The Washington herald., 1909-07-10
SEEKING MEDICINE
GIRL TAKES POISON
Victim of Accident Is Hover
ing Near Death.
SWALLOWS MERCURY TABLETS
Miss Matte Cooper, Who Has Re
covered from Nine PerilOus
Operations In Last Three Years,
shocks Family by Her Dangerous
ConditiOn-Mother Angry.

Miss Matte Cooper. nineteen years old.
who has recovered from nine dangerous
operations in the last three years. yester-
day took a dose OF poison by mistake and
nearly died from its effects. The girl
now lies on a cot in Emergency Hospital
lowering between life and death, with
slight chances or recovery.
Miss Cooper returned from the shop
ping district to her home. at 7S5 Second
street northwest. about O'Clock yester-
day afternoon. and complained OF a pain
around her heart At the advice Of her
mother. Mrs. Mollie Cooper. the girl Went
upstairs and lay down on a bed. An hour
elapsed and the pain increased, so Miss
Cooper arose and walked across the room
to dresser. on which were several bot
ties Of medicine
She selected bottle, pulled out the
cork. and emptied seven blue tablets
in the DalIn~2f her hand. She had car
ried glass OF water with her when
she went upstairs. and drinking a part
OF II, she swallowed .he seven tablets
one at a time. Expecting relief from
the pain about her heart. Miss Cooper
lay down on the bed and prepared TO
90 10 sleep
Heard Cry OF Girl.
The family was AT dinner. The meal
was nearly over when Ms. Cooper
grew apprehensive about her daughter.
and called 10 her: How do you feel.
MatJie2" The reply came: 7 feel like
I'm dying" Mrs. Cooper FASTENED up
stairs.
A glance at the girl convinced the
mother that her daughter was serious
ly III. and she asked. Which medicine
did you take?"
Il took the blue pills"
Mrs. Cooper examined the different
bottles on the bureau and finally found
the one containing "the blue pills"
Mrs. Cooper remembered that several
weeks ago her daughter suffered from
a diseased finger. A physician had pre-
scribed the pills with instruction 10 dis
solve them in water and bathe the dis
eased finger in the solution. Further
more. Mrs. Cooper saw the word poison
n big red letters on the side OF the bot
tie. The bottle contained bichloride Of
mercury tablets
Mrs. Cooper's apprehension turned 10
alarm and she called for help Her
daughter was grOaning and writhing in
agony and immediate medical attention
seemed necessary.
Mrs. Cooper later said: I was afraid
20 send for the family physician, for I
knew he would prescribe an operation. I
have sent for him nine times in the last
three years and each time he said an
operation was the only thing. Then they
sent Matte away and sliced her up. So
I sent one Of my boarders with the bot
tie Of blue pills to a drug store. and in
a little while the ambulance came"
Miss Cooper Is so stout that 1t was
necessary for several men to assist in
carrying her from the bedroom 70 the
on the stretcher. The girl
was suffering from hysteria when she
was placed in the ambulance. and a hurry
run was made to Emergency Hospital A
siphOn was used TO relieve her of the
poison but the physicians fear the rene
dies were applied too late TO save her
life She was removed TO a ward, where
a nurse was detailed 10 care for her
during the night. It IS believed that if
she survives until this morning she will
An EyentfuI Life.
Miss Cooper has had an eventful life
W hen only fifteen years old she fell in
love with and married James Jarboe. The
couple were happy for long time, but
marital difficulties arose and the wife
10 obtain a divorce. She re-
sumed her maiden name.
shortly after the marriage Miss Cooper
grew i'll She was removed 10 Sibley
Hospital, where the first operation was
performed. Hardly had she recovered
from the operation when she again be
came sick, and a second operation was
performed. In the last three years she
had spent most of the time IN hospitals
operations and recuperating
from the effects of operations. Physi-
clans declare she is suffering from a
strange internal trouble unknown TO
medical science.
Mrs. Cooper said TO a reporter last
night: Il knew something Of this sort
would happen. The house is overrun with
bottles OF medicine, and II is a wonder
70 me that some one has not taken
poison Tor medicine before this. I am
going 10 gather Up every bottle Of medl-
cine IN the house tomorrow morning and