West v. St. Louis, Vandalia & Terre Haute R. R.

The defendant, a railway company chartered by the legislature, contracted with the firm of McICeen, Smith & Co. to construct their road and its appurtenances. The superintendent of buildings, employed by the firm, hired the plaintiff to work upon a freight house. A poisonous mixture, in which corrosive sublimate was an ingredient, was applied to the timber to prevent decay. The plaintiff was injured by breathing the exhalations of this substance, and by handling the timber to which it had been applied. The suit was brought by him against the company to recover damages for such injury. The…