The Poole Telegram. — 1883-08-03 (Poole, Dorset, England)

SAD DEATH OF AN AGED SURGEON. On Thursday an inquest was held at Woolwich by Mr. IC. A. Carter, coroner for Kent, on the body of Mr. William Francis Purland, who was at one tune the parochial medical officer, but had been bog superannuated. He bad,. however, notwithstanding some physics' incapacites carried on his professional duties until the last. His eldest daughter, who assisted him as dispenser and accompauied him on his visite, said that he was 82 years of age, and had beau very feeble and suffered from giddis nem and pains in the head. Ile was also partially blind and nearly deaf, but he was remarkably active for his tears. On Wednesday morning, at 20 minutes to nine, she saw him in bed, and he spoke of his intention to visit a sick child, but an hour after wards she found him still In bed and quite dead. Three bottles labelled" hydrocyanic were on a table near the bed. They had not come antra and she did not know that he had them from his sure, had no troubl 3 other than his in hia possession. ha - "ii income.—The sister of infirmities, and could live on ^rridence Henry this witness having given corroborative Wilcox, a surgeon, said that all the bottles had c... b? prussic acid, of which a small quantity remained In erica. The strength of the acid was four per cent. to 96 per cent. of water, and a teaspoonful would cause death in two minutes and insensibility in ten or twenty seconds.—A letter addressed to the coroner, and found in the deceased's room, was as follows:—' Sir,—Whilst I can see I will tell all my troubles. Because lam old-82 years—because I am partly deaf ha both ears, blind in my right eye, and almost blind in my left eye, which was operated on three years ago at Guy's, people will not employ me. It is cruel, unkind, and I may starve. Then the cheap dispensaries are robbing rue daily of patients. Then the horrid noises and rattling of carte upset my brain and nervous system so that lam miserable. Then lam eyed' and followed and watched by the police every day, why I do not know, until my life is wretched. the idea of goingi blind, to be dressed, led about, and fed, like a child I Death is preferable, and the grave. May God forgive me! To end my troubles I have taken poison, prussic acid. The bottles containing it will be found, so there will be no occasion to cut about and open my body. Let it go to the grave entire. Pray do, God bless you and everybody. By means of glasses given me at the Hospital, I have managed to scrawl this.—W. F. PimLAND, Surgeon, &c."—Police-constable Hogue, coroner's officer, said the idea that deceased was watched by the police was a delusion. The coroner said the letter appeared to have been written some time, and had no date. A verdict was returned of "Suicide through mental aberration and infirmity arising from old age."  It is necessary, during hot weather, to advoid beverages Ikely to beat or stimulate the system. OJ,COa. deprived of the superfluoue oil, and guaranteed absolutely pure, is a most soothing, sustaining, and refreshing beverage. Be sure that you get Cadbury's Cocas Eseenea when you ark for it, as imitations are of ten pushed by shopkeepers for the sake of extra profit. Makers by special appointment to the Queen.