Untitled

Otago Daily Times, Issue 82, 19 February 1862, Page 5 (Supplement)

Death mom Absorption op Poison,—The Tannoorth Examiner recorded the death of a man named M'l'"arlanc, on Mr. Doyle's station at Woollomon, supposed to have been caused by the absorption of poison into the system. An investigation was commenced bofore Captain Douglas, P.M., at Woollo-r-on, on the '27th ult., and was concluded in Tarnworth on Tuesday last. Andrew Doyle, duly sworn, states: I was acquainted with the late James Houston, who was a shepherd in my employment, on my sheep station at Woollomon. On the 25th inst., 1 iicard Hint Houston was unwell and went to see him, in company with Dr. Scott; 1 found him suffering from some disease in the left arm, as if from the bite of some venomous reptile or msect —this was about 11 a.m.—l saw him again about o p.m. the same day, when he appeared- worse ; his arm was very much Avollen up to the shoulder, and very black ; mortification appeared to have set in. Houston was quite sensible ; he told me that he did not know the cause of his illness, unless it was the bite of an insect; he *aid that he had killed a carpet snake on the previous Saturday, but that it had not bitten him ; he had been skinning some sheep on the previous Friday that had died, but Ido not know that they were diseased. He did not seem to think that he had met with any accident or cut in his hand. I did not again see him alive. I believe deceased was a great drunkard, but had not been drinking lately. Walter Scott, sworn, deposed : I am a duly qualified medical practitioner, residing at Tamwortli. On Wednesday morning, the 25th December last, I visited a man at Mr. Doyle's station, of Woollomon, whose name I was informed was James Houston. I found him labouring under severe inflammation of the cellular tissue of the left arm. From what I saw aud heard at the time, lam of opinion that it was the result of the obsorption of animal poison. I had no, hopes of his recovery at the time. From the evidence the police magistrate recorded his opinion that Houston came by his death by the absorption of poison into his body. Prolific Sow.—A sow, belonging to Mr. John Hull, of Wangaratta, on Monday last, threw a litter of twenty-one pigs, seven of which have since died, the rest being quite healthy,— Ovens Tribune, 28th December,