Minutes of evidence and appendices. Vol. 2, Evidence received in 1902-3, together with appendices 16 to 32, and index (Being part 2 of the Final report of the Commission) / Royal Commission on Arsenical Poisoning arising from the consumption of beer and other articles of food or drink.

  • Great Britain. Royal Commission on Arsenical Poisoning
Date:
1903
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Minutes of evidence and appendices. Vol. 2, Evidence received in 1902-3, together with appendices 16 to 32, and index (Being part 2 of the Final report of the Commission) / Royal Commission on Arsenical Poisoning arising from the consumption of beer and other articles of food or drink. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    28/404 (page 16)
    Private CASeS. Outbreak one of arsenical poisoning. 16 and 24th) in this man’s urine. On February 14th this man was discharged from the hospital by Dr. Woodyatt, and so is no longer under Dr. Hodgson’s observation. At the date of his discharge distinct keratosis had developed. Casp In Private Practice, Case 6.—This case was shown me by a medical man, Mr. F., aged 45, no occupation ; first seen by Dr. Leech, December 27th, 1901. Always been a big drinker, but lately has been drinking heavily of beer from the “ Cross Keys” public-house. His custom was to have three or four pints in the morning, sleep the greater part ot the afternoon, and to have a further three or four pints in the evening. His symptoms when I saw him were: Well-marked pigmentation of skin, especially on the face, of a well-defined ‘ pinhead” character; hand grip weakened, loss of power in extensor muscles, tottering gait, tenderness on pressure in the calves, slight kera- tosis, liver enlarged and slightly nodular, some recent celema of the legs, failing memory. Revizw or Anove CassEs. Taking all the symptoms of the above cases into con- sideration it is clear that clinically, and especially in respect of affections of nerves, they present almost identical features with those of the sufferers from the 1900 epidemic as described to the Commission by Dr. Reynolds, Dr. Nathan Raw, and others. Pigmentation, upon which stress has been laid as demonstrating the arsenical origin of a case not otherwise to be distin- guished from one of “alcoholic” neuritis, was observed in several instances, and the character of this pigmenta- tion was the kind particularly associated with arsenic. Marked keratosis, again, which was a common symptom in the Manchester cases, and which may be considered specially indicative of arsenic, was observed in six eases, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8. Arsenic was detected by Dr. Hodgson in the urine of three cases, and spect- mens of urine from the same three cases were sent to me by Dr. Hodgson and transmitted to Professor Thorpe, who has confirmed the presence of arsenic in two instances, although the amount was minute. In the only case in which chemical examination has been made post mortem, arsenic has been found in the liver and in other viscera. I may note that Dr. Hodgson, who has recognised the probable nature of these cases, had made a careful study of the cases which occurred in Crumpsall In- firmary during the epidemic in Manchester in 1900. Last month Dr. Reynolds, at Dr. Hodgson’s request, examined these Halifax cases, and as he has already in- formed the Commission, he was satisfied on clinical grounds that they were attributable to arsenic. The cases in the infirmary, as has been said, were seen and treated by Dr. Hodgson in his capacity of resident medical officer; but “they were also, in the hospital sense, under the care of the visiting medical officer, Dr. Woodyatt. Dr. Woodyatt did not agree at: first with Dr: Hodgson that poisoning by arsenic in beer was the cause of illness in these cases, and at the first inquest (McNulty) this difference of opinion was made very patent. At the second inquest Dr. Woodyatt in- formed the coroner that, although he had suspected arsenica] poisoning in Thomas Lee during life, the post- mortem appearances had made him alter his mind, and that he was satisfied that the cause of death was croupous pneumonia. Dr. Hodgson, on the other hand, said that the condition of the lung in his view could be sufficiently accounted for by weak action of the poisoning. None of these patients had been taking | arsesilc of illness. None of them were exposed to arsenic by reason of their work. As has been said, all beyond question were beer drinkers, and some consumed heavy quantities of beer habitually. SovurcES FROM WHICH THE ABOVE PATIENTS OBTAINED THEIR BEER. spector of Halifax, and by Dr. Hodgson, it appears that the places from which the above cases habitualty obtained beer shortly before onset of illness were as follows :— Case 1.—“ The Britannia” (Messrs. Webster). “The Brewer’s Cellar” (The Yorkshire Brewery Company). The “ Black Horse” (Messrs. Ramsden). Case 2.—‘ Cross Keys” (Publican-Brewer). Case 3.—‘ York Inn” (Messrs. Whitaker).* Case 4.—‘“‘ Black, Bull,” Brighouse (Messrs. Rams- den). Case 5.—“ Victoria and Albert ”- (Messrs. Addonstn))! Case 6.—The “Cross Keys” (Publican-Brewet). Case 7.—‘‘ Three Pigeons ” (Messrs. Webster).t “The Druids ” (Messrs. Whitaker). “ William the Fourth” (Messrs Ramsden). Case 8.—‘ Moor Cock ” (not a tied house, but supplied chiefly by Messrs. Whitaker). “New Rock” (Messrs. Whitaker). Another public-house (Messrs. Ramsden). Thus two patients, 1 and 7, had each consumed beer derived in part from Messrs. Webster; three cases, Nos. 3, 7, and 8, beer from Messrs. Whitaker, one of these, No. 3, being supplied almost wholly from this. brewery ; No. 5 obtained beer almost wholly from Messrs. Alderson; case No. 4 obtained beer solely, and cases 1, 7, and 8 partly, from Messrs. Ramsden; while two cases. (No. 2 and 6) obtained beer almost wholly from the publican-brewery, the “ Cross Keys.” Locat ENQUIRIES AND ACTION WITH REGARD TO ABOVE CASES. Dr. Neech informed me that in 1900 he had suspicion of arsenic having been present in beer from one brewery in Halifax, but this beer was recalled by the brewers before a sample could be obtained. The brewery in question, Messrs. Brear and Brown, is understood to be the only brewery in Halifax which in 1900 was ob- taining brewing sugars from Messrs. Bostock. Since: that date until recently Dr. Neech has never had occa-- sion to suspect arsenic in Halifax beer. At the date of my first visit Dr. Neech had not taken. any steps to trace the actual beer associated with the cases, but he had caused certain samples of beer on sale: at public-houses in Halifax to be collected as follows :—. Notes by Witness, April 18th, 1902. * See note on p. 15. + In draft of this report the words Whitaker and Webster were accidentally transposed. See Mr. G. S. Thompson’s evidence; Q. 8851-2. + Ihave since been informed that Messrs. Whitaker do- not own the ‘‘New Rock.” See Mr. G. S, Thompson’ Ss. evidence, Q. 8854; and Dr. Neech, Q. 9095. i} Date of Collection Number of Name of Inn.. Name of Brewer. of Sample. Sample. 13 January 1902 - | “ York Inn” : - - R. Whitaker and Sons : ; - 162 13 “hig i, - | “Victoria and Albert: - Alderson’s - - : : : 163 13 ke bs Grocer, Mr. Fox - Whitaker’s - : - - 164 14 ‘, £ “Cross Keys” .- . + - - Swift's - . - = 166 _— 15 He e. - | “Cross Keys” ..-, 7- - - - | Switft’s - : - - 166a 16 RS * - | “Cross Keys” - - - . - | Swift’s - 5 - = - 167 arsenic in each instance. Halifax Borough Analyst, who reported them free from