Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-01

in the Sergeants ccuntenance, and the
desperation OF despair Shone III his
china-b!ue eyes, Drumm revealed only
a look of professional disappointment;
his chief concern apparently was that
he had been deprived Of an opportunity
to display his medical skill,
Heath, after shaking hands abSently,
briefly explained the situation
''O,Rrien found the old dame dead
at 9 this morning, and told Sproot
to wigwag TO Doc Drumm. Then she
phoned the bureau, and / notified you
and Dec DcrcmuS, got here Is or 20
minutes ago, and locked up the room. y
Did you inform Won Bion?" Mark
ham asked
Il phoncd him to call of the exam
nation he'd arranged for 10 o'clock
Said I'd communicate with him later,
and hung up before he had time to
ask any questions"
Markham indicated his approval and
turned toward Drumm.
Give us your story, doctor"
Drumm drew himself up, cleared his
throat, and assumed an attitude eal-
culated to be impressive.
II was down stairs in the NarcoSS
dining room eating breakfast when
Hennessey came in and told me the cur
tains had gone down III the reception
room here. So Snatched my outfit and
came over on the run. The butler took
me to the old lady's room, where the
nurse was waiting. But right away
saw 1 was too late to be of any good,
She was dead-contorted, blue. and cold
and rigor morris had set in Died OF
a bis dose Of strychnine Probably didn't
suffer mueh-exhaustion and coma
came inside Of half an hour, I'd say.
Too old. you understand, to throw it
of Old people succumb to strychnine
pretty swiftly :"
What about her ability to cry out
and give the alarm
"Ycu can't tell The spasm may have
rendered her mute. Anyway no one
heard her Probably passed into uncon-
seriousness after the first seizure. My
experience with such cases has taught
me"
What time would you say the
Strychnine was taken?"
Well, now, you can't tell exactly
Drumm became oracular. THE con-
WILSON'S may have been prolonged be-
fore death Supervened, or death may
have supervened very shortly after the
poison was swallowed"
AT what hour, then, would you fix
the time OF death?"
There again YOU can't say definitely.
Confusion between rigor morris and the
phenomenon of cadaveric spasm is
pttfall into which many doctors fall
There are, however, distinct points of
disSimilarity-"
No doubt" Markham was growing
impatient with Drumm's sophomore
pedantries, But leaving all explana-
ton to one SIDE what time do you
think Mrs. Greene died?"
Drumm pondered the point.
Roughly, let us say, at this morn
ing"
And the strychnine might have
taken as early as IL or 1872"
ITS possible"
Anyhow. wen know about 1t when
Doc Doremus gets here" asserted Heath
with brutal frankness. He was in vi
clous mood that morning
Did you find any glass or cup by
which the drug might have been ad-
ministered. doctor9" Markham fastened
to ask, by way OF covering up Heath's
remark.
There was glass near the bed with
what appeared to be sulphate crystals
adhering to the sides OF It,"
"But wouldn't fatal dose of Strych-
nine make an ordin'ry drink notice
ably bitter?" Vance had suddenly be-
come alert.
Undoubtedly. But there was a bot
tie of citrocarbonate-a well known
sntacid-on the night table; and If
the drug had been taken with this, the
taste would not have been detected
Citrocarbonate Is slightly saline and
highly effervescing.'
Gould MRS. Greene have taken the
citrocaTbonate alOne?"
TITS not likely. 1t has to be care
fully mixed with water, and the oper-
alton would be highly awkward for any
one in bed.
''Now, that's most interestin'" Vance
hstlessly lighted a cigarette. I'VE may
presume, therefore, that the person
who gave Mrs. Greene the citrocarbon-
ate also administered the strychnine."
He turned to Markham. II think Miss
O'Brien might be able TO help u.s."
Heath went at once and summoned
the nurse
But her evidence was unilluminating
She had left Mrs. Greene reading about
ii O'Clock, had gone TO her own room