The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

March 3. The following is an account which has been given by Mr. Nayler, one of the coronors of the county of Gloucester, concerning a melancholy accident near Cirencester.

"On Monday I was sent for to Mr. Tombs's, of Coates, near Cirencester, to hold an inquest on the bodies of two of his daughters, one of the age of 14, the other of 8 years, who, on the day before, were, together with a maid servant of the age of 22 poisoned by taking for a cutaneous eruption, a dose of arsenic, which was sold to Mrs. Tombs for cream of Tartar, by an ignorant Quack of that neighbourhood some months ago. They were, soon after taking it, seized with all the dire symptoms, which usually attends the internal use of that cursed drug, such as violent vomiting, excessive heat in the throat, and intolerable pain in the stomach and abdominal region; and after enduring inexpressibly, expired."

It is impossible to describe the grief of Mr. and Mrs. Tombs for this afflicting and most unparalleled event, particularly that of Mrs. Tombs. But even in this extremity of distress, the divine goodness seems to have thrown in a circumstance of consolation. Their other daughter was to have taken the same medicines, but she desired to postpone it till the next day, that she might go to church; and thus she escaped the fate of her sisters.

"Now, the tragical catastrophe of these three young persons should serve as a caution to all people not to purchase drugs from ignorant blockheads, who, in many instances, where there is a resemblance, don't know how to distinguish one drug from another."

Stroud. Feb.
George Nayler, Coroner.