The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-29
Coroner's Jury Decides That
DR.. 3. W. Young Is Re
sponsible for Causing the
Death of Helen Young
DR.. ohage Will Chareg
Him and Possibly the
Girls Father With Man
slaughter.


A coroner's jury which held an in
quest over the remains of Helen
Poucher, daughter of Thomas Poucher,
III LlnWood Place, yesterday returned
verdict holding DR.. e. w. Young, the
osteopath who treated the case, GRIM
Inaily responsible for the childs death.
Health Commissioner Ohage, who is
prosecuting the case, stated yesterday
that a warrant charging Dr. Young
with manslaughter would be sworn out
this morning. DR.. Ohage also said
that he would probably secure a war;
rant for the arrest of Thomas Poucher,
the father, on the same charge.
The verdict of the coroner's jury was
to the effect that diphtheria was the
cause OF the child's death; that E. w.
Young had no right under the laws
OF the state to treat the child, and that
IN endeavoring to treat her, he was
crlminally responsible. The Jury rec
commended that the proper authorities
further investigate the case and take
such action as they deem proper and
just.
The inquest, which was held by Cor
oner Miller at the morgue yesterday
was largely attended, many physicians
being present. The examination was
conducted by Assistant County Attor-
ney O'Neill who was present at the
request of Health Commissioner Ohage.
DR.. Ohage also took part in the exam
1nation, asking DR.. Young many point
ed questions.
DR.. Young is a, young man, probably
not more than twenty-six, and has
been practicing osteopathy since he
was graduated from the Northern in
stltute, of Minneapolis, a year and a
half ago. He was called into the
Poucher case after DR.. Metcalf had
withdrawn, because the father of the
To oil
Poucher Is Anti i-Vaccinationist.
The father is secretary of the Anti
Vaccination society
DR.. Young commenced treating the
child on Wednesday Of last week, and
she died the following Sunday The
health department refused to issue a
burial permit and placed the case in
the hands of Coroner Miller for in
vestigation. The coroner's jury which
heard the case was composed of w. H.
Hart, G. G. Bergh, B. F. Knauft, r. E.
Robinson, James Cormican and w.
Moneich
Dr. Metcalf was the first witness.
He had been called to the Poucher
home on the morning of Dec. 81, and
found one Of the children suffering
from what proved to be diphtheria
DR.. Metcalf suggested the use of anti
town, but the father would not allow
it to be used, saying he had heard of
cases of illness which had arisen from
the US of anti-toxin. When DR.. Met
calf was not allowed to treat the case
according to his own ideas he with
drew and refused to have anything
more to do with it.
In answer to questions Of Assistant
County Attorney O'Neill, DR.. Metcalf
said that while anti toxin was COM
paratively new to the medical pro-
fession it had been used with much
success, and cases which had been con-
sldered had been cured by it's use.
DR.. REM, assistant health commits
sioner, testified that the cultures from
the throat of the child had shown the
presence of diphtheria. DR.. Longstreet
Taylor, a throat specialist, had exam
ined the throat Of the child after
death and found that death had re-
suited from diphtheria. DR.. Tavlor
had used anti-toxin in the treatment
OF d1phtheria cases and had never
seen any bad results.
DIR. Q. H. Hall, who filed the death
certificate of the Poucher child, said
1e had been called to the Poucher home
saturday evening, and found the child
dying from diphtheria. DR.. Young, the
osteopath, told him the child had been
i'll three days. Attorney Pike, who rep
resented DR.. Young at the hearing.
secured an admission from Dr. Hall
that he had never used anti toxin.
DR.. Young Testifies.
DR.. E. w. Young, the osteopeth who
Is charged with being criminalIy re-
sponsible for the child's death, was
placed on the stand and subjected to a
severe examination, both by Mr..
O'Neill and Health Commissioner
Ohage. DR.. Young stated that he first
treated Helen Poucher on Wednesday.
He was not sure until the following da.y
that the child had diphtheria. The wit
ness objected to the use of the word
rubbing" and said he had treated the
patient by manipulation. The wit
ness attempted to explain osteopathy
in detail but was denied this privilege.
You are not a practicing physi-
cian?" asked Mr.. O'Neill
mo; not in the sense you mean we
are not recognized in this state" said
DR.. Young.
What right did you have to go to
the house?"
Il was a DOCTOR
Would you stand before God and
treat a child of your own like you did
the Poucher child?" asked DR.. Ohage
'I would"
Had Never Treated Diphtheria.
Dr. Young admitted to DR.. Ohage
that he had never treated diphtheria
before, but stated that DR.. Charles
Still had treated 100 cases at Red
Wing with but one fatality.
DR.. Bracken, of the state board of
health, who was present at the inquest.
stated that if this statement was true
he would cause the Arrest of DR.. Still
for failing to report the cases.
At the conclusion of the inquest DIR
Young complained bitterly that he had
not been given a fair chance at the
hearing. He had been promised. he
said, that he would be permitted to tell
of his treatment of the other Poucher
children, but was not allowed to do
so.
1t was learned yesterday that Thom-
as Poucher was suffering from diph
liberia himself, and the health denart-
ment has ordered him quarantined.
DR.. Ohage was pleased at the result
of the inquest. In speaking of the
matter he said:
DR.. ohaqe's Opinion.
II am very much pleased with the YER
dict OF the coroner's jury in regard to
the death of Helen Poucher. IT shows
that the people of this state have no de-
sire to go back to the dark ages. where
deluslon, ignorance and superstition -four
1Shed. 1t is triumph of good common
sense over contemplate delusion. Those
who pose before the public as teachers
and instructors Of subjects of which thew
are entirelyignorant form dangerous ele-
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