The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-09-02
Real Cause OfDeath Not
Reported for Two
Days.

As the result of an autopsy per
formed last evening at the under
taking establishment of Hindle &
Bayliss, and an investigation by
Coroner hewitt OF the circumstances
leading up to the death of James
Brown at Sibley Hospital, early Fri
dav morning. there will be an IN
quest at the District morgue tomor
row morning at II o'clock.
After a delay OF more than two days
tie Coroner's office was notified yester-
CAV that Brown had jumped from
secOnd-story window while delirious
from typhoid fever. Precious to this q
death certificate mad been filed with
the Health Department giving the PR
nary cause Of death as typhoid fever
and the immediate eaus~ as heInorrhage
Il sting five hours. The death certificate
IS siened by Dr. NJ Il Price, OF I5l
Thirteenth street Q ortheast.
Doctors Make Report.
Accompanied by DIR. q, ". Gallagher
superintendent OF Sibley Hospital, DR.,
Price called on Coroner Nevitr about
$50 yesterday afternoon, and laid the
case before him. Or. Gallagher said
that Browns condition hac been critical,
and Thursday his family was notified
that there was no hope cor his recovery
Unusually violent as a result OF the de-
l!rium. he had been bound with bands
around his feet and arms and secured to
the bed with a restraining sheet
Brown was in a private room, and DR.
Price, who is the family physician, had
fun charge of the case. The family
had not made arrangements Tor
special nurse but, according TO the hOs1
pital authorities. an attendant Is al
ways IN the room in cases Of this char
acteT-
About 3 o'clock Friday morning the
nurse left the room TO MI a pitcher
with ice water She was gone about
FIVE minutes. During her absence sew
eTal nurses in different parts OF ths
building heard n Ihud as some heavy
object struck on tin roof. distance
Of several feet below the window of
the room occupied by Brown. Looking
from the window. the nurses saw the
unconscious form of Brown lying on
Ihe roof. He was carried into the hos
pital and lived five minutes.
DT. Gallagher was out OF the city at
the time, and did not return until Satur-
day morning. Explaining what was
done by the nurses following Brown S
death. Dr. Gallagher said this morning:
Nurses Were Unfamiliar.
The head nurse communicated with
DR.. Price over the telephone. telling
him there were some peculiar circunI.
stance in Cuuracrion win the mans
death and requested him 10 come "a
Inc hospital al once. We have never
had & case Of this character at the hos
pital before. and as the nurses we're ua-
famil'a. with the usual procedure un-
der the circumstances, nothing was
done until DR.. Price came.
Instead Of asking for the head nurse
DR. Price learning that his patient was
dead. supposed that death resulted from
typhold fever, and Issued a certificate
10 that effect Through q singular chain
Of circumstances he was not advised
Of TN e tact that Brown had jumped
from window
Il got back to Washington late FRIDAY
night but II was not until nearly noon
Saturday that the case was brought T.
my attention. After making an investf-
cation l communicated with DR. Price
Not being experienced in these cases, we
did not take the case uD with the cor
oner until yesterday"
Coroner hewitt went to Browns home
~ ll3 p street northwest. and after le-
ing advised OF the facts. Mrs Brown
and other members OF the family con-
scented TO an RutOpsOy being performed
All arrangements had been made for
the funeral, but no further plans will
be made until after the inquest
Brown was twenty-eight years old and
lived with his wife az the z street
house. He had been I'll for about three
weeks, and had been delirioUs for sew
eral days. He is survived by his wife
who was formerly Miss Tillie Crawl, two
brothers, Daniel NJ. and Mark Brown
and one sister. Mrs. Pryor. OF Baltimore
Prior TO jumping from the windoW
Friday morning, Brown had been ex-
ceedingly violent at times, and had been
found wandering about the room on sew.
ersl occasions. It had been necessary
for the nurses to be unusually vigilant
In their watch, as the patient had taken
advantage of every opportunity to gei
out OF bed
DR.. hewitt said that he had learned
there was no screen in the window al
the time, and that no precautions had
been taken TO prevent the patient from
jumping from the windows should hC
escape from the nurses
Dr. Gallagher said he had taken VI
the subject OF safeguarding the room,
with screens. and that they would prob
ably be installed within few days.
Dr. 9 ". Gallagher. superintendent
or Sibiey Hospital, this afternoon gave