The Rushden Argus, Friday 5^th May 1893, transcribed by Kay Collins

A Man and his Wife Accidentally Poisoned

Considerable excitement prevailed here on Thursday morning in consequence of a rumour, which proved to be true, that Samuel Webb and his wife had poisoned themselves. Webb and his wife are a young couple living just outside Raunds lordship, at a lodge two miles off, at what is now known as Denford Ash, and are in the employ of Mr. Wm. Nichols. Not feeling very well that morning, Webb and his wife decided to take a little physic, and mixed into two tumblers of  water what they imagined to be two doses of Epsom salts, but which afterwards proved to be white vitriol. One of the tumblers full was drank by each of them. In a few minutes after both became very ill. Vomiting and purging set in with fearful pain in the bowels and stomach. This went on continuously till 10 o'clock, when they were driven down to Raunds to Dr. Mackenzie surgery, which they reached in a very serious collapsed condition. Fortunately Dr. Mackenzie and Dr. Ramsay were both at home, and both patients were at once taken into the house where means were adopted to cleanse their stomachs, and antidotes applied. After something over an hour's treatment both partially recovered, and Webb was driven to his mother’s house in Raunds about 12 o'clock and put to bed. Mrs. Webb (the wife) was not able to be removed from Dr. Mackenzie's house till towards the evening. Though not quite out of danger and very ill at the time of writing it is thought that both will recover. From the symptoms manifested the doctors are of opinion that Webb and his wife must have drank half an ounce (or more) of white vitriol each.