1870-75 Gulgong Dispensary chemist [of] druggist Dr. Zimmler
Source: SLNSW
The Gulgong Dispensary of Dr Charles Zimmler in Mayne Street next to the Warburton Hotel. Zimmler, who was a doctor from Germany, was not qualified to practice as a doctor in New South Wales, so he practiced as a Chemist. Standing out front is Henry Kirke White, who prior to the photo being taken was managing Barnes' chemist shop. White was looking after Zimmler's business while he was serving 6 months in Bathurst jail for manslaughter of an infant child to whom he'd prescribed ammonia for her illness. After serving his time Zimmler returned to Gulgong and continued his practice at the building which was formerly the Hotel de France. He was a leader in the movement to have Gulgong declared a Municipality, and over a period of years he was elected as mayor on four occasions, although his terms in office were very stormy. Zimmler died in 1889 and is buried in Gulgong cemetery. Source: Information supplied by Baldwin & Davis, Research Gulgong (Dec 2006)
This building no longer exists. Its location was approximately 88 Mayne Street on the site of the little office building in the old Cumberland's car yard between the Young's/Loneragan's/IGA building and the vet at 86 Mayne Street.
The man in the photo is not Zimmler but is his off-sider/dispenser, young Mr White, as Zimmler was in Bathurst Gaol at this time.
Source: Alan Walker
NEWS ITEMS
1871 - THE COMMITTAL OF MR. ZIMMLER FOR MANSLAUGHTERThe Mudgee Advertiser of the 17th reports fully the evidence at an inquest, held on the 15th, on the body of an infant, named Mary Redmond, at Gulgong. It appears that the child was eleven months old, and had been healthy On the 28th May, she had a slight cold, and was cutting some teeth. On the 2nd June, the mother took her to Mr Zimmler who gave her two powders and a bottle of medicine, the powders to be given first, and afterwards a teaspoonful of the mixture once a day. The powders were given, but when the mixture came to be administered, she
could not take more than half a spoonful, it seemed to take away her breath, she became convulsed, and screamed violently. Mr Zimmler who came in, ordered warm water, and the child, after taking a little, vomited, throwing up some substance that burnt her mothers hand.In about fifteen minutes, the child's lips and tongue, and the roof of her month, were blistered. Drs Ramsay and Rowling were then called in, and the bottle of mixture was sealed up by the former, and given into the care of the police. The child lingered until the 14th June and then died having been scarcely able to take any nourishment in the meanwhile.A post mortem examination was made by Dr Ramsay, whose evidence was as follows:
Wilson Ramsay, on oath, stated: I am a legally qualified medical practitioner, residing at Gulgong. At the order of the Coroner I have this day performed a post mortem examinanation on the child now lying dead; the body was externally fairly nourished, there were two excoriations on the lower lip, partially healed up, with a hardened scab over them; I opened the deceased's head, I found about an ounce of serum extravasated between the brain and the skull, the brain was healthy, but slightly congested. I laid open the whole of the alimentary canal, there are marks of a recent ulceration in spots on the face of the pharynx, the trachea was unrestricted, and so was the oesophagus, the oesophagus was inflamed with several bright red spots, about the size of a split pea high up along the base of the oesophagus The stomach and intestines were empty. The lungs were very much congested, and the upper lobe of the right lung and the whole of the left lung were hepatised The bladder was empty. The spleen was congested and so was the liver. The bronchial tubes from about two inches from the bifurcation were impervious, on account of the mass of lymph poured out into them.
I was first called to see the deceased professionally at eight o clock on the evening of the 2nd of June. Mr Redmond told me his child was poisoned; I asked him what with and he handed me a bottle containing what I believed to be — both by taste and smell — liquid ammonia; I rolled it up in a paper and tied it and sealed it. The bottle produced is the bottle I speak of; I taste the medicine, and I am sure it is the same as I then tasted; I recognise the seal and the paper; I sealed the bottle with my own ring. The deceased was evidently in very great pain, and screaming, and very restless. The mouth and lips and as far into the pharynx as I could see, were scarlet and swollen; there was a frothy mucus issuing from the child's mouth, and its hands were in a state of spasm. I ordered the mother to pour some oil down its throat, and to put a wet towel round its neck. The deceased was breathing croupily; I have been in attendance on the deceased ever since, till it died yesterday morning; when I saw the child last alive on the night of the 13th of June, it was in a state of tetanic spasm, the immediate cause of the child's death was pneumonia. It is a very extraordinary circumstance for the upper lobe of the lungs to be attacked by pneumonia, and the lower lobe left free; I believe that in this case it may be accounted for by the exhalation of so irritating a vapour as that of ammonia. I did not examine the child at first, but I did afterwards, in a few days and then found circumscribed pneumonia. The state of the lungs proved to me that thepneumonia was quite recent; the administration of the medicine I speak of — Liquid Ammonia — would be certain to cause the death of a child.
By Mr Medley: The liquid ammonia would lose its strength by being kept in a corked bottle. There is something in contamination with the ammonia in the bottle produced.
By the Jury: I would not administer ammonia to a child suffering from a cold. I am positive that the bottle produced contains ammonia, very slightly diluted with water, a teaspoonful of ammonia would kill a man in five minutes, a patient might recover partially, by proper medícal treatment, and then die, half a teaspoonful of ammonia would cause a child's death; the inhalation of ammonia would kill a child. The appearances described by me would be produced by the inhalation of ammonia; a child might live twelve days after taking this medicine.By Mr Medley: The appearance of the child when I first saw it would be caused by ammonia, the state of the lips, tongue, and mouth could not have been caused by teething. The mucus membrane was stripped off the inside of the mouth in flakes; ammonia would produce thiseffect.By Mr Zimmler: I don't know what strength the ammonia in the bottle is; I am quite sure there is ammonia in the bottle; I saw the child a day or two before it had medicine, and it was seriously ill. The child might have died from pneumonia without any administration of ammonia; in this case the pneumonia was recent, and the administration of ammonia would produce pneumonia. There were no worms in the whole intestinal tubes. When I first saw the child on the 2nd June, I ordered it olive oil and linseed tea; I ordered no medicine for the child internally. I consulted with Dr Rowling, and we decided that nothing could be done, except giving it plenty of milk.By Mr Medley: A violent cold would produce pneumonia, but not the appearance observed in the mouth of this child; the pneumonia in this case I believe to have been caused by the inhalation of ammonia.By the jury: I could have told from the appearance of the child's mouth that it had had some irritant poison; the most casual observation would have shewn me on the day before the child took the medicine whether it had pneumonia. When I sealed the bottle, I folded the paper so that it could not be tampered with without tearing the paper. There were no traces of any other disease besides pneumonia. Half a teaspoon full of pure ammonia would cause immediate death.The jury, after a brief consideration, returned a verdict to the effect that "The said Mary Redmond, did, on the 14th day of June, 1871, come to her death at Gulgong, by the administration of liquid ammonia administered through gross negligence, by Charles Zimmler; but they are of opinion that there was no criminal intention on the part of the said Charles Zimmler, in administering the said ammonia."
Mr Zimmler was forthwith taken into custody on a charge of manslaughter, but was subsequently admitted to bail under heavy recognisances.
It should be added that the constable who had charge of the bottle deposed—"Mr Redmond handed me the bottle I now produce; it is in the same condition now as it was when I got it, rolled up in the paper and sealed; the bottle has never been out of my possession; I have had it under lock and key until produced it in this court to-day; it was then opened in the presence of the court; the cork could be drawn without injuring the seal when I received the bottle; I know nothing of what happened to the bottle before I received it." Mr Redmond was quite certain that the bottle was not tampered with while in his possession.
Source: The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893) Thu 22 Jun 1871 Page 4
1872 - MANSLAUGHTER
Charles Zimler [sic] was convicted at the Bathurst Circuit Court of manslaughter. He practised as a chemist at Gulgong, and gave a Mrs. Redmond a bottle of liquid ammonia for her sick child. The mother gave the child a dose, and death followed in twelve days. The medical testimony was that death had been caused by the ammonia. Zimler said he had passed a medical examination at Hanover and came to this country 20 years ago before any N. S. Wales Medical Board existed.
