Fatal Poisoning in the Reservation
A Yakima Indian dies instantly after consuming lemon extract laced with strychnine, prompting a medical investigation.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Last Friday, George Menanic, an intelligent Indian who resides on the Satus, reported the mysterious death of an Indian while riding from Yakima to the reservation. Two men had purchased what they believed was lemon extract, a common beverage among Indians at the time. After consuming a portion, one man fell from his horse and died instantly. George Menanic and the survivor recovered the bottle and brought it to a Mr. Newell. Dr. Bonebrake, assisted by Dr. Blair of Bickleton, examined the liquid and found crystals of undissolved strychnine at the bottom of the bottle. The surviving Indian named a person named Clark as the seller. Dr. Bonebrake has secured the bottle for any potential investigation by authorities.
“It makes drunk come as surely and quickly as the worst rot-gut on the market.”
This tragedy highlights the lethal consequences of unregulated patent medicine and the exploitation of vulnerable populations through adulterated goods. It serves as a grim early chapter in the region’s long history of public health crises and legal battles surrounding toxic substances.
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