DEATH FROM ERGOT OF RYE. 
285 
moured that he had left the country. From information supplied by a servant in de¬ 
ceased’s employ it appears that the medicine had been obtained from Mr. Garrett, che¬ 
mist, Western Road, in large quantities, and in a lesser quantity of Mr. Johnson, North 
Street; and on examination these gentlemen said that they supplied it in accordance 
with a prescription given to them by deceased, and signed J. D. R. In the possession of 
Miss Kingman was a letter addressed to “ My dear Susan,” saying “ how glad I should 
he to see you in town, and would meet you at any place by mutual appointment. If 
you could spare me a little money in stamps, it would be of infinite service ;to me just 
now, as I have been at a heavy expense in moving my family to London.—Yours very 
sincerely, J. D. R # *#r. Direct to me : Dr. Rym—, Chief Office, St. Martin’s-le-Grand, 
London.” The prescription was consequently supposed to have been written by Dr.Rymer, 
who formerly resided at The Dicker, near Chiddingly; and as it was stated that deceased 
died of irritant poison, and that ergot of rye, taken in large doses, would have produced 
the symptoms manifested, but would not act as an abortive, the inquiry was adjourned, 
in order that the attendance of Dr. Rymer and Mr. Leapman might be secured and fur¬ 
ther evidence obtained, but the attempt to serve a summons either on Dr. Rymer or Mr. 
Leapman failed. 
At the adjourned inquiry, Mr. Thomas Stowell, an M.D. of the University of New 
York, and an M.R.C.S. of London, stated that he had on one occasion attended Miss 
Kingman, when he prescribed for her a decoction of Linum catharticum and compound 
rhubarb pills ; but that if the prescription (the one dispensed by Mr. Garrett, chemist) 
had been brought to him, he should not have supplied the medicine, as he considered the 
ergot of rye dangerous. Mr. John Kemp, chemist, North Street, gave evidence as to the 
“custom of the trade ” in dispensing such prescriptions. Lie had been in business four¬ 
teen or fifteen years, and if such a prescription as the one produced had been brought 
to him by a strange female he should have dispensed it. The prescription was as fol¬ 
lows :—“Ik Tinct. Secal. Cornut. ~ij, 01. Menth. Pulegii 5ij, misce. Take one teaspoon¬ 
ful in water three times a day.—J. D. R.” 
Coroner—And supposing she was to come again and again, extending over a period 
of six weeks, would you supply her ?—-It might cause some little remark, but it is a me¬ 
dicine that is given in chronic diseases. 
Coroner—What amount would you consider it negligent to supply ?—Well, you see, 
it might be dispensed by different assistants, and therefore it is doubtful if we should 
have known it; if it had come to my knowledge that any one had applied for it to be 
made up six times in as many weeks, I should have considered it improper. A proper 
interval would be five or six days. 
May I ask if in your experience a prescription of that kind, containing ergot of rye, 
has been given for chronic diseases ?—Ergot and infusion of ergot are given in such cases. 
Dr. Stephens—And would you supply it in such quantities for such a disease ?—Yes. 
Mr. Johnson—Would you not suppose that a lady calling on you repeatedly for bot¬ 
tles, had seen her medical attendant in the intervals ?—Yes. 
A Juror—Do you know the nature of it—do you know that it would produce death? 
—-Yes, if taken in large quantities. No medical man would direct it to be taken week 
after week. If a female presented the prescription four or five times, I should ask her 
if she was taking it by direction of her medical man ; and if she said, “ No, he told me 
to take it, and I have taken it ever since,” I should not dispense it. 
A Juror—Do you know that ergot of rye is calculated to produce abortion ?—Yes. 
And yet you say you would supply it three or four times ?—Yes, under circumstances 
such as I have named. 
Sarah Harriet Sayers stated that she was in the service of Miss Kingman for six 
months; she had fetched medicine from Mr. Garrett’s, and on one occasion Dr. Rymer 
came to see her mistress. The medicin^ she took made her very ill, and once she heard 
Mr. Leapman say, “ If you take that medicine any more, I will never speak to youag ain.” 
Dr. Roberts, who was in court, here expressed his desire to give evidence—I reside at 
Burgess Hill. I have had great practice. Mr. Garrett was an assistant with me about 
two years, about fourteen years ago, when I carried on my profession at Sydenham. He 
was in the habit of largely dispensing the medicine ergot of rye in its different forms, 
and he was fully aware of its effects. He has known it to be given for three weeks to¬ 
gether in as large or larger doses than have been mentioned ; always in womb affections. 
He was then a most competent dispenser, and I had the most unlimited confidence 
him. I disagree largely with Mr. Kemp with regard to Secale producing death. 
