The Warrington Examiner. — 1870-04-23 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

WOMAN FOUND DYING IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE. A middle-aged woman named Grace Gabbott, who had been housekeeper to Mr. John Berrie, Cromwell House, Blackpool, since Christmas last, left that watering place on Monday evening, at eight o'clock, for Manchester. She was accompanied to the railway station by another female, named Winstanley, and at that time appeared to have had some drink. When the train arrived at Poulton, 15 miles from Preston, she should have changed carriages, but Mr. Carter, the station master, saw that she was unable to move, and would not , allow her to proceed on her journey. He and one of the porters lifted her out of the carriage, and romoved her to a waiting room • and as she seemed to be in great pain, and was utterly helpless, he sent for Dr. Bowness. That gentleman found that the woman was suffering from the effects of chloroform, In an insensible condition sbe was then removed to Mr. Worsley's, the Royal Oak Inn, Poulton Breck, where she was attended by Dr. Bowness until her death, which took place at three o'clock on Tuesday morning. In the pocket of the deceased was found a purse containing .C 6 and two ounce bottles, both of which had contained chloroform, and were labelled "Chloroform—poison." They had been obtained at different times from Mr. George Sharpies, druggist, Blackpool, the last on Monday, when she said she wanted the chloroform as a lotion for the face. It is stated that the deceased had been in low spirits for some time, and that she had been heard to speak of suicide. _ _ _  DEATH UNDER Cmonoron.R.—On Monday Dr. Lankester held an inquest, at the University College Hospital, London, respecting the death of John Josiah Pyc, aged fifteen, who died in the operating theatre of the above-mentioned institution after the administration of chloroform. Mrs. Sarah Pye, mother of the deceased, said her son had been ill for some time. He was brought to the University Hospital last Saturday week, having a diseased knee. She was told that the only chance of saving his life was by having the leg taken off. She gave her consent, and on Wednesday last, an hour after the operation, she was informed of his death.—Mr. Christopher leath, F.R.C.S., and surgeon in the hospital, deposed to admitting the deceased. Independently of the leg, the boy was in a bad state altogether. He was very scrofulous, and both hands were much swelled. He had been treated at the Middlesex and other hospitals, at various times, for diseased bone at the right knee joint. As had been stated, the only chance of saving his life was by the removal of the leg. Having been given some wine, he was taken into the operating theatre on Welpesday, and chloroform was given in the usual way. Me leg was removed with very little loss of blood, and while the operation was being completed the deceased gave two or three sighs, and the pulse ceasPd to beat.—The Coroner: Why did you not apply the chloroform locally, instead of internally, by the spray? Witness: In large operation.s it was not sufficiently efficacious. The Coroner: Do you think the chloroform killed this boy? Witness : I hardly think so. I think the cause of death was exhaustion.—The Coroner: Will you swear that it was not from the effects of the chloroform? Witness: I will not.—Mr. Walter Rigdale, physician's assistant, said he had very frequently given chloroform to the patients, and did so to the deceased. He used Clover's apßaratus. He had ceased about two minutes, when the patient turned pale •and vomited, and the pulse fell.--The jury, after a short consultation, returned a verdict of "Death from an accidental cause, alter taken chloroform."