Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 13 September 1889
Sad Case of Child Poisoning at Kilnhurst.
On Saturday last Nehemiah Samuel Poynton, son of Samuel Poynton, pottery hand, of Kilnhurst, aged one year and ten months, died from the effects of poison taken on the previous afternoon.
It appears that shortly before four on that day deceased sister, Susanna, was cleaning the cupboard and put a bottle containing ammonia on the table. When her back was turned the child got hold of the bottle and drank part of its contents. The poison quickly took effect, and he fell down insensible shortly afterwards.
Doctor Hill, of Conisbrough, sent for, and that gentleman’s assistant, Mr Gibbs, attended the unfortunate child, but death ensued as stated.
The Inquest.
On Wednesday afternoon, Mr. D Wightman, coroner, held an inquest at Kilnhurst., on the body of the child, who died under circumstances stated above on Saturday.
Elizabeth Poynton, the mother of the deceased, was first called and said, on the 6th inst, while she had gone to hang some clothes on the line, the accident happened. She heard the fender fall, and ran into the house. She found the child gasping for breath. Her daughter Susannah, and the child in her arms. The child was not sensible, and she shook him and screamed. The people came into the house.
She telegraphed for Dr. Hills and his assistant came and attended him until death which occurred next day. The girl had cleaned out the cupboard, and a bottle containing a pennyworth of ammonia—which had been got to clean her husband’s clothes—was on the table. The daughter said the child had taken the bottle off the table, while she was cleaning the cupboard.
The mother had told the daughter to remove the ammonia before she went into the yard; and while the daughter was taking some mustard from the place, the little one lifted up the ammonia, and fell immediately. Some spirits of ammonia were split on the child’s clothes.
Susanna Poynton, aged 13, said she was told to clean out the cupboard on Friday, and she did so, putting some bottles in the middle of the table. The deceased took all of the mustard team, and she took it away. He then picked up the bottle of ammonia. She could scarcely shout “Mother!” When she picked up the child because he had difficulty in getting breath.
The local police officer stated that the doctor told in the tissue the child’s inside been burnt away, and that ammonia was very liable to do that.
The Coroner said he could not see that the verdict could be other than accidental. The little one appeared to have been a mysterious child, and it laid hold of anything within reach.
A juryman said the child was very mischievous.
The Coroner: That was the secret of it. He laid hold of the mustard, and afterwards of the ammonia, and managed to drink it.
Another juryman said he lived next door, and once recently saw the child pulling the close of the line.
A verdict was returned to the effect that the deceased was poisoned by inadvertently drinking spirits of ammonia.