The Blind Doctor’s Lethal Prescription

The arrest of Dr. William Campbell, charged with manslaughter, has aroused more than usual local interest during the past week. The doctor is one of our oldest citizens, coming here in the winter of 1850, nearly forty-two years ago, and during the past nine years has been totally blind.

Told in a connective form, the following seems to be the status of the case so far as the facts have been elicited:

Some weeks ago William Linton, a newcomer to the city, conveyed to Dr. Campbell the fact that he had a daughter about 14 years of age subject to epileptic fits, the paroxysms occurring once in three or four weeks. The doctor gave Mr. Linton assurances that the girl could be cured if she possessed sufficient vitality. Upon the girl’s arrival from the East, the doctor was permitted to commence his treatment upon her. He commenced treating her September 22d. At that time her bodily condition was good, her weight being 135 pounds.

His treatment during the first two weeks consisted of giving hot drops and a mixture, a teaspoonful of each three times a day. The mixture consisted of lobelia, capsicum, gum myrrh and whisky. At the end of two weeks she was put to bed and given a teaspoonful of lobelia, a teaspoonful of capsicum in a two-thirds teacupful of raspberry leaf tea. This was given five times on alternate days, the doses being at intervals of twelve minutes. Each five doses was called a course. These courses were to continue until there was a crisis. Accompanying the courses an injection of the same preparation was administered daily.

The testimony of Drs. Adams and Jento as to the effect of these drugs was given in detail at the examination before Justice Rathbun yesterday afternoon. Lobelia in from ten to fifteen drops is an expectorant; in from thirty to sixty drops is an emetic, with depressing effects. In doses of from seventy-five to one hundred grains of the powder it is poisonous. Capsicum in from two to five grains is a stimulant; in doses of from twenty to sixty grains it causes congestion of the mucus membrane of the stomach. In larger doses it is followed by inflammation. An ordinary teaspoonful of either contains about 60 grains. Dr. Jento was asked to state the effect upon a patient of a teaspoonful of each administered five times at intervals of twelve minutes on alternate days for a period of two weeks. His answer was: “That would be ten doses, with probably 60 grains to the dose, which would make 600 grains. A poisonous dose is 100 grains, but varies. I would consider the above dose as poisonous and would most probably be fatal.”

Dr. Adams’ testimony was similar and added that in the case of an epileptic, the dose “would be of no benefit to the epilepsy.”

The defense declined to put in any evidence and asked that the accused be admitted to bail.

In fixing the bail Justice Rathbun said it was proper to take into consideration the nature of the evidence, the ability of the accused to furnish bail and, in this case, he would consider the physical infirmities of the accused. The evidence is somewhat damaging; the defendant is a man of considerable means, but his enfeebled condition militates toward a low bond. The amount was fixed at $2,000. The bond was shortly filed with Dr. A. B. Woodard and Mayor J. C. Horr as sureties.

The prosecution was conducted by Deputy County Attorney W. J. Millay and the defense by Messrs. Baily and Church.

Upon what line the defense will be conducted at the trial was not given out further than that no statute exists explicitly defining the acts charged as a crime. The defense will also claim that his directions given were not followed by those caring for the girl.

The case will come up at the January term of the superior court.