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PUTNEY INQUEST.—DRUGGISTS PRESCRIBING.
108
provisional meeting of the friends of Dr. Lynch recom- lymph. The intestine in one part was coated with coagulable mend to be done. I am unacquainted with his family or their lymph. On slitting open the small intestines, a very marked condition. If a public subscription should be recommended, congested red state was found, the result or evidence of inthe
I shall be glad to aid it, as I am sure-without having had an flammation. The glands of Brunner and of Peyer were of opportunity of speaking to them-will Lord Ashley, Lord unusual distinctness and size. This unnatural state increased Ebrington, Mr. Slaney, Dr. Southwood Smith, and several as the great intestine was approached, so that the mucous other noblemen and gentlemen who take a special interest in membrane of the small intestine at this point appeared thicklabours such as those to which Dr. Lynch devoted himself, for ened for ten or twelve inches. The same portion of the small the improvement of the sanitary condition of the population. intestine was the seat of several distinct ulcerations. The I have the honour to be, Sir, mucous membrane of the ileo-csecal valve was much thickened
Your
very
obedient servant, EDWIN CHADWICK.
To the Chairman of the Provisional Meeting of the Friends of the late Dr. Lynch.
The following, from
Thomas
Wakley, Esq., M.P.
:-
Bedford-street, Strand, July 14th, 1847. SIR,—I am directed by Mr. Wakley to express his regret that lie cannot attend the meeting of this evening; but Mr. Wakley has requested me to state, that you, and the gentlemen Chambers,
associated with you, may rely on his efforts to aid you in your exertions on behalf of the family of the late Dr. Lynch. I
W.
am
your
obedient servant
G. L. HUTCHINSON.
Simpson, Esq.
And
Sir
the following, from James Anderton, Esq.,
Common Councilman:— of England Insurance Office, July 13th, 1847. SIR,—I regret it will not be in my power to attend the meeting of the friends of the late Dr. Lynch, to be held at the house of Mr. Hunter, to-morrow evening. I will, however; thank you to put my name down as a subscriber of £5, for the benefit of his widow and family. At the same time, I beg to suggest that an application should be immediately made to thealdermanof the ward, Sir James Duke, to obtain his promise of a presentation to Christ’s Hospital, for the now orphan boy, when he is old enough to be presented, which, I think, the worthy alderman will not, under the circumstances, refuse.-I am, Sir, yours faithfully, ’ JAMES ANDERTON. W. Simpson, Esq. West
PUTNEY INQUEST.—DRUGGISTS PRESCRIBING. AN important inquest was held at Putney on the 8th, and continued, by adjournment, to the 14th instant, before W. Carter, Esq., Coroner for East Surrey, and a highly respectable jury. The Coroner stated that the inquisition was held in consequence of a letter which he had received from Dr. Cormack, " anxiously requesting" inquiry into the cause of the death of the deceased, Sophia Dallett. The case excited the deepest interest in the neighbourhood, particularly amongst medical gentlemen, many of whom attended during the progress of the inquiry. The rumours in circulation were both contradictory and absurd: but still, there was no other course open to a man conscious of his integrity, and jealous of his
professional character, than to demand a sifting of the truth. It appears that on Tuesday, the 5th, at nine A.lIf., Dr.Cormack was urgently sent for to see deceased. He went immediately, and found her very low-in a typhoid state-with much purging, vomiting, and pain in the lower part of the abdomen.
He declared the case at once to be fever. Of the abdominal pain he said, "Let us hope that it is only Mr. Farmer’s medicine acting too much." He dreaded, however, abdominal inflammation, and treated her accordingly. She rallied towards evening; but died in a state of stupor early on Wednesday morning. Death was not then looked for: and as opium had been administered internally to the extent of one grain, and laudanum applied externally to the extent of two drachms, narcotism suggested itself as a possible explanation of the sudden change. It was not till after death that Dr. Cormack knew deceased had been six days under the operation of purgatives procured from Mr. Farmer, a chemist in Putney. At his first visit, he seems to have been told only of a powder and a draught. Mr. Shilito and Dr. Wane of Putney, and Dr. Willis of Barnes, made a post-mortem examination of the body. They unanimously testified that Dr. Cormack’s treatment was excellent, and his diagnosis correct, as proved by dissection. From the report of the sectio, we have only space for a short extract. AbdonzenGeneral distention of the intestines with gas. The small intestines in various parts were of a bright and blotched appearance, which appearance presented itself in a more marked degree when the intestines were raised; adhesions were observed, produced by recently effused coagulable
and reddened. The opinion of the medical witnesses was, that when Dr. Cormack was called in, the time for doing good had long gone past. The young lady was sinking, and he could do little more than support the powers of life. Dr. Willis, when examined on this point, said :" I attended the post-mortem examination, and fully agree with Dr. Wane and Mr. Shilito as to the cause of death. In my opinion, the opium was most judiciously and discreetly used. I think that when Dr. Cormack first saw the young lady, the use of opium afforded the only chance she had of
recovery."
briefly charged the jury, stating that there questions for their consideration-first, whether
The Coroner
were
two
the deceased died from natural causes, or whether her death was in any manner occasioned by the treatment adopted. The Coroner did not allude to Mr. Farmer’s management of£ the case. The jury, after a brief consultation, unanimously found" That the deceased died a natural death from peritonitis; and we are of opinion that the treatment of Dr. Cormack was skilful, judicious, and cautious, and such as a medical gentleman, with an adequate knowledge of his profession, would have adopted." Mr. Farmer’s evidence we subjoin, as affording some insight into the tactics of practising chemists and druggists. They pretend to sagacity superior to physicians; for they go on from day to day, prescribing-" suggesting" and making upmedicine in spite of increasing danger, and without seeing the patient, though, as in this case, living not 200 yards distant! Mr. Farmer is on oath; let him speak for himself:JOHN FARMER, chemist, Putney.-I recollect Elizabeth and Mary Anne Dallett calling at my shop on Sunday evening. I proposed to give them a powder and a draught for the deceased, who was said by them to be fifteen years of age. No particular kind of medicine was asked for. I minutely inquired into the symptoms. The powder consisted of four grains of grey powder, to be taken at bed-time. Grey powder is the mildest preparation of mercury. The draught wasa common black draught of senna, Epsom salts, and other ingredients. On Monday evening, Miss Mary Anne Dallett called, and stated that the powder had been rejected, from sickness, and that the draught had acted only once, and that mildly. She said that the deceased would require more active medicine, and that she had pain. In consequence of this statement, I gave a powder composed of five grains of grey powder, and three grains of Dover’s powder. I added the Dover’s powder that the dose might be retained on the stomach. I gave on this occasion a draught the same as the former, to be taken in the morning. I also suggested and supplied a simple saline mixture, directing two table-spoonfuls to be given if the sickness came on. The quantities of the various medicines which I supplied were the usual quantities for a person of the age of deceased. I have been in the habit of supplying the family of deceased with my mild antibilious pills. contain in each pill one grain of blue pill. [Deceased commenced these pills on 1st July.] They are mild pills. I have no objection to state of what they are composed. In addition to the plue pill, they contain extract of scammony, and the watery extract of aloes. One is an ordinary dose for a person of the age of deceased; but two are quite safe for one of constipated habit. On Sunday evening I was informed by the sisters of the deceased, that the bowels of deceased had not been acted on since Friday; and I was told that she was complaining of headach, giddiness, sickness, and pain of the stomach. The illness was described as a little bilious attack. I do not visit patients. I do not prescribe. I suggest what medicine should be taken. I did not prescribe for the deceased; but I suggested, and dispensed the medicine for her. Cross-examined by Dr. Cormack.—When I prescribed for deceased, I made no inquiry as to the state of her pulse. [On this answer being given, a juror remarked, that it was not usual, when one went to a chemist, for a dose, to say any thing about the pulse.]
They
..
provisional meeting of the friends of Dr. Lynch recom- lymph. The intestine in one part was coated with coagulable mend to be done. I am unacquainted with his family or their lymph. On slitting open the small intestines, a very marked condition. If a public subscription should be recommended, congested red state was found, the result or evidence of inthe
I shall be glad to aid it, as I am sure-without having had an flammation. The glands of Brunner and of Peyer were of opportunity of speaking to them-will Lord Ashley, Lord unusual distinctness and size. This unnatural state increased Ebrington, Mr. Slaney, Dr. Southwood Smith, and several as the great intestine was approached, so that the mucous other noblemen and gentlemen who take a special interest in membrane of the small intestine at this point appeared thicklabours such as those to which Dr. Lynch devoted himself, for ened for ten or twelve inches. The same portion of the small the improvement of the sanitary condition of the population. intestine was the seat of several distinct ulcerations. The I have the honour to be, Sir, mucous membrane of the ileo-csecal valve was much thickened
Your
very
obedient servant, EDWIN CHADWICK.
To the Chairman of the Provisional Meeting of the Friends of the late Dr. Lynch.
The following, from
Thomas
Wakley, Esq., M.P.
:-
Bedford-street, Strand, July 14th, 1847. SIR,—I am directed by Mr. Wakley to express his regret that lie cannot attend the meeting of this evening; but Mr. Wakley has requested me to state, that you, and the gentlemen Chambers,
associated with you, may rely on his efforts to aid you in your exertions on behalf of the family of the late Dr. Lynch. I
W.
am
your
obedient servant
G. L. HUTCHINSON.
Simpson, Esq.
And
Sir
the following, from James Anderton, Esq.,
Common Councilman:— of England Insurance Office, July 13th, 1847. SIR,—I regret it will not be in my power to attend the meeting of the friends of the late Dr. Lynch, to be held at the house of Mr. Hunter, to-morrow evening. I will, however; thank you to put my name down as a subscriber of £5, for the benefit of his widow and family. At the same time, I beg to suggest that an application should be immediately made to thealdermanof the ward, Sir James Duke, to obtain his promise of a presentation to Christ’s Hospital, for the now orphan boy, when he is old enough to be presented, which, I think, the worthy alderman will not, under the circumstances, refuse.-I am, Sir, yours faithfully, ’ JAMES ANDERTON. W. Simpson, Esq. West
PUTNEY INQUEST.—DRUGGISTS PRESCRIBING. AN important inquest was held at Putney on the 8th, and continued, by adjournment, to the 14th instant, before W. Carter, Esq., Coroner for East Surrey, and a highly respectable jury. The Coroner stated that the inquisition was held in consequence of a letter which he had received from Dr. Cormack, " anxiously requesting" inquiry into the cause of the death of the deceased, Sophia Dallett. The case excited the deepest interest in the neighbourhood, particularly amongst medical gentlemen, many of whom attended during the progress of the inquiry. The rumours in circulation were both contradictory and absurd: but still, there was no other course open to a man conscious of his integrity, and jealous of his
professional character, than to demand a sifting of the truth. It appears that on Tuesday, the 5th, at nine A.lIf., Dr.Cormack was urgently sent for to see deceased. He went immediately, and found her very low-in a typhoid state-with much purging, vomiting, and pain in the lower part of the abdomen.
He declared the case at once to be fever. Of the abdominal pain he said, "Let us hope that it is only Mr. Farmer’s medicine acting too much." He dreaded, however, abdominal inflammation, and treated her accordingly. She rallied towards evening; but died in a state of stupor early on Wednesday morning. Death was not then looked for: and as opium had been administered internally to the extent of one grain, and laudanum applied externally to the extent of two drachms, narcotism suggested itself as a possible explanation of the sudden change. It was not till after death that Dr. Cormack knew deceased had been six days under the operation of purgatives procured from Mr. Farmer, a chemist in Putney. At his first visit, he seems to have been told only of a powder and a draught. Mr. Shilito and Dr. Wane of Putney, and Dr. Willis of Barnes, made a post-mortem examination of the body. They unanimously testified that Dr. Cormack’s treatment was excellent, and his diagnosis correct, as proved by dissection. From the report of the sectio, we have only space for a short extract. AbdonzenGeneral distention of the intestines with gas. The small intestines in various parts were of a bright and blotched appearance, which appearance presented itself in a more marked degree when the intestines were raised; adhesions were observed, produced by recently effused coagulable
and reddened. The opinion of the medical witnesses was, that when Dr. Cormack was called in, the time for doing good had long gone past. The young lady was sinking, and he could do little more than support the powers of life. Dr. Willis, when examined on this point, said :" I attended the post-mortem examination, and fully agree with Dr. Wane and Mr. Shilito as to the cause of death. In my opinion, the opium was most judiciously and discreetly used. I think that when Dr. Cormack first saw the young lady, the use of opium afforded the only chance she had of
recovery."
briefly charged the jury, stating that there questions for their consideration-first, whether
The Coroner
were
two
the deceased died from natural causes, or whether her death was in any manner occasioned by the treatment adopted. The Coroner did not allude to Mr. Farmer’s management of£ the case. The jury, after a brief consultation, unanimously found" That the deceased died a natural death from peritonitis; and we are of opinion that the treatment of Dr. Cormack was skilful, judicious, and cautious, and such as a medical gentleman, with an adequate knowledge of his profession, would have adopted." Mr. Farmer’s evidence we subjoin, as affording some insight into the tactics of practising chemists and druggists. They pretend to sagacity superior to physicians; for they go on from day to day, prescribing-" suggesting" and making upmedicine in spite of increasing danger, and without seeing the patient, though, as in this case, living not 200 yards distant! Mr. Farmer is on oath; let him speak for himself:JOHN FARMER, chemist, Putney.-I recollect Elizabeth and Mary Anne Dallett calling at my shop on Sunday evening. I proposed to give them a powder and a draught for the deceased, who was said by them to be fifteen years of age. No particular kind of medicine was asked for. I minutely inquired into the symptoms. The powder consisted of four grains of grey powder, to be taken at bed-time. Grey powder is the mildest preparation of mercury. The draught wasa common black draught of senna, Epsom salts, and other ingredients. On Monday evening, Miss Mary Anne Dallett called, and stated that the powder had been rejected, from sickness, and that the draught had acted only once, and that mildly. She said that the deceased would require more active medicine, and that she had pain. In consequence of this statement, I gave a powder composed of five grains of grey powder, and three grains of Dover’s powder. I added the Dover’s powder that the dose might be retained on the stomach. I gave on this occasion a draught the same as the former, to be taken in the morning. I also suggested and supplied a simple saline mixture, directing two table-spoonfuls to be given if the sickness came on. The quantities of the various medicines which I supplied were the usual quantities for a person of the age of deceased. I have been in the habit of supplying the family of deceased with my mild antibilious pills. contain in each pill one grain of blue pill. [Deceased commenced these pills on 1st July.] They are mild pills. I have no objection to state of what they are composed. In addition to the plue pill, they contain extract of scammony, and the watery extract of aloes. One is an ordinary dose for a person of the age of deceased; but two are quite safe for one of constipated habit. On Sunday evening I was informed by the sisters of the deceased, that the bowels of deceased had not been acted on since Friday; and I was told that she was complaining of headach, giddiness, sickness, and pain of the stomach. The illness was described as a little bilious attack. I do not visit patients. I do not prescribe. I suggest what medicine should be taken. I did not prescribe for the deceased; but I suggested, and dispensed the medicine for her. Cross-examined by Dr. Cormack.—When I prescribed for deceased, I made no inquiry as to the state of her pulse. [On this answer being given, a juror remarked, that it was not usual, when one went to a chemist, for a dose, to say any thing about the pulse.]
They
..