A SERIOUS CHARGE.

Evening Star, Issue 9911, 24 January 1896, Page 2

A SERIOUS CHARGE.

Mrs Catherine Currie died on the 2nd inst. at East Melbourne after being attended by Joseph Uavis, a self-styled "professor" and specialist in cancer cases. At an inquest the evidence showed that Mrs Currie, who was suffering from cancer, placed herself under the care of Divis, who undertook to cure her for £3O. He put plasters of ointment on her abdomen above the cancer, and the patient rapidly grew worse and died. A post mortem examination caused the detectives to place Davis] under arrest, and the ointments used by him were submitted for analysis to Mr C. R. Blackett, Government analyst. The analysis revealed that one of the ointments was harmless, while the other was composed of resinouf matter and 8.9 per cent, of acetate of copper. This was erosive, and would act on the tissues if constantly employed. Acetate of copper is used in treatment, but to Mr Blackett's knowledge had never been employed in the treatment of human beings. Mr Syme's evidence showed that the tissues of the abdomen had been destroyed, that peritonitis had been set Up as a consequence, and that death resulted from peritonitis. As the acetate of copper was used in the plaster it was a logical conclusion that the destruction of the tissues was due to the acetate of copper. Mr Syme said the cancer could not possibly be affected by an ointment such as that which was supplied until the abdominal wall had been eaten away and the ointment had come directly into contact with the cancer. The ointment was certain to prove fatal in such circumstances, because it would set up inflammation of the organs. Cancer itself would destroy the tissues, but in the case of Mrs Currie the cancer was not in contact with the abdominal wall, and therefore it could not have caused the perforation of the abdominal wall which led to death. Mrs Carrie's case was hopeless. She must have died soon from the effects of the cancer itself. The jury returned a verdict "That deceased died of acute peritonitis caused by the unskilful treatment of Joseph Alfred Davis, and we therefore find the said Joseph Alfred Davis guilty of manslaughter." The accused was committed for trial.