Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, May 8, 1909, Page 1

THE BEMIDJI DAILY PIONEER. VOLUME 7. NUMBER 18. KOCH TRIAL IS BRINGING OUT MUCH COMPLICATION Senator Peterson, for the Plaintiff, and E. E. McDonald, for the Defendant, Persistent in Inquiries in the Interests of Their Clients. Dr. Osborn resumed the stand yesterday atternoon in the Koch trial which is now on for re- direct examination, and said that if there is membrane present, the class of which the physician is unable to determine, and if he were unable to| reach a bacteriological laboratory within twenty-four or forty-eight | hours, the proper course would be to administer anti toxin and thus be on the safe side. Asked by Senator Peterson what would cause the falling of a diph- theria patient’s temperature, Dr. Osborn replied 1t would either be because the patient was recovering or that the system had become over-charged with anti toxin. He‘ had not seen Dr. Koch take the temperature of Oscar Johnson on the Sunday night that he was called to the Johnson home. “Time,” said the doctor, “is an important factor in the administering of anti toxin.” Cross examined, he admitted that up to the time the membrane appears, a physician is unable to determine by direction whether the patient has diphtheria or not, and that there are sometimes diphtheria baccilli in the mouths of people not afflicted with the disease. He also stated that, according to the statis- tics, there are only 60 per cent of diphtheric cases determinable by examination of the smear. He had never used a laryngioscope. He never increased the dose of anti toxin where there are no symptoms and is only a suspioion of diphtheria. Dr. Osborn acknowldeged that a gradual falling of temperature would indicate improvement while a sud- den falling would be caused by poisoning from over-doses of anti toxin. In re-direct questioning by the counsel for the plaintiff Dr. Osborn was asked what caused the hemorr- hage that he saw Monday morning. He said that Dr. Koch had told him that the boy, Oscar, had had a fit of coughing a little after mid- night and following that hemorr- hage. The membrane in the throat was probably torn away dur- ing the coughing spell and later caused the hemorrhage. Upon re-cross examination Mr. McDonald asked,“The hemorrage might have been from other causes?” Dr. Osborn answered, “Yes, since 1 do notknow what was the cause.” A. Gilmour of Kelliher, who owned a drug store at Blackduck durin‘g March 1908, testified that he had had anti toxin in the store at that time and that Albert Johnson had asked him if he had any, during the week Oscar was sick, he thought. 0. C. Pearson, assistant secretary for the state board of health, was next witness called to the stand for the plaintiff. Mr. Pearson remembered sending some anti toxin to Dr. Koch at Blackduck about February 25th, 1908. His memoranda was marked five packagesof 3,000 units each and ten packages of 1,000 units each. He didn’t remember sending any immediately before that time but thought he sent the same amount about March 10th. Senator Peterson—''Did Dr. Koch send in the blue slips?” Mr. Pearson—"I understand that he did.” Senator Peterson—"'Did you ever look for them?” Mr. Pearson—"1I looked last sum- mer at the request, I think, of Miss Delia Johnson but could not find them.” The witness then told the treat- ment of cultures received by the state board of health and that four original reports are made on each case; one goes to each of the follow- ing: The physicians who sent in the culture,the local board of health, the state board of health, and one remains in the labratory of the uni- versity. Cross examined by Attorney Mc- Donald, Mr. Pearson admitted that his knowledge was limited to what he had learned in correspondence. Ee had looked for the blue slips at the request of Miss Johnson. In answer to a request from Mr. Mc- Donald he opened a package of Leaderley’s Refined anti toxin and displayed the blue slip similar to that which Miss Johnson had asked for, and admitted that his office keeps no record of these blue slips. Asked if anyone had accompanied Miss Johnson, he could not remem- ber. Mr. McDonald—"Did you show her the report of Dr. Koch on Oscar’s case?” Mr. Pearson—"I think I did.” Questioned as to how he knew the slips were in his office he stated that last Wednesday he had called Miss Elmer, one of the clerks, over the long distance ’phone and asked her to look in a drawer of his desk and forward the slips to her, but she said that she had received a letter from Dr. Koch asking for them and had shipped the slips to Dr. Koch. Dr. Edgar D. Brown, an assistant THE safest man is the man who has a bank account. When you establish yourself with a good bank, you feel secure and your miand is at peace. Banks have Feen the means of making more successful men than colleges. When you grow oLD a snug sum in the bank is an insurance policy against hard times and hard work. Begin to save when you are young. OUR SAVINGS DEPARTMENT will help you start; then when you have accumu- lated $50.00 or $100.00 take a certificate of deposit drawing a little larger rate of in- terest. The time-tried and most RELIABLE bank is the one to do your business with. In judging a bank, always remember that cepital and surplus give security to the depositor, by forming a fund that stands between the depositor and any pos- sible shrinkage in the securities of the bank. The Capital and Surplus of this bank form a margin of rafety that assures absolute First security to those who intrust their money to us. National Bank of Bemidji BEMIDJI, MINNESOTA, SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 8, 1909. professor at the state university, was called by the plaintiff. Dr. Brown was acquainted with the doses of anti toxin usually ad- ministered to diphtheria patients and said that in case of laryngial diphtheria, although - authorities differ, he thought the correct amount would be 4,000 units. Senator Peterson—"‘Doctor, take a youth 20 years old, in good health, taken sick Wednesday morning, tonsils swollen on Thursday evening, examination Friday morning showed tonsils red and swollen and the throat sore, during Friday the heart action is increased a little, tempera- ture about 103 Friday evening, Saturday morning the heart has become weaker and it is necessary to administer strychnine, the tem- perature has dropped to 101 and’ it is discovered that the patient is suffering with laryngial diphtheria. What amount of anti toxin should be administered Saturday after- noon?” Dr. Brown—"I would say 10,000 units.” Senator Peterson— Taking the same case with this alteration that heart action becomes more irregular and it is found necessary to adminis- ter strychnine Saturday night and the disease is found to be laryngial diphtheria Sunday/morning. What would you advise for an initial dose?” Dr. Brown—"I think about 15,000 units.” At the request of the plaintiff’s counsel, he then &xplained the sub- sequent treatment if the anti toxin had been administered Saturday night. The largest dose that he knew of giving to a patient was 50,000 units. Crossexamine dby Mr. McDonald he could not remember the largest dose he had ever seen. He could not give 10,000 units where there was no suspicion of diphtheria. Would use an immunizing dose of 1,000 units. Practically the same admissions were secured by Mr. McDonald from Dr. Brown as had been secured from Dr. Osborn earl- ier in the day. Diphtberia usually is considered a painless and tonsil- itisa painful disease; symptons of larynigal diphtheria might be mis- taken for tonsilitis; high temperature and no membrane are symptons of diphtheria; case of large and pain- ful tonsils, no membrane, pulse 90, and temperature 103 might be diagnosed as tonsilitis. Dr. Brown admitted that he could not make a correct diagnosis of laryngial diphtheria early in the | disease before a membrane had formed. Dr. Brown stated that the only way to distinguish between real and pseudo membrane is by culture. Mr. McDonald—“And a physic- ian to whom a hypothetical question has been proupounded, such as Sena- tor Peterson and I have propounded to you, is not in a position to judge what amount of anti toxin at any particular stage of the disease should be given a particular patient, is he?” | Dr. Brown—"*No, he is not.” On re-direct examination by Mr. Peterson, Dr. Brown admitted that it is customary now to increase the dose of anti toxin from what it was several years ago, and that if death occurs by some delinquincies on the part of the patient it results immedi- ately. Asked if he thought a patient was contributorily negligent if he walked around the house Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday or went to bed Wednesday evening, Dr. Brown said that he did not think s0. Dr. Brown was kept on the stand until adjournment, being asked practically the same questions as were put to Dr. Osborn and being a harply cross-examined at every step by by Mr. McDonald. When court convened at 9 o’clock this morning, Albert Johnson, a brother of the deceased, Oscar Johnson, was called to the stand. Mr. Johnson told of the different visits of Dr. Koch- to their house during the illness of Oscar and corroborated the evidence formerly given by his sister, Delia, as.to the conversations at which he was pres- ent. 3 Mr. Johnson stated that he had asked Dr. Koch to let him know | told him. He also told of the death FORTY CENTS PER MONTH DOINGS IN THE VARIOUS CHURGHES OF THE CITY Hours of Worship and Subjects of Ser- mons to Be Delivered in the City Sunday. German Lutheran—Services at the court house at 3 p. m. Rew. Theo. Buenger of Cass Lake will preach. Episcopal—Service will be held in the Odd Fellows hall at 8 p. m. Sunday school at 5 p. m. Arch- deacon Parshall will conduct the service. e Norwegian Lutheran—There will be services at 10:30. . Sunday school in Norwegian and English at 2 p. m. In the evening there will be services. Several laymen will speak. ~~— Baptist—Men’s Bible Class 10:00. Morning worship 10:45. Subject, “The Peace Offering,” No. 3 in the series. Sunday school12:10. B. Y. P. U. at 7:00. Evening service at 8. Subject, “‘Repentance.” Special music at both services. You are heartily invited to all services. 2 S | Method ist—11 a. m. a sermon by the pastor. Subject, “Supper-Man.” 12 m. an address to the Sunday school by Rev. Henry Nobbs of Min- neapolis, Conference Sunday school secretary. 8 p.m. an -address by Rev. Henry Nobbs. Subject, *“The New Era in Sunday School Work.” We cordially invite the public to all | these service.s 3 Presbyterian—Tomotrow morn- ing we will observe Mother’s day in the morning at 11. We would like to see every. mother in any way connected with the chkurch or Sunday school, and all the mothers in the city who will not be worship- ing elsewhere. Men, women and children are asked to bring flowers to the church for decorating, and thus honor mother. It is suggested that all, if possible, wear a carnation on this day in honor of mother. Mr. Rood will sing a solo, “My Moth- er’s Prayer.” In the evening Rev. S. A. Blair of Duluth will preach. Mr. Blair is too well known to need an introduction in Bemidji. The public is cordially invited to attend these services. brother, Bert, but the doctor never of his brother. The witness had seen the state- ment published in the Blackduck American several weeks later, in April, and told of the conversation which he had with Dr. Koch when he went to the doctor’s office. Mr. Johnson testified: “I said to him, ‘John, do you mean to tell me that this statement in the Blacduck American that you knew that this case was diphtheria from the first is true? “He answered, ‘yes, it is.’ “I said, ‘Do you you mean to tell me that you knew it was diphtheria all the time and did not tell us?’ “He replied, ‘T did tell vou the next morning. I said it was croup and croup and diphtheria are the same thing. I didn’t have any anti toxin and had to send for some.’ “I continued, ‘John, were you so prejuliced that you would not go to the drug store a block away and get the only thing that would save my brother’s life?” “He became angry and said, ‘What's the use of bothering with thisnow? Oscar is gone and cannot be returned. Your mother is stay- ing in the house too much. You’d better take her out more or she will be sick.’ “‘Yes’ I continued, ‘but that grave in the graveyard isa monu- ment to your carelessness, John.’ ““He said, ‘I have heard you were making complaints about the way I treated Oscar.” “He turned back tosome salve he was mixing and I went away.” Closely cross-examined by Mr. McDonald, Mr. Johnson admitted that he was somewhat excited when that he was considerably excited while there, but denied that he had gone to Dr. Koch’s office with any intention of humiliating him. He had read the article in the Black- duck American and talked several times with the family before going to see the doctor. Mr. McDonald—"Didn’t you say to others that you were going to follow Dr. Koch to the bitter end?” “I may have made that state- ment.” admitted Mr. Johnson. The witness did not think that his testimony given in court had been tempered with the same feeling but acknowledged that he meant the statement at the time he said it. Asked by Mr. McDonald if he bad not kept up the pursuit of Dr. Koch since then, the witness said that he could not call it pursuit. Mr. Johnson testified that there had been four cases of diphtheria in the family and in spite of this he had objected to being injected with anti toxin as a preventative, on Sunday morning. He admitted having been | very fond of his brother but had not| placed a gravestone on his brother’s| grave. He had talked the case over several times with Delia. On re-direct examination Senator| Peterson brought out the fact that the witness knew very lttle about diphtheria as most of the four cases had been when he was not at home or was too small to learn anything! about them, and also that the fami]vf basa lot in a cemetery northg of! Fergus Falls in which latives are resting. Mr. Johnson stated that his testimony in this case has not been with any feeling of animosity. | He told that Oscar, the deceased, | had prepared the wood for the| heating stoves, wasa good hunter, baseball player, liked boating, played | clarinet in the Blackduck Band and| mandolin in the orchestra, was a Senior in the high school and intend- ed to continue his studies. Duringv the summer Oscar had helped con- tribute towards expenses and some- times bought clothes for his sisters. Cross-examined, he admitted that| Oscar had frequented a pool room, run by a negro, where soft drinks were sold, part of the time. Witness did not know that school board had taken steps to get rid of pool room and did not believe that cigaretts were sold there. Mr. McDonald—"You have said, several re-| WILL THE “S00” RAILROAD - BUILD LINE INTO BEMIDJI Many Rumors as to Just What Route Will Be Followed in Building Proposed Road from Thief River Falls- to Duluth. That the officials of the Soo and Canadian Pacific railway compan- ies have been making a thorough and painstaking preliminary *‘look- ing over of the ground” in the terri- tory east and southeast from Thief River Falls to Duluth, and have con- templated nearly every possible route from the “Falls” to Duluth that would make both an air line to the “Head of the Lakes” and also another to deviate and take in Bemidji and other points in Beltrami, Itasca and other northern counties, is evidenced by the statments fre- quently made of. late that strangers who refuse to divulge their real intentions have been at many differ- ent points, in Bemidjl, north of here, as well as south, and also around the Red Lake country. Ever since the soo built north- ward to Thief River Falls, there have been persistent rumors of a contemplated air line from Thief River to Duluth, and these rumors would assume such shape as to be actual declarations from men of | prominence that the line would cer- taihly be built. Among the rumors which have been given some circulation of late is one to the effect that emissaries of the Soo have been seeking reli- able information as to the topog- raphy of the country between Upper and Lower Red lakes, depth of water at the narrows between the lakes, character of land (whether swampy or not), etc., followed by an intimation that the Soo intended to build eastward and soutbward, cross- ing the Great Northern at a point east of Bena (some place the crossing much farther east), and from that point those who claim some knowledge in the matter are hopelessly “at sea” as to where the line might be extended. Another rumor (which is the latest) is to the effect that the Soo has already of late went over the ground of two proposed routes of its proposed Thief River Falls-Du- luth extension, one of which would {bring the line into Bemidji, parallel- ing the G. N. east from Wilton, the other extending the line twelve miles north of this city. Stili another proposition sends the line south of Bemidji, tappinz the prospective iron-producing lands, thence east- ward. Relative to the above propositoins, the Laporte News says: ““A corps of engineers are running a preliminary line just north of here. Their course is in an easterly direction and the indications are that it isa line being run by the Soo road for their proposed route from Thief River Falls to Duluth. Some time ago the Duluth Herald printed a map showing the line where this road was expecced to run, which brought the route south of Leech {lake. In this event, Laporte is on the direct line of the proposed route. Well, we have room for another |road. It seemsto be the general opinion, however, that the line will | pass through Bemidji in their route to Duiuth. Inany event, it will be a good thing for this part of the state.” were not influenced by any feeling of animosity for Dr. Koch. is that true? Mr. Johnson—"Yes, sir.” Court then adjourned until 2 o’clock this afternoon, Mr. Donald stating that he wished to recall the witness then for further that in giving your testimony you cross-examination. Me- | Horse Owners. Call and see the hameless metal | borse collar, What it is doing for | thousands of horses it will do for yours. Jerrard has them. Additional local matter on second page. Money Cheerfuily Refunded _lvhen he ought to wire for his 'he went to Dr. Koch’s office and ||| Clothing House Hart Schatfn fine suits and overcoats. You'll see all i the latest new fabrics and patterns; sorme very étunning novelties in fancy weaves and new colorings, both in suits and overcoats. We'll show you also some very stylish blue and black suits; the kind you Z ought to have. Suits $18 to $30; overcoats || oo 918 10 $35. - This store is the home of Hart Schaffner & Marx clothes Cood Clothes Nothing Else OU’LL find that we’'ve provided for any idea about clothes you can bring to us, in these er & Marx