New Britain herald., 1929-05-16
ClEvHAND DEATH
 TOTAL NOW IS l2O.
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carried out dead and injured. wrap ped them in blAAkets and laid them In rows on the lawns. They spread life nets to catch those leaping to safety. Doctors gave first aid treat ment and ambulances carried the victims to hsspttals.
 Dr. Qsle Asads Rescue Work
 Dr. George Csaie. noted surgeon and head of the clinic, rushed from the operating room Of the clinic hos pital nearby and took charge Of the medical aid. Whitehead but calm. this wartime surgeon, decorated by many allied governments. direct cd the giving of first aid and the pouring. of oil on those burned.
 All through the day he labored and at night transferred his activi- ties to the hospitals, to which the injured had been taken.
 As night fell. the morgue became the principal seat of tragedy. The bodies taxed the limits of this drab. gray structure. Police kept back tho curious and permitted only relatives to view the lead.
 Shrieks rose when wives. mothers and sisters identified kin. The hoarse cries of husbands, fathers and brothers broke in now and again.
 Among the Dead
 Among the dead were Dr. Charles E. Locke, brain specialist and Dr. Edgar Hunter and Dr. H. J. John. both experts on the clinic stan. Several nursese lost their lives. One minutes they were the chief reliance of scores seeking life and health. The next minute they, like their pa- tients, were .bereft of both because of the X-ray, m instrument Of their science.
 J. Barker Smith, secretary-man- ager of the Cleveland Athletic club and president of the National Asso- citation of Club Managers. was an- other of those killed. ...
 Dr. Carl Helwig bent over . cot at Mt. Sinai hospital to treat a vic- tim of the explosion. The victim was dead. It was his wife. technt- elan at the Clinic hospital.
 Patrolman Ernest Staab made the supreme sacrifice. He was one Of the first to run into the blazing clinic. He emerged carry a man near death. A pulmoter was used on the man and he was expected to recover.
 Hero Pays the Price
 staab went back again and again. Some said he carried 21 persons from the building. He drove po- lice car into the rear yard of hos pital. helped carry in those rescued. and then collapsed. He died several hours later.
 Mrs. w. l.. Spellman of Forest. Ohio, sat in an automobile outside the clinic waiting for her husband who had entered to make an ap- pointment for her a few minutes before the first explosion.
 T guess he is in there helping; he is 90 helpful" she said.
 Police did not tell her the truth that Spellman was one of the dead. en.
 Mrs. Cory D. Bishop. 30. of St. Joseph. Mo-. was found dead out side the building. She had been in Dr. Charles Thopmson's office. Dr. Thompson helped another patient to escape and then turned to hne Mrs. Bishop sone, She is believed to have leaped from | window.
 Walter Adams. superintendent of the clinic, was among the first to stagger into the street-his clothing ablaze. He was in a serious con- dition today from burns.
 Among the other physicians who lost their lives in the explosion were Dr. John Berrello. Dr. Ray A. Brint- nall and Dr. Harry Addison.
 Coroner's Opinion
 Coroner Pearse. in an effort to determine what caused the skin of the victims to turn yellow, had blood tests from three bodies made last night.
 He reported that the blood show ed heavily of both hydrocyanic acid kas and bromine acid Ixas (bromide gaO.
 Dr. Pearse expressed belief that the poison from either of the gases was of sufficient quantity to cause quick death. He said 1t was apparent that many of the patients in the clinic died from fright. Those who died from the poison gas bubbled at the nose and emitted mucus from the mouth. he said.
 Dr. B. s. Klein of the Mt. Sinai staff made other blood tests for Dr. f Pearse. They concurred in their opinions. the coroner said. The hy- drocyanic gas and bromide gas, Dr. Pearse said, were evidently formed by the combustion of X-ray films.
 An of1icial statement made by Dr. l Grille and Dr. Lower, for the clinic. said: we have at this time no ex- act knowledge of how the disaster occurred"
 Dr. Pearse in statement de- clared:
 "As far as I have gone into the l investigation l feel that it was . ease of pure accident
 Death was caused in most cases l by poisonous fumes inhaled by the victims and in some cases from | ahock.
 There are reports that a steam | litter with . blow torch was work | ing near the room where the X-ray ! films were stored and other similar | reports have reached me that I in. tend to 60 into thoroughly.
 II have received results of tests | made by doctors which satisfy me | as to the cause of the deaths and must now determine if there was any criminal neglect which could | have caused the first explosion.
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