The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05
WOMAN ATTEMPTS M
 TO COMMIT SUICIDE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE D

by Dr. F. A. vanarsdale, the physician who attended Mrs. Vermilya during her recent illness, and who prescribed for tht ] policeman before the latters death, fol l the first time furnished a direct connec- l ton between the widow and the last oi | the nine deaths that have occurred be- 1 meath her roof during the past IS years 1 1Or. Vanarsdale made the assertions after 1 he had made preliminary examinations oi 1 the contents of q can supposed to con- l tain pepper. and which, used to season l some food ordered by the woman today | brought on sharp illness that at D. m | threatened death. and which left her in 1 a grave condition for hours afterwards i The physician explained:
 "I treated Bissonnette. and the symp- l toms clearly were of gastro enteritis SC l far as reactions showed. No idea of ar | sencal poinsong. of course. occurred to me, and it would be detected only by l chemical test if administered in small quantities.
 To-day Mrs. vermilya, who I also at | tended, objected to the black pepper served with the eggs She told the nurse | there was some white pepper in talcum 1 box which she had converted into pep | per shaker and the nurse, smelling Il | to make sure it was pepper. gave it to | Mrs VeImilya, upon noting it's customary 1 odor. Soon the patient became sick and was sent for. Having read of arsenic l in connection with the case my attention | naturally was called to symptoms show l ing that mineral poison. an irritant, l had been taken. took the so called l pepper to a drug store and made solu- 1 ton test of it. also of arsenical salts | Poth acted the same, and hurried back and washed out her stomach.
 "The symptoms of Bissonnette and
 much that seemed peculiar about his case l then looked clear. What then thoughl was an individual resentment of his sys- l tenn to particular foods-there being noth- | ing to call ones attention to any though' I Of deliberately administered poison-noW l indicates to my mind that arsenic wal
 being mixed In all the food we gave him
 Mrs Vermilya nursed Bissonnette and
 was a constant attendant l will leave ! to anyone his own conclusions as to wht | administered the arsenic, especially ii view of the days incidents
 1 The physician said that While he hat given the woman severe treatment tf counteract the effect of the poison, there 1 was still possibility of death because
 of the absorption of poison before the treatment was applied, and because o | her weakened condition due to previous l illness.
 Mrs. Louise yermilya. who yes terday was named in warran | charging murder, as sequel t' the deaths of Patrolman Arthur Bisson nette and eight other persons who In thu last IS years lived unf ,r her roof wal
 watched closely today by physicians, wht feared Ter death at any time.
 1 When eggs were served to the woman rodav by the police nurse, who was watch ing her pending her recovery from ar illness she objected to the black peppe | with which they were to be seasoned. 'In the pantry there Is some whit'
 pepper in paper bag she told th' nurse. 'I'd prefer some of that if I nigh have it.' ~
 The nurse, by the oaor of the high colored substance in the bag. determined
 if was pepper and allowed Mrs. Vernllv' 1 some of it.. Soon after she became Il and at p. m., death seemed near Doe tors were called and the contents of he stornach taken for an analysis,
 Under antidotes she recovered from thu effects of the supposed poison--for the DO lire were convinced she had mixed yer l min roison with the peppe~-though sh l remained weak from the severity of tn ,,casures of the physicians to preven | death. | The pepper" was taken to q druggist
 who. after an examination. told the polio
 he believed the contents was mixed ar senical rat poison. The remainder Q ire compound was sent to city chemist
 Physicians who attended her say sh gave all indications of having ta'-en poi son and the incident has pointed to
 new possibility of the method by whic