Evening star., 1954-12-08
Drugs Halted
Month Before
Boy'sDeath
Medical Data Heard
At Murder TriuI of
Alexandria Mother
BY Mary Lou Werner

ID 1lGdl lIlB ttlC CdcC WlUAlOUt o
jury at the request of Defense
William Moncure.
Highlights of Testimony.
Medical testimony consumed
the entire first day Of the trial
yesterday. Highlights Of prose-
cution testimony produced by
Commonwealth's Attorney Earl
Wagner were:
l. Wallace never received bar
biturates from doctors or nurses
attending him in Alexandria
Hospital after october 13, 1852
2. An analysis of the dead
boys organs showed barbiturate
poisoning caused his death.
3. The amount Of barbiturates
found in Wallace's body was
more than sufficient to cause
death and was more than a pre-
scribed dose.
4. At least four doctors exam
ined and cared for Wallace dur
ing his stay in Alexandria Hos
pital just preceding his death
but were unable to account for
his dizziness, stomach aches and
other symptoms. They concluded
he had not suffered any brain
injury in the fall Mrs. Payne
blamed for his illness.
5. Barbiturates we're prescribed
for Mrs. Payne by her physician.
Drug store records showed that
q prescription for "a capsules
was filled for a Mrs. P. r.
Payne on November 4, 1852.
I Twice in Hospital.
The medical history of Wal
lace was carefully explored by
commemorative Attorney Wag-
iler. It began with the boys ad-
mission to Alexandria Hospital
on August Is, 1862, after he fell
down a fight of stairs at horne.
He was released 10 days later
the wound on his scalp appar-
emily having healed. Four days
later, he was readmitted in a
coma. He was released the Sec
ond time on November II and
died eight days later.
DR.. James w. Watts, Wash
ington brain surgeon and pro-
fessor of neuro-surgery at
George Washington University.
testified he was called into the
case by DR.. Charles Amole of
Alexandria when Wallace was
brought back to the hospital in
a coma. DR.. Watts said he per-
formed a spinal tap to see If
Wallace had any brain injury
but found no evidence of dam
age.
"Dr. Amole and ! decided we
still could not exclude the pos
sibility the boy had a clot." said
DR.. Watts. I'VE performed an
exploratory brain operation"
The surgeon described the ex-
animation in detail, and said 1t
produced no evidence of any
brain clot. He said he concluded
that the boy had a cerebral
edema, which is a swelling of
the brain. Under croSs-examina-
ton, he conceded that a severe
brain swelling could cause death.
DR.. Watts said he prescribed
barbiturates for Wallace but that
his prescription was discontin-
ued on September 26, 1852.
Dismissal Advised.
DR.. Peter Murphy, another
brain surgeon, who was called
into the case while DR.. Watts
was out OF town, testified he
recommended the discharge o1
Wallace from Alexandria Hos.
pital on November IL, 1852. Hi
said an electrical analysis o.
Wallace's brain indicated 1t wa
normal and that he saw M
reason for the boy to remain a
the hospital.
DR.. &C. E. Annette, the Payne
family physician, who attended
Wallace from birth, told tn
court he was out of town wfel
the boy first was brought to th'
hospital and did not see hin
until some time after the fal
when Wallace was a patient a
the hospital.
"Dr. Amole told me the DO.
had unusual symptoms ant
asked me to see if I though
Wallace had appendicitis" sai'
DR.. Annette. He decided Wal
lace did not have appendicitis
and concluded the boys troubl
might be gastroiditis. In answe
to a question by Mr.. Wagner, h
said the same symptoms nigh
be produced by barbiturates.
"We ran repeated tests-evel
for typhoid fever" said DR.. Ar
nette. "I must admit ! was puz
zled."
DR.. Annette said he consulte,
DR.. Murphy when Wallace ap
parently had improved enougl
4 to 60 home.
Didn't you call in DR.. Muir
ply because the hospital wa
very disturbed at having the DO
there?" asked Mr.. Moncure.
DR.. Annette replied that on
of the reasons he did not dis
charge Wallace without callin
In another physician for con
sultation was that he had hear
about litigation in which Mr.
Payne sued another doctor.
I'VE wanted to make SUI
there was nothing wrong wit
him before we let him CO." sal
DR.. Annette.
DR.. Annette. testified that, I'll
night before Wallace died, Mr.
Payne called and said her so