The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1909-05-05
DIR. KOCH DAMAGE SUIT is
BEING CAREFULLY TRIED
Senator Peterson for the Plaintiff and E. E. Mcdonald
for the Defendant, Arrayed Against Each Other
Case Attracting Much Attention.

lived block from the hospital IN
Blackjack; where the doctor made
his home; had been called to at
tend young Johnson on March S, '08
and diagnosed his ailment as ton
solitis, which he treated with local
applications and a gargle.
There was no talk first day or
night of diphtheria; had visited the
patient next day and regularly until
Johnson died, early following Mon
day morning; Johnson's throat had
grown steadily worse, but doctor
would not state that there had been
talk of diphtheria until nearly the
last day the sick boy was alive;
the doctor stated he had changed
remedies on Saturday: that there
had been swelling of tonsils, but
were no patches or spots on tonsils;
uvula was normal; had lanced tom
sils, and patient experienced some
relief; boy had not slept any, walked
about house; could not recall that
Oscar had at any time mentioned
diphtheria, believed he had not;
while remedies had been changed
Saturday, had not entirely changed
diagnosis of case as being tonstlitis;
gave patient nothing for sleepless-
ness, except local applications and
gargle to relieve pain, so patient
might sleep; gave strycbnine Satur-
day.
Senator Peterson asked the wit
ness if Mrs. Johnson had not ques-
toned him relative to the saliva
being in danger of checking Oscar,
if he were given anything for Sleep
lessness, to which the doctors stated,
after an objection of counsel had
been overruled, that he did not
recall any such talk.
Attorney for plaintiff had the wit
ness explain the manner in which
anti toxin was administered with the
aid of a sample of diphtheric serum
which was shown.
The doctor stated that he had
administered anti toxin to the pa
tient, for diphtheria, changing the
diagnosis of the ailment from ton
silitis to diphtheria. but could not
recall that anyone was present
when the anti toxin wasadministered;
this was on Saturday; did not tell
members of family that he had
changed diagnosis; told them after
death of patient, early Sunday
morning; had made a report to DR..
Bracken, chairman State Board of
Health, each night treatment was
made.
Court adjourned until 9 O'Clock
this morning.
The trial of the Koch case was
resumed when court convened this
morning and the cross-examination
of DR.. Koch was again taken up by
Senator Peterson.
The senator questioned the doctor
again as to the time of administering
the doses of anti toxin during the
illness of Oscar Johnson and was
told that the remedy was given on
Saturday, between the hours of 2 and
4 in the afternoon, and again that
night at about IL. The doctor
stated that he had said nothing to
any OF the JohnSon'S about having
given the anti toxin until after the
death of Oscar.
The examination was continued
along the line of establishing how
often the injections were given, OF
what strength they were and whether
anything else had bean injected
besides anti toxin, the doctor telling
that he had also injected strychnine,
the latter having been administered
to strengthen the action of the heart.
Sunday night (the night of the death
of Johnson) he had administered
digilitis and glycerine.
Senator Peterson persisted in
bringing out the particulars of every
movement connected with the ad.
ministering of the anti toxin and all
other medicines, and closely ex.
amined the doctor as to the effects
of the anti toxin on toxine diphtheria;