The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-09
Coroner Finds No Trace
Of Poison in Body
of Infant.
DECIDES, HOWEVER,
TO HOLD INQUEST
Examination Will Be Delayed
Until Result of Chemical An
alysis Is known -Baby's
Strange Death Not Under
stood by Physicians.
Nurse to Appear.

In an enort TO determine what
strange malady or what means caused
the death at o'clock yesterday morn
ing in the Memorial Hospital of Shirley
Carter Nelson. the nine months old
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Robert Bur
rell Nelson, an autopsy was performed
yesterday afternoon by Coroner Taylor
and Drs. E. H. Terrell and C. A. Blan-
ton.
The autopsy proved negative in char
acter, but Coroner Taylor deemed 1t
wise to conduct tho investigation fur
Their, and decided TO hold an Inquest at
$3.50 o'clock this afternoon.
To Get Chemical Analysis.
The contents of the childs stomach
ere in his hands and VIII be examined
for possible traces or some opiate
poison. and as the chemical analysts
Will take two or three days. the cor
oner's Jury viii be adjourned after be-
ing assembled TO hear what evidence
may be introduced until DR.. Taylor
has completed his analysis.
The infant was taken out for an air
ing at $3.50 O'Clock Monday morning
by her nurse. Sophie Brody, OF 30l
Preston Street, and was brought back
at 1890 o'clock. Soon after Mrs Nell
ron saw that the child was asleep, and
on account OF the glazed appearance OF
her eyes she stated, attempted TO
arouse her. Her efforts were unavatl-
Ing. and then. thoroughly alarmed, she
called in Dr. Terrell. DR. Terrell was
also unable 10 awake the infant, ana
he called in DR.. Blanton. n specialist
In chldren's diseases
Hurried TO Memorial.
Even then it was impossible to do
ANYTHING. aud after a consultation IL
was determined 70 take her to the Me-
mor!a. Hospital for treatment Mrs.
Nelson held the baby in her arms as
she was driven rapidly 10 the hospital,
and remained al the bedside for a short
kline. Physicians worked unavailingly
for some hours, but she never awak-
ened from the coma into which she had
settled.
DE- BlantoE thought that the clrcun,-
stances were sufficiently suspicious for
action by the coroner, and he notified
Coroner Taylor. a thorough autopsy
was performed at o'clock yesterday
afternoon, but there were no traces of
poison though many opiates work their
results without leaving noticeable eff
fecis on the organs OF the body and
in order 10 satisfy himself and the
two physicians who had been called in
and to allay suspicion. Coroner Taylo:>
decided TO examine the contents OF the
stomach, which had been carefully pre-
served. II was thought tha; the child
may have suffered from some affection
of the brain, as II had been noticed to
place Its hand TO the back OF the head.
ns II in pain. several days ago But
the brain appeared to be in normal
condition. as were the other organs OF
the body,
Baby Part Heir TO Estate
Mr.. and Mrs. Nelson. who are STAYING
Mt tho Guerrant Hotel have been in
the city three months, coming here from
New York Mr.. Nelson is originally
from Lynchburg. and is 4 certified ac-
countant by occupation. Mrs Nelson.
whose maiden name was Florence
Lieoes. is from California. though she
IS we'll connected in Richmond. She
stated last night that she and her hus-
band intended TO make their home, in
Richmond. as the little baby was para
heir to the Wormeley estate, her in
terest amounting to about $4,000 The
Inheritance. explained Mrs. Nelson, was
bequeathed directly TO the child.
Mrs. Nelson complained last night
about what she thought the unneces-
sary publicity which had been given
TO the death of her child. She thought
that the doctors had been bafF,ed in
trying to discover the disease which
had afflicted little Shirley. and haS
therefore asked for a coroner's inoues1
Nurse to Appear mt Inqucst.
1T was only a sudden and tragic
death of little baby" she said, and
they didn't know the cause" She
stated that they had drawn more than
an ounce of blood from the child be-
fore death. and thought death might
have resulted from physical exhaustion
as well as from anything else. No
suspicion attaches to the nurse who
has expressed willingness to appear
before the noroner's jury and to tell
all she knows. The child is said to
have been exceptionally healthy and
beautiful,
The Nelson's have been arried three
years. and Shirley was their only child.