The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-05-31
BANKERS FIGHT
AGAINST DEATH
PitlabIe Struggle Watched by
Whole Nation.
TOOK POISON BY MISTAKE.

Deadly Mercurial Drug Worked Slowly,
but Surely, While Physicians and
Nurses Tried In Vain to Check Its
Effects, and the Patient and His
Friends Hoped Against Hope.
A real life drama, which caught and 4
held the attention of the nation as per +
haps no play on the boards has ever
done, was the recent struggle Of b. +
Sanders Walker, young banker of
Macon, Ga, against inevitable death.
Mr.. Walker, who was married and
had one little son, took one night
seven grain tablet of bichloride of mer-
curry, installing it for a headache rem
edy The error was not discovered
until several hours later Nothing
then could be done TO counterfeit the
poison, which. if not removed from the
system a short time after it is taken.
defies all medical skill.
Mr.. Walkers first intimation Of trou-
BILE was severe pain which rapidly grew
worse. He called a physician and. aft
er a brief examination. was told as
gently as possible that his death must
ensue within a few days, perhaps with
I in a few hours.
+ Stunned by the fact at first. Mr..
& Walker soon recovered his composure
i and began arranging his business af-
f fairs. He called an attorney and made
+ his will Then lie conferred with bust
Il ness associates. disposing Of all mat
tiers that had been under his direct
supervision. After that he threw his
home open to the citizens of Macon
and held "open house" to bid them all
farewell.
As soon as the nature OF Mr. Wal
ker's illness was discovered the best
physicians available were called to at
tend him. A corps Of nurses also ar
rived at the home, and from that time
on the struggle was on in earnest
Hope of Recovery.
Mr. Walker was repeatedly sweated
in the hope that the poison might be
removed from his system. He was
also given intravenous injections OF
salt water at frequent intervals. and
once in twelve hours the physicians
fed him pint Of olive oil.
There was temporary improve
ment and both Mr. Walker and his
friends began to hope against hope thai
he would throw of the powerful poi
son.
I'll win out yet" he said cheerfuHy
when Informed that his condition hat
improved slightly The physicians in
formed him that no person in his con
dition had been known TO live longe
than twenty-one days after taking tn
poison. but he held to life until the las
ray Of hope was gone.
News of Mr. Walkers valiant BATH
with death was telegraphed to ever,
important city of the country and scat
, tered broadcast by the press. bulletin
) on his condition being sent out twici
. or more each day.
In return from all parts of the ma
ton kilograms We're sent to the Wake
). home by physicians and others VIII,
!, had had experience with similar cases
: From Johns Hopkins medical schoc
!, at Baltimore emanated the suggestion
; that Mr.. Walkers life might be save
If one of his kidneys could be remove,
and replaced by another from the bod,
Of a person recently dead. MercuTia
poison paralyzes the kidneys. the phy
sicians pointed out; hence the onl
hope was TO transplant a healthy OF
gan.
DR.. Alexis Carrel has transplante
the kidneys Of dogs, and the animal
operated on soon recovered DR.. Cal
rel is reported to have said a simila
operation is possible on the huma
body. BY the time that suggestio
reached Macon, however, Mr.. Wake
was so weak that he could not hav
survived the surgical shock of the Of
Grafton.
Beginning of the End.
Gradually the poison did its deadl
work. Mr.. Walker grew weaker, an
his pulse increased to an alarmin
. rate. Still he kept up his courag
n often getting out of bed and going I
II the window to wave TO the friend
% who gathered in great crowds in froI
(. of the house.
> Prayers for Mr.. Walkers recover
ia were offered in all the churches Of NJ
.. con and in many other cities tt
"a vigilance OF the nurses was unrelen
20 Ing. and every suggestion coming fro
; reputable sources was tried by Il
"A physicians in attendance.
NJ Shortly after the last sunset NJ
at Walker was ever to see he called
as nurse to his bed and asked her VIII
il The physicians had said in a whisperC
IN consultation a few minutes earlier.
1e Did they say must die?' he aske
a IF so don't hesitate to tell me. a
n. not afraid to die. 5fy only regret
e that I must leave my family"
:. The nurse, unable to answer his p
L. Rous appeal. turned away. The door