A WOMAN KILLED BY TAKING BLUE PILL (CALOMEL).
Of all the monstrous things we ever remember done in the way of physicing, perhaps the following story of a woman who killed herself by taking blue pill is the worst. It occurred the other day at Rogate, a village on the borders of Sussex and Hants. At the inquest the husband, a brick and tile maker, named Stevens, stated that his wife (the deceased) was 37 years of age, and about five years ago, when her health was bad, she went to Mr. Mulreany, a surgeon. of Haslemere, who gave her some pills; since that time she has been in the habit of getting pills from a chemist. Dr. Peskett, of Petersfield, who had been called in, said:—
I found deceased in bed, perfectly sensible. and suffering from aggravated salivation. She told us about four years ago, she visited Dr. Mulreany, a medical practitioner, of Haslemere; afterwards Dr. Haynes, who ordered her to procure a ¼-oz. blue pill, and take in a mouth. She did so soon afterwards, and fancied she was better. The following year she procured more from the druggist in larger quantities, which she took till it affected her mouth. The following two years she procured still larger quantities, and on both occasions it produced more or less salivation. She usually procured it in lumps of Mr. Nichols, a chemist, living at Petersfield. She thought on the last occasion she left it off too soon. On the present occasion she procured more. and commenced taking it six weeks ago. Dr. Peskett found, by directions of the deceased, in an old wardrobe, done up in a quack medecine paper, ten rolls of pills, which he now produced. Each roll was 1½in. in length and 1-6th in. in circumference. Deceased said she usually divided the lump herself, but sometimes her husband had done so. She usually took fifteen pills twice a day; on one occasion she took fifteen three times in one day; for several weeks not less than twice a day. She was then in a dying state, but lived till the following Thursday. I ordered her port wine and beef tea, as I knew it was the only chance. This her husband provided most liberally. In reply to a question from the Coroner, Dr. Peskett said—I attribute her death solely to the blue pills injudiciously administered by herself. The pills contained each 52 grains of calomel, and on the occasion of her taking 45 pills in one day, deceased swallowed upwards of 1oz. of calomel, as the whole amount of pills weighed nearly 4oz.
Mr. Nichols stated deceased had assured him she fully understood the use of blue pill, and had an idea it was bought to make up pills to sell to persons living in the country. He thought this year he had sold one I3oz. and two or three 10oz. packets to the deceased or her husband.—After some minutes consultation, the jury returned the following verdict:—
Died from the effects of an overdose of mercury, mixed as blue pill, injudiciously taken by herself in the expectation that it would benefit her health, and not with any intention to kill herself.
The coroner and jury imputed no blame to Mr. Nichols, believing that he had no idea the woman was taking the pills herself.
Ancestry shows a probable identification as Caroline Stevens buried 13-Apr-1863 at Rogate
