inquest. 1t is possible that Doctor |
Starkloff's outing may be shortened on ac- |
count Of the turn of affairs.
HEALTH OFFICER SAYS
VERDICT Is UNFAIR.
Mr.. Francis declared that he was too busy |
to discuss the affair himself. Then he said /
that he would investigate the verdict of the |
Coroner and the report Of the bacterlolo- |
gists as soon as he could find time. He said |
4
deem immediate action imperative. But he /
said. he would do whatever should be done !
If he found that any one connected with the |
Health Department had been careless II |
have been I'm this department long time"
he asserted. land I'm not afraid to do |
whatever should be done"
In conclusion. Mr.. Francis declared that |
the verdict was not fair in holding the |
Health Department responsible for some
thing which one or two or three men' had |
done or failed to do
Mayor Wells said last night that the mat
ter had not been referred TO him officially.
and that he had had opportunity to
that the subject will receive his closest at
tention as soon as it reaches him.
In the regular order of things, the evil
dence in the case will all be laid before
Circuit Attorney Folk. Whether he will
take any action in the matter is question
that will only be decided after the whole
subject has been carefully canvassed.
REVIEW OF EVIDENCE
At THE INQUEST.
The Coroners verdict. in closing, says:
"The testimony shows that the Health
Department owned a horse named jim. |
stabbed at the Poorhouse farm and used
in the preparation of diphtheria antitoxin:
said horse. Jim" developed tetanus on |
october and was at once killed: blood
was drawn from said horse Jim on Au.
gust "a, the serum of which was nontoxic:
blood was again drawn from said horse
jim September 30 during the period of |
of tetanus), the serum of which
tetanus toxin.
Serum drawn September % was issued |
by the Health Department in bottles bear
Ing labels respectively dated August "a and
September 30
THAT the toxic serum drawn September