The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-02-26
Sent Bichloride of Mer-
curry When Doctor
Ordered Calomel.
CORONER TO HOLD
INQUEST TODAY,
Robert LeMasurier, Four Years
Old, Victim of Blunder, Which
Druggist Tried to Rectify.
Father Horror-Stricken
After Giving Poison
to Son.

misunderstood prescriptions de-
lirercd over the telephone caused tho
dcatlt early yesterday morning Of
fouryeur- Robert LcnIasuricr, son
OF Captain and Mrs. Joseph LeMasu-
ricr OF 1927 West Franklin Street.
DR.. II. w. Gee, OF 41G East Grace Street,
who had been treating the child for
minor stomach disorder. telcphoned
a prescription for calomcl powders to
the pharmacy OF !. =. Fletcher, 26o1
Park Avenue. The message was re-
cciyed by r. w. McCrcary, twenty
two years old, an assistant registered
pharmacist. who misunderstood DIR.
Gee, and prepared six doses Of bi-
chloride of mercury.
The poison was administered to the
boy at intervals OF half an hour by
his father, and caused his death,
though heroic efforts were made by
physicians To save his life AS soon
as the child died DIR. Gee reported the
case To Coroner William II. Taylor,
who viii make a thorough inquiry into
the affair this morning at 10 o'clock,
when lac Will hold an inquest at the
city Hal.
Tclcphoncd for CnIomel
Dr. Gee said last night that he had
hccn treating the child for several
days. and had written numerous pre-
acriptiona FOR him. On all written
prescriptions he said. he wrote For
Baby LcMasuricr." ION Monday" he
said. II wished to give the little fel-
low calomcl. and phoned Flctcher's
drug store. I prescribed two grains
of calomcl with six grains OF sac
chirnted pcpsin, to be prepared In six
powders, or doses, and to be given
every twenty or thirty minutes until
he do 70
were delivered at the LeAIasurier
home about noon Monday. and were
given tho child according to my in
structiona. After swallowing three,
afterwards learned, he vomitcd them
UP, but this was not regarded AS
strange, and the others were given
him.
Later in the afternoon" DR.. Gee
continued. "AIr. Fletcher tcieplioncd me
that his clerk had told him OF the pre-
scription he had prepared and wanted
10 know whether had ordered corrosive
suhliinatc or bichloridc of mercury
When 7 was Informed that this was
what had been delivered At the Le-
Mnsurier home was horror stricken
and rushed there with all haste. T
called DR.. st. George r. Grnnan into
consultation. We washed out the
stomach of the child. but our only hope
was that he had not retained sufficient
poison to result fatally. About $50
be recovering from the effects OF the
mercury. left the house, but re-
turned an hour later ana remained
with the patient until he died. Just
about daybreak. I then reported the
matter to Coroner Taylor"
Coroner Views Body.
DR.. Taylor viewed the body and EN-
paneled jury, which also saw the body
yesterday afternoon at ) o'clock. and
will conduct the inquiry into the case
-, .G-r
OF whom will be DIR. Gee. DR. Grinnan
Mr. Fletcher and McCreary were sum
moned to be present ut the inquest by
Detective-Sergeant Wiley, who was de-
tailed to investigate the case.
Had ] been In the store when Dr.
Gee tclcphoned his prescription this
fatal error would never have occurred"
said Mr.. Fletcher to a reporter for The
Times Dispatch. However, 1 had am
pie reason to place implicit confidence
in McCreary, who has been in my en-
ploy in this and other drug stores 7
own for about six years He passed
the examination Of tho State Board Of
Pharmacy about eighteen months ago
and came up to ali requirements as an
assistant registered pharmacist.
II returned to the store about two
hours after McCreary had prepared and
delivered the prescription. He ap-
peared worried about it and told me
what DR.. Gee had ordered Knowing
the medicine was intended for Captain
I.eMasuricr's child was terror
stricken when he said he had made up
doses Of onc-third Of grain of BIZ
chloride OF mercury. I did not lose n
minute in telcphoning DR.. Gee of the
mistake.
misunderstood Dr. Gee.
McCreary, who has almost col
lapsed on account of his error, told
me that he understood DR.. Gee to say
bichlorde of mercury, but think
san coli sr,,iyI ,t,I do ff.l, is,
a term for calomel. The formulas are
similar. McCrcary did not know the
doses were for a child, but thought
they were for an adult Dr.. Gee not
telling him II was intended for baby.
Tho dose of mercury for an adult Is
one quarter of grain, but thinking
to be on the safe side, McCreary cut
this to one eighth"
Don't you think the practice of
tclcphoning prescriptions to druggists
one which is apt to cause errors%'
Mr.. Fletcher was asked.
"I most assuredly do" he replied "I
think 1t is deplorable practice, which
should he stopped. It has time and
again caused me. and other druggists.
/ know, considerable trouble. I have
had several narrow escapes from
making errors, until this time
"I am certain that my clerk tool,
every precaution in preparing the
powders, and don't believe he was
careless. This error was caused. in
my opinion, by tragic mistake in
pronunciation and hearing over tho
telephone. All that now lies In my
power to do lis to toll tho facts in the
case as / know them, and that 1 will
do at tho coroners inquest"
To Seek All Possible Light.
Tho case, DR.. Gee told DR.. Taylor.
was ono he could not allow to pass
without consulting him. DR.. Taylor
lost no time in starting his inyestga-
- iE6,nfira1i ON Sauanfh pa ra -