A Bottle of Whisky, a Deadly Dose, and a Doctor Called in Time
A ship's steward and his wife nearly die after drinking from a bottle doctored with croton oil — whether by accident or by design no one can say.
Mr. McDonald and wife, formerly [keepers of a place here?], but now shipped on board the bark Columbia bound for [the south], had a narrow escape of death. After having assumed their duties, someone sent on board the vessel a bottle of whisky as a present to them, in which had been put a quantity of croton oil — whether by accident or design is not fully known. Mr. McDonald and wife partook heartily of the contents of the [bottle], and soon both of them were taken sick. Dr. Minor was called, and by his aid, and from the fact that they had [not] taken such a large quantity of the deadly poison, their lives were saved.
“Whether by accident or design is not fully known.”
Croton oil was a violent purgative, and a few drops could kill. Whether this was a careless ship's-chandler's mistake or a spiteful gift, the paper could not say — the ambiguity is the story. In an era before poison controls or reliable forensics, such 'accidents' were common enough to be reported without much follow-up.
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