The San Francisco call., 1904-08-16
DOCTORS
Are CENSURED
COrOner's Jury Brands Mover
and Ardenyi as Being Both
Incapable and Negligent
SURPRISING A CRIME
DIR. Leland Learns From
District Attorney That a
Prosecution Is Impossible

I Censure. direct and Official was
dealt out yesterday by a Coronar's.
| jury to DR.. Joseph Ardenyi and Or 7
J. Meyer for the death of Mrs. Sarah
COhn. wife CT Abraham Cohn 81 72s
Howard street on August Il. After re-
citing that death followed septicaemia-
caused by a criminal operation by per-
sons unknown to the jury, and that
the evidence showed that a secondary
operation had been performed by DIS.
Ardenyi and Meyer. the verdict goes
on TO say:
said perforations. according TO the testimony.
were evidently caused by instruments used by
the operating physicians it having been
brought out during the course of the investga-
tion that the operating physician as well as
tie one who administered the anesthetic
showed great incapactty. neglect and mat
We. the Jury. hereby censure the said ply
sicians. and recommend that the Board Of
Medical Examiners investigate the matter.
At a previous session Dr. Ardenyf
admitted under oath 70 the jury that
ne had signed a death certificate on
which he had written falsely that
death had been caused by heart fall
ure. He explained that he believed at
the time that the woman's death had
been caused by the anesthetic and he
desired to shield his young friend, DR..
Meyer Of Mayheld. from any blame in
the matter.
Coroner Leland consulted District
Attorney Byington with a view to hav-
ing Ardenyi prosecuted and punished
for having issued a death certificate In
which the cause OF death had been
knowingly concealed and a different
cause substituted. ByfngtOn advised
the Coroner that the essence OF the
crime, according TO the Penal Code,
was the fling Of such a certificate and
that, as pr. Ardenyi had not fled the
paper, but had given IL 10 the under
taker, and as Detective Edward Glib
son had taken II from the undertaken
il had not been fled and no prosecu-
ton could be had.
Dr. ]. J. Meyer OF Mayfsld testified
yesterday that upon invitation Of Ar
denyt he administered one and a half
ounces OF chlOrcfOrm to Mrs. Cohn
while Ardenyi performed the operation
of curetting, the operation occupying
about one hour.
He admitted that he had not ex-
amined the woman's heart before ad-
ministering the anesthetic, but said
that he had felt her pulse and found
IL normal.
Meyer said that he did not observe
that the woman was in a dangerous
condition until the end OF the opera
ton.
How much experience have you had
in giving anesthetics?" the Coroner
asked.
Meyer refused to answer and main
tanned a dfgnified silence and the Cor
oner forbore to insist upon a reply.
Ardenyi told the Coroner that
Abraham Cohn. the woman's husband,
had informed him that his wife had
been the victim OF malpractice at the
hands OF persons unknown to him and
requested Ardenyt to attend her and
do what he could to save her life. On
the previous examination Cohn swore
positively that he was unaware OF his
wife's condition and that he had no
knowledge whatever as to her having
undergone any kind OF a surgical or
other operation before he called for
Ardenyi.