The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-11-05

1
gists and chemist are that Lucius H.
| Perkins received grave and possible
fatal injuries to his chest and lungs
/ and that he had received into his stom-
ach dose of morphine that is usually
| regarded as a fatal quantity. Respect
| fully submitted.
walter NJ. CROSS, Chemist,
| FRANK J. HALL, Patho1ogist,
JOHN D. FREEMAN, Pathologist,
Commission"
The above is the finding submitted
! by the commission and filed today in
the United States circuit court.
The findings offer in some respects
a surprise, as it provides a margin of
difference as to whether the fall act
ually caused the death or the existence
of the amount of poison, approximately
five grains.
"The post mortem examination re-
veals the fact that three of the ribs
were broken on the right side and
their broken ends had been thrust inte
the substance of the right lung, so in
juring the lung that very consider
able amount of blood had escaped into
the right chest cavity. This injury III
the opinion of DR.. Freeman and DR..
Hall was of sufficient extent and grav-
ity as to have contributed materially to
the death of the man." The above
section of the report would Indicate
that some difference of opinion existed
in the minds of the commission as to
whether the accident or the poison was
the primary cause of the death.
1t affords a sufficiently divergent
conclusion to give grounds for a bit
terly contested lawsuit. Attorneys in
Topeka state that only beginning has
been made in the suit, when they
learned the result of the commission's
findings.
c. F. Hutchings, one of the attorneys
for the Perkins estate, states that they
claim that the accident caused his
death and not the presence OK the NOR
phine. This would indicate that they
would attempt to prove that Perkins
had used morphine previously to some
extent and had accustomed himself to
it's use.
Five grains is a small amount OF
morphine to a habitual user of the
drug. A patient at local hospital,
stated prominent local surgeon today,
had accustomed herself to the use of
120 grains in six days, using it through
hypodermic injections in the arm.
Five grains would be very small
dose for man of the build and
strength of Perkins if he was accus-
toned to using it," said the surgeon,
who asked that his name be withheld.
1--WE are not, nor are his friends. re-
sponsible' for the circulation of the re-
port that Mr.. Perkins was a drug
user" said Judge J. G. Barker, one or
his attorneys, of Lawrence. 81 don't
care to say anything further than that.
Mr.. Hutchings and myself will come to
Topeka soon and look over the ground
and 1 will be glad to say something at
that time but not now. We are not
saying anything at this time.
"Mr. Alfred Whitman, one of the
trustees of the Perkins estate, who died
Sunday night. will be buried here in
few days and I don't care to discuss
anything until after the funeral has
taken place and some one appointed
to succeed him as trustee. don't care |
to state who will probably be selected |
as trustee"
The Report in Detail.
Kansas City, Mo-, Nov. 4, 1907.
Mr.. George F. Shlaritt, Clerk of the |
United States Circuit Court, Dist. of |
Kansas, Topeka, Kansas:
Dear Sir-In fulfllment of the or
der and direction of Judge Mcpherson |
of the United States circuit of the dis
trict of Kansas relating to the investi-
cation of the dead body of Lucius H. |
Perkins of Lawrence, Kansas, the
commission composed or Drs. Walter /
Fl. Cross, Frank j. Hall and John D.
Freeman that was appointed by the
court for the investigation of the body
and to determine by chem
ical and by anatomical pathological
means the manner and cause of the
death of Lucius H. Perkins, begs to
submit the following summary of its
the details of which accom-
pany this summary.
The post-mortem examination re-
veals the fact that three of the ribs
were broken on the right side and
their broken ends had been thrust into
the substance of the right lung, so in
juring the lung that very consider
able amount of blood had escaped into
the right chest cavity This injury in
the opinion of DR.. Freeman and DIR.
Hall was of sufficient extent and
gravity as to have contributed ma
terially to the death of the man. The
examination of the skeleton revealed
er of the bones. The skull and brain
was intact. The examination of the
vital organs show no condition of dis
ease that could have caused death
The stomach full of contents was
carefully tied off and placed in an ap-
propriate receptacle and with portions
Of other organs and a sample of the
urine saved for chemical analysis
The chemical examination of the
contents revealed a consider
able quantity of morphine. The reac-
lions of which presented the intensity
Tar exceeding the largest medical dose.
Careful comparisons of the intensity
Of the reactions with a control con-
aiming five grains of morphine
showed that the stomach of Lucius H
Perkins contained approximately that
amount OF morphine. The examina-
ion of the liver and kidneys failed to
give satisfactory tests. The urine con-
aimed sufficient morphine and NOR
'hine products to give classical and
reactions Of the alkaloid
Morphine. The intestine gave unsat-
Ind the spleen. The details of the
chemical tests and methods accom-
)any this summary.
The conclusions of the commission