The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1907-04-26

-J''N'' 'oo 10y w WV
mems lnfirmary Ward-Was Heating
Paraffne Over Alcohol Flame for
Floor PoIish-At Breakfast Time.
Miss Anna Lynch, aged twenty-five,
day nurse in the infrmary ward at
the Norfolk insane hospital, was
burned to death at the institution
Wednesday as the result of an alec.
hol stove explosion. She was carry
Ing the flaming stove toward n bath.
room when her clothing became ig-
nited from the fire which enveloped
the stove and which was famed to-
ward her as she ran.
Miss Lynch lived six hours after the
accident II was at quarter before
In the morning, just when patients
on the ward were eating breakfast.
that she was burned and at 12:45 she
succumbed. Her clothing was burned
entirely off before aid could reach her.
She was terribly burned about the
breast and limbs. Her head became a
mass of flame when her hair caught
the fire and was burned off.
Was Heating Paraffine.
1t was in the second story of the
cattage that the tragedy occurred.
Miss Lynch, who had been engaged in
institution work of this kind for seven
years, was heating parafiine with
which to polish the floors. She was
holding the floor wax over the alcohol
flame when the little stove exploded.
Selling 1t in her hands, Miss Lynch
raced toward a bathroom but was
afame herself before she had reached
her destination
With her clothing ablaze, Miss
Lynch became panicstricken and he
gan TO run about the room as though
seeking to escape the flame but in
reality only tanning ii into greater
volume.
Ran Out Upon Porch.
After desperately circling the large
ward, the young woman dashed fran
tically out upon the porch, in the open
air and before assistance could avail
her clothing had been destroyed and
burns so deeply inflicted that recov-
cry was impossible.
She was taken at once to her apart
ments where Dr. Young, superinten-
dent, and DR.. Singer, physician, gave
her all possible care but before noon
she had lapsed into unconsciousness
and fifteen minutes before / O'Clock
life became extinct.
Home Was at Yankton.
The home of Miss Lynch was at
.Yankton, S. d., and the remains will
be taken back to that place. A broth.
er-in-law will reach Norfolk tonight to
accompany the remains home. Funer-
al services will be held at the hospital
here. Word was Immediately sent to
fankton informing relatives that Miss
Lynch's recovery was doubtful. Queer
ly enough, news of the accident did
not reach Norfolk itself until queries
began coming from Yankton to Nor
folk friends regarding the matter.
Had Been Warned Against Lamp.
DR. Young, superintendent. said
that the use of an alcohol lamp in
heating the paraffine was contrary to
the regulations of the hospital and
that Miss Lynch had been warned not
to pursue this practice. 1.-THE hospi-
tai regulations, said DIR. Young, ere
quire that the floor wax shall be heat.
ed in hot water and not over an al
cohol lamp, for fear of just such an
accident"
Patients Remain Calm.
II is said that patients in this ward
remained calm In spite OF the sight
of the nurse burning TO death and her
terrific sufferings.
,..s. Hose Company Out. ..,
The hospital, hose company assem-
bled, prepared to fight flame in the
building, should 1t develop. 1t was
at first thought, when the burning girl
rushed out upon the porch, that the
building was In flame.