Evening journal., 1922-04-12
INQUIRY into
CHILD'S DEATH
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a member of the First Church OF
Christ. Scientist. in Wilmington.
Mr.. and Mrs. dupont told the
story OF their sons Illness and sud
den death. last night.
There has been a lot said IN this
case that is not true" Mr.. DUPONT
said. Here IS the true story:
Il fear very much that my boy
was beyond saving when he reached
Philadelphia. He was taken sick
while he was in the country. but we
did not think Il was very serious.
Thursday night. March 20. we
brought him TO Philadelphia; he
was very III then. and l am afraid,
beyond hope OF recovery.
1T was not diagnosed as dip
iberia on Friday night as they say.
We engaged Doctor Thacher be-
cause he was a homeopath. and we
believe in homeopathy. Later we
brought in some Christian scient-
lists.
But there was absolutely no in
reference. I want that understood.
The Christian Scientists did not in
terfere with the medical physicians
in the slightest. I don't know
whether we did right or not. but we
did what we thought was right. And
IL grieves and harrows us that all
this controversy should rage over
the death Of our SON"
Mrs. dupont acquiesced in every
thing her husband said, emphasizing
by repeating herself that there had
been mo Interference"
DR.. c. Lincoln Furbush, director
OF health and DR.. a. A. Cairns, chief
medical Inspector. started an investi-
cation following report OF the boy
death. Both stated last night that a
letter is being prepared asking the
city solicitor to give an opinion as to
what action should be taken.
Director Furbush presided at the
meeting Of the board. He asked DR..
Thacher If any culture had been
taken from the boys throat and DR..
Thacher replied that Il had not. as
many cases Of diphtheria clear up
without difficulty. DR.. Thacher is a
homeopath.
IAN amazing statement" said Di-
rector Furbush.
Am / on the defensive here ?"
asked DR.. Thacher. II came here
to help the board. II I am on the
defensive I want a lawyer"
you certainly are on the de-
fensive," said DR.. Alexander c. Alb
bott. a member Of the board.
DR.. Thacher was questioned as to
whether the boy had received the
anti-toxin treatment and he re-
piled that this treatment Is not rec
ognized throughout the medical pro-
fession.
The board called in DR.. Raue, o
the Hahnemann Medical College
faculty, who testified that homeo-
paths use the anti-toxin treatmen
and that its use is taught at Hahne
mann College.
Mr.. DUPONT made a brief state
ment to the board. but his wife, VIII
was present. was not called upon b
DR.. Abbott. Their counsel, Frank
lin S. Edmonds took no part in tn
proceedings except TO offer an oh
lection TO one line OF questioning.
my son became m on Thursday
March 80. and was put 10 bed" MI
DUPONT said. He did not seem TO b
seriously III and slept all that night
After / looked at his throat on Fri
day I called up Dr. Mullen on tn
telephone. He came up from VIII
mington and called DR.. Thachei
The boys condition seemed to I'm
prove and the medicine was stop
ped. The mex tday DR.. Thacher toll
me my son was seriously III and sug
gested a consultation. Then I calle,
DR.. Allen. the only physician I kney
in Philadelphia.
Mrs. Maia Waller, the Christian Sci
once nurse. also was a witness. She wa
asked what precautions were takeI
to prevent the disease from spread
ing and she said everything abou
the siclyroom was kept clean ant
no. outsiders admitted.
Il am a Christian Science nurse.
she added. IN response to a ques
ton as to whether she was reg
istered nurse. She said she had re-
ceived no instructions TO administer
medicine 10 the boy.
"The whole thing is very unfor
tunate," Doctor Thacher said las
night Il believe the Board o
Health has a wrong conception o
my status in the case.
Il reported the case Just as sooi
as I was convinced that It was diph
theria. irrespective Of what tn
board says"
Doctor Thacher added that he ha
placed the facts in the hands OF Nj
Weaver.
The report presented by DR.. Cairn
was made after a three days invest
cation. and goes into considerab
detail The substance OF It IS d
Howard Childs Carpenter. 1St
Spruce street. reported the illness
the dupont child 20 the Bureau
Health on April /. at o'clock
the evening.
An operation on the throat wou
be Immediately necessary. DR.. Ca
penter said. and he suggested tn
the ambulance from the hospital
sent Immediately with DR.. S. S.
Woody. medical director. accoi
panying it. That was done. ]
Woody learned the child had be
III three days. DR.. Cairns report'
and that the child was in the m,
desperate condition suffering WI
tonsllar and laryngeal diphtherii
The operation was performed. a lar
dose Of antitoxin administered. I
the boy died early Sunday mornii
nine hours after admission TO I
hospital.
Investigation conducted by
Cairns on the early history Of I