Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-05
CORONER'S INQUEST
INQUIRY REGARDING DEATH OF
JOSEPH PATTON.
Witnesses Testify That Attendance
Was Given Patient by Man Not
Registered as Physician.

| Coroner hewitt held an induest at the
| sixth precinct station house today to de-
| termine the cause OF the death of Joseph
| Patton, who died at the Emergency Hos
/ pital Thursday afternoon last. At the time
1 of the death of Patton there was nothing
| developed to warrant this action. but ru-
NOR having been circulated that the de-
| ceased had been prescribed for before his
admission to the hospital by a party not
! physician 1t was determined to investigate
the case. The verdict OF the jury was
! The verdict was as follows: I'VE. the
| jury find that there was a lack of medical
attention on the Fart of one who represent
cd himself as DR.. Tan. and who entered
| the deceased in the hospital"
The jury was composed of David c. Ham
| ilton. VIM. A. Foy. James Kane. Harry
The Evidence Submitted.
Mr.. McLane deputy health officer. was
the first witness. He gave a brief explana-
| ton of the laws governing the practice Of
medicine. showing that a person not prop
| erly recognized by the health office was
amenable to law whether he received fee
| or not.
| DR.. David S. Stuart of the Emergency
| Hospital was the next witness. DIR. Stuart
| stated that DR.. Taft called in car at the
| hospital the evening of the 2sth of June
| between and o'clock. Tan introduced
| himself and stated he had a man whom he
desired to put in a private room In that in
| sttution. Taft spoke in very familiar
terms of several physicians, some now at
| tendant at the hospital and former physi-
! clans. and couched his language so that his
| standing was not then looked into. He
procured the room and left prescription.
! He visited the hospital Sunday the wit
| ness stated. and was seen only by one Of
| the nurses. from whose description 1t was
afterward learned that the caller was Taff.
| He was not seen by any of the hospital
stan nor did he go to the institution subse-
| quent to the Sunday visit. When a patient
| occupies private room, it was stated the
| hospital authorities have only to see that
| the prescriptions of the attending physi-
| clan are carried out. This was done in the
! case of Patton, and, his condition becoming
| worse, stimulantS were added to the pre-
| scription as given by Taff.
Patton's condition gradually became
worse, the witness stated, and Wednesday
| afternoon about 4:3O O'Clock, when Taft
| called the hospital by phone the circum-
| stances were given him. Tam then turned
| the case over to the hospital authorities
| but the patient died early the next morn
! ing.
DR.. Stuart stated that the patient had
| been drinking when admitted to the hospi-
| condition for two or three weeks. On the
| Saturday night OF his admittance DR.
Stuart stated the patient did not sleep at
| all, but kept pacing the floor.
The case being investigated the doctor
| said. 1t was learned that Tam was not a
registered Physician and that he did not
possess the right to prescribe for Others
| 1t being necessary to have a properly sign
ed death certificate the hospital authorities
communicated with the health Office and an
investigation was Immediately instituted.
MISS Minna Meier. trained nurse at the
hospital. next testified She stated that
She gave the patient several doses of medi-
cine according to the prescription. one Sun
day morning and one at 2 o'clock in the
afternoon, but did not remember giving
any others. When she was In the patients
room in the morning Taft was there. but
she did not know the man and only learned
who 1t was after she gave the description
to the doctors Since that time she has
not seen him. When asked whether the
condition of the man was noticed by her
| she replied that from the first she thought
the case was serious one.
Testimony of Asher 81. Nofsinger.
| Asher H. Nofsinger. a saloon keeper.
whose place is at sO7 North Capitol street.
and at whose house Patton lived. noticed
Patton Saturday morning, he said. when
| the latter appeared to be in a very nerv-
| Gus condition. Nofsinger suggested that he
| (Patton) should go TO hospital and put
himself under physicians care. This
Patton said he would do. He went to the
| Homeopathic Hospital, but remained only
| an hour or two, when he returned to his
boarding place. In the afternoon. his con-
II
gested to the witness by those who saw
| Patton that he be again sent to a hospital
| A carriage was summoned and Taft, who
| came up about this time. was asked to
take Patton to the hospital, which he con-
| scented TO do. Returning. he told witness
that he had put Patton in a room at the
| hospital.
Witness did not hear any more from
| Patton until the following Tuesday when
he learned Of his serious illness Witness
said he saw Tan the same day and sug-
gested that they both go down and see
Patton.
They boarded a car on the Columbia line
and leaving it at 18th street, walked
| down toward the hospital. When they were
| nearly there Taft left witness. telling him
to go and later advise him as to the condi-
ton of Patton. Witness did not hear again
! of Patton until told of the latters death.
When he next saw Taft witness suggested
after hearing his story. in which he denied
| saying that he was prescribing for Patton.
that he go down to the hospital and right
things" Witness also suggested that Taft
go to the police authorities and do the same.
He promised to do both, witness said but
did not do SO.
Ncfsinger. in answer to a question as to
what position Tan held at the government
printing Office, stated that he worked
there laborer and was known to many
as DR. Taft"
Detectives Statement.
Detective Charles F. Proctor of the police
department, testifed that Tan was brought
before court for unlawful practice. June TO-
1901. Mr.. Proctor further stated that upon
Investigation he found over thirty prescrip-
tons Of Tafr's at two drug stores in town.
DR.. Glazebrook testified to having per-
| formed an autopsy on the body of Patton.
He presumed that deceased was about
thirty-five years old.
His body was fairly well nourished, but
his muscles were soft and f1abby. DIR.
Glazebrook stated that Patton did not look
like a labortng man. The examination
made showed a very weak heart and other
details, showing that the man had suf-
fered from delerium tremens His death
said DR.. Glazebrook. was due to heart fall
ure. accompanied with acute alcoholism
Taft could not be located by the police
authorities. who desired to have him appear
before the inquest.