|
From ‘The Western Daily Mercury’- 15th October 1885
Much sensation has been caused in the Lozells district of Birmingham, by the extraordinary conduct of a man named George Butler, aged 44. Butler was for some time a teetotaller, but latterly has taken to drinking again, with the result of bringing on a violent attack of delirium tremens. About seven o’clock on Tuesday evening he was found crawling along Church Street, Lozells, with his right foot cut off. The foot with the boot on it was found in his room. The man was put in a cab and taken to the General Hospital, the vehicle being followed by a large crowd. It was found necessary to amputate the leg; but when an attempt was made to administer chloroform for this purpose Butler suddenly recovered from the state of semi-consciousness he appeared to be in, and behaved so violently that five men had to hold him while the drug was applied. After the operation had been performed, and the patient had been removed to the accident ward, he again commenced raving, and attempted to injury himself in various ways. Two policemen, therefore, were called in, and they remained watching him all night. While he was in the surgery, Butler stated that he cut his foot off with a carving knife. A knife stained with blood was found in the house. It is said that to get into the road unobserved he must have jumped through the window of a room on the second floor.
|
