The Pontypridd District Herald and Rhondda Valley, Llantrisant, Caerphilly, and Mountain Ash News. — 1891-08-01 (Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

POISONING AT A TEMPERANCE HOSPITAL.  On Monday evening Dr. G. Danford Thomas held an inquest at St. Pancras Coroner's-court, London on the body of Ellen Gertsch, aged thirty. seven, the wife of a Swiss waiter, residing at Silver-street, Soho, who died at the Temperance Hospital, Hampstead-road, after taking there a quantity of sulphuric acid. The evidence showed that the deceased suffered from alcoholism, and on medical advice she was taken to the Temperance Hospital by her husband. A day or two later Mrs. Brown, a patient, said that the deceased "had taken something from a bottle," and it was then found that Mrs. Gertaoh had, while in bed, stretched out her hand and seized a bottle containing sulphuric acid, from among a number of other bottles, also holding poisons. all of which were used for testing purposes. The bottles stood openly upon a table, and could be reached by the patients. The deceased having possessed herself of the sulphuric mid bottle removed the stopper, and drank the contents, replacing the stopper and the bottle upon the table before the nurse, Miss Pratt, could get to her. —Replying to S., solicitor, the nurse said the bottles containing testing poisons (of which there were seven) were not labelled "poison," and she. had deemed the manner in which they were openly exposed dangerous. When she first went to the hospital she expressed her fears to Mr. Wright, a member of the house committee, and to others, bit the bottles remained upon the table as before—Margaret Tabour, night nurse, said the deceased had informed her that "she had drunk out of the small bottle to poison herself."—Dr. James Edmunds, senior physician at the hospital, said that he was unaware of the poisons which were openly kept on the ward tables within reach of the patients, and he certainly considered the tasting poisons should be kept under look and key.--The jury returned • verdict of suicide while of unsound mind, with the following rider :—" And the jury, having in evidemo that certain bottles containing poisons are kept on tables in the wards, for g purposes, and that such bottles are not under look and key, would recommend the hospital authorities to carefully consider the matter, with a view to placing such bottles in safe custody."  A gunner of the Royal Marine Artillery named Michael Dillon shot himaelf the other morning at Portsmouth.  ----Boring the temporary absence of the proprietor of a money-changer's office at Southampton, oome thieves effected an entrance into the place, and purloined £3,700 worth of French bank notes. The proprietor of the establishment detected the loss immediately he returned to business, and at once communicated with the police, but up to the present no clue has been obtained. Mormonism in Utah seems to be on the "down grade.' The School Board election has just been held in Salt Lake City, and though the Mormons made a desperate effort to capture the board, the Liberals (as the anti-Mormon party is °ailed) carried six out of ten by large majorities, and even where the Liberal candidates lost the Mormon majorities were considerably reduced. There was great enthusiasm all over the city when the result was made known. 1-=1  itUnla: