The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-08-04
Suggestion of Ptomaine Poison
ing Does Not Explain Certain
Matters-No Solution Yet.

|ICOEIOSlNe pOlSOI. xACCOEuluS 10 lHe
nurses at the city Home, they were
cleaned with CASTLE soap and hot
water. Moreover, all the babies-there
were three foundlings at the home at
the same time---were fed with the same
milk. but the other two were not at
/ fected Ptomaine poison, 1t is stated
by experts, does not leave hlisters and
sores about the mouth and the lips,
nor a deep, red burn running from the
side of the mouth down to the neck;
nor does the gas rising from ptomaine
poison smell like chloroform.
Whnt Attendants Say.
Both Drs. Hoskins and Scott, In
ternes at the City Home. and Miss
Margaret yenable. head nurse at the
institution, have stated, and still state
that. in their belief the child was
poisoned. All three saw "Muggins'
almost Immediately after the dose was
administered.
Coroner Taylor, who made minute
examination--in fact two eSaminas
tions-scnuts the idea of ptomaine
poison. He stated last night that tine
symptoms resulting from ptomaine
and from corrosive substances are en-
tirely different. lSaby vaughan's lin
was swollen to twice it's normal size,
as testified to before the coroner's
Jury and before the Committee en-
Relief of the Poor. Sores were found
on his mouth. though short time be-
fore the first attempt on his life was
discovered there were no sores There
was n red streak, as If from some cor
rosive substance, running from one
side of the mouth down to the neck.
Ptomaine poison leaves a general red
ness about the stomach.
After the second attempt, internes
arrived within a few moments and
smelt the odor of chloroform. They
We're positive in their statements that
1t was chloroform they detected
AS to the theory that the child was
accidentally poisoned, it is considered
by those familiar with the case to be
rather peculiar that the accident hap
pened to the same child, at about the
same hour, with different poisons and
that. neither of the other two children
was in the slightest degree affected.
Father of Child Here.
Various theories arise but the muir
der theory is still predominant. No
material witness has yet gainsaid the
evidence produced before the coroner's
jury. The Committee on Relief of the
Poor did not produce additional evil
dence, nor did It disprove the original
evidence What Is the actual testi-
mony that has been heard by the grand
jury is largely guessed at. but, judg-
ing from the witnesses who have been
examined 1t Is believed that it diff
| fers very little from that which has
already been given.
| Baby Vaughan's father, a prominent
Norfolk man, was in the city yester
day, but whether he appeared before
| the grand jury could not be learned.
If he did go before the body, no one
save the grand jurors and the Com
monwealth's Attorney was aware OF
| the fact 1t may be that he offered to
| knowledge of any person on the out
side. It's known however, that he
was here. He may be here to-day,
| waiting to be called.
Charges Cnrelessncss.
Another comment on the manage
| Inent of the City Home was made yes
| terday, when the wife of prominent
| official of one of the Virginia counties
wrote that, after she had requested
| that a healthy wet nurse be sent to
her, she received woman and her
child who were both thoroughly dis
\ eased. The woman was examined by
a doctor and she was pronounced un-
: fit for the work. The matter was re-
| ported to two authorities at the home
1 the complainant writes, and she was
rudely treated
(. The woman, she says, was sent out
of the hospital in her presence. Being
then i'll herself she was unable to
carry the matter TO higher authority
j and remained quiet until this investl-
cation. She now relates in detail al.
1 legged rudeness and carelessness at the
1 home, calling the names Of three PEG.
! pie. The story was vehemently de.
MED by the almshouse officials last
/, night.
The Grand Jury.
4 Tho grand jury resumed its work 81
4 10 o'clock yesterday morning. The
witnesses called were Lucy Bowles, tic
negro helper; the male nurse, B. l.
Bradley; Miss Mary Jordan. a helper
DR.. st. Julien Oppenhimer, DIR. Trevil
ian and Mrs, Gregory, superintendent
of maternity home in the city; Mrs
. Cassidy, also a helper at the home.
tive Sergeant Gibson We're called, ant
Will be examined to-day, as will .hr
! Graham B. Hobson, member Of tn
/ Committee on Relief OF the Poor. De
to look into the past history of Mrs
Ethelyn Gaylord. who lived there 70
: some time before she. came to Rich
mond, Much of her history is alread,
: known. 1t is probable that Mrs. Gay
lord will be summoned as witness
She Is up and able to move about, an,
, was seen last night She reiterate,
her former statements, except as t
her husband. who, she has been told
is still living,
Superintendent Davis still clings t
the belief that the child was acct
dentally poisoned He Is greatly wor
ried over the affair. and when seel
last night continued to protest tina
charges of negligence could not be lait
at his door.
The death of little "Muggins'' seem
still to be shrouded In mystery, ant
It may be that the curtain will never
be lifted.
| GOVERNOR 10 HAVE TWO
WEEKS OF COUNTRY LIFE
Governor Swanson announced yes
terday that he expected to spend twt
weeks on his farm in Pittsylvants
Z county, beginning on Wednesday. Thi
IL, the FIRST real vacation he has hat
since lla ha Of an