Laudanum, Chloral Hydrate, and Chloroform, Oh My!

As I stepped out of the transportation balloon, my Victorian-style dress flowing about my feet, I gazed up at the immense and eerie building standing before me that was the House of Usher. Not really knowing what to expect, I was glad to see Roderick come out of the front door minutes after my arrival. He welcomed my classmate, Eliot Ellison, and I into the house to meet his sister Madeline. We walked in, and Madeline greeted us. She and Roderick made a few remarks about how the house was in bad condition and how the basement was filthy and basically off-limits, and then we moved into the library.

I was trying to get a jumpstart on my “Usher Task” which was to find out why Madeline was ill, so I started a private IM conversation with the woman herself. I asked her if I would be able to ask her a few questions to which she responded yes as long as they did not “tire her excessively.” The conversation continued as follows:

[12:31] Jessi Claremont: yes i was just wondering how long ago you began to feel tired or ill

[12:31] Madeline Reanimator: Oh I am so weary I can hardly remember, let me think

[12:31] Madeline Reanimator: I believe Roderick may know, he has helped with my medication

[12:32] Madeline Reanimator: It seems a lifetime but possibly only a few months

[12:32] Madeline Reanimator: It began with nightmares

[12:32] Madeline Reanimator: I am sorry, I tire too easily, I must go rest now

[12:33] Jessi Claremont: thank you so much. Please rest.

Although I was grateful for the small amount of information she gave me as to what she was sick with, I was still not satisfied nor did I have a sufficient answer. While Madeline and I had been secretly conversing, Roderick was showing Eliot the library and dining room. I joined them and began to press Roderick for more answers as he expressed anguish over his sister’s condition.

[12:35] Jessi Claremont: when did this begin roderick?

[12:35] Roderick Reanimator: in early fall

[12:35] Roderick Reanimator: I first saw her [sleepwalking] in the corridors

[12:35] Roderick Reanimator: then it became more frequent

[12:35] Roderick Reanimator: and she was clearly ill

[12:36] Jessi Claremont: what do the doctors treat her for?

To this last question, Roderick responded angrily that the doctor wanted to take Madeline to the hospital for vivisection. He suggested, in more or less words, that Madeline was nothing more than a study project for the doctor and his students, and it was for that reason that Roderick would not call the doctor in. Instead, Roderick had been treating Madeline himself. I became suspicious at this last piece of information and decided to investigate more when I had the chance.

After this discussion, Roderick showed Eliot and I to our bedrooms. He left us to go sleep, and that is when I began my stealthy perusal of the house and chambers. After getting help from another one of the Ushers’ guests, Margaret Michalski, I started searching the upstairs chambers for clues on what exactly Madeline was being treated for. I had gathered that her illness was characterized by fatigue and sleepwalking, so I assumed Roderick would have administered some sort of sleeping aid to his ailing sister. The first clue that I found was a note in Roderick’s bedroom that read as follows:

5 Nov. Nothing gained with laudanum. Will try the C.H. I obtained.

6 Nov. Choral Hydrate: Have attempted nearly 30 grains without a cure. What of the doctor's new medicine, this Chloroform? What Dosage?

I did some research and found that, while he had misspelled the drug’s name, Roderick had been using a sedative called Chloral Hydrate to help keep Madeline not ambulatory while she slept. The drug was widely abused in the late 19th century, and it was used specifically for insomniacs. When taken in high dosages though the drug can cause depressed respiration and blood pressure. Confusion, convulsions, severe drowsiness, slow and irregular breathing, cardiac arrhythmia and weakness mark an overdose of chloral hydrate. Although I was slightly alarmed by the amount he gave her, I understand why Roderick would think to use the chloral hydrate; however, his use of laudanum perplexed me. Laudanum is a very potent painkiller, and no one had mentioned to me that she had been experiencing any pain. This information was troubling to me, but I moved on seeing as he was no longer using this dangerous medication. The last part of the note gave small mention to Roderick’s thoughts on chloroform. This was yet another sleeping aid he was thinking of administering to Madeline, but this is one drug that is considered hazardous. Chloroform’s primary use is anesthetic. If Roderick gave any chloroform to Madeline without the knowing the correct dosage, the effects could be near fatal.

After Roderick's room, I went down to the "off-limits" cellar but had no luck in finding anything worth my time. I came across one note, but I couldn't find any of significance in it, so it was discarded. When I came up from the cellar, Roderick was crying to Eliot about how Madeline had died in the night. After some discussion it became clear what had happened. Roderick had gone looking for Madeline in the middle of the night and saw her sleepwalking. She fell to the ground, and when Roderick ran over to see if she was okay, Madeline's skin was cold, she wasn't breathing and her pulse was untraceable. Roderick had decided to bury her in the family crypt, which is where she laid while we were having our discussion. I remembered that some side-effects of a chloral hydrate overdose were slowed breathing and low blood pressure, two things that gave explanation for Madeline's cold skin and undetectable pulse. However, I said nothing.

Mid-sentence, Roderick stopped, claiming that he had heard a scream. Eliot and I suggested we find its source, and so began our wild goose chase in the cellar chambers. We followed Roderick, who had, of course, drawn a pistol, into the family crypt. In the center lay a black coffin where the screams were coming from. Roderick opened it, and out popped Madeline (surprise!).

The conversation that followed was confusing even to me as a present observer. It began:

[13:20] Roderick Reanimator: sister!

[13:20] Madeline Reanimator: Roderick how could you do this to me?

[13:21] Roderick Reanimator: you..you

[13:21] Roderick Reanimator: seemed dead!

[13:21] Roderick Reanimator backs away

[13:21] Roderick Reanimator: and you hear

[13:21] Roderick Reanimator: the dull crunch

[13:21] Roderick Reanimator: of my foot

[13:21] Madeline Reanimator: AaAaaAaahhHhHhHhh!!11one!

[13:21] Roderick Reanimator: going though old dry bones

[13:21] Madeline Reanimator: you have destroyed me Roderick!

[13:22] Roderick Reanimator: No sister...please

[13:22] Roderick Reanimator: I didn't want the doctor to take your body away

[13:22] Madeline Reanimator: could you not wait until I was cold and dead to bury me?

[13:22] Madeline Reanimator: My only friend, only family, only hope in the world

It was about this time that Madeline fled the scene. Roderick cried about how she would never forgive him and ran after her. Eliot and I followed him to the upstairs where we found Madeline. She proceeded to beg both Eliot and I to help her leave the house. Initially we both replied no, because we didn't really know what to do. But then Madeline said this to me:

[13:26] Madeline Reanimator: Jessi I appeal to your senses as a member of our finer sex

[13:26] Madeline Reanimator: please release me from this continuous torment and take me from here!

Honestly? How could I refuse? I agreed, and we both ran to the transportation balloon. It was about this time that Roderick came out of the front of the house and ended the simulation.

From my experience and research, I have two guesses as to what Madeline was ill with. The more plausible and concrete hypothesis I have come up with is simply somnambulism caused by night terrors. Madeline told me that the illness began with nightmares, and Roderick informed that shortly after the nightmares started, she began sleepwalking. The amounts of medication that her unqualified brother gave to her caused her fatigue, and eventually it is what caused her to appear dead when she collapsed. My second guess is simply she was possessed by a demon that lived within the haunted walls of the House of Usher. I think I like my first explanation better though.

To answer my beta-test task, which was what props would help the Ushers avoid disaster, I suggest a more secure crypt. I was surprised at how easily accessible the coffin room was when I first went exploring by myself. I think I may have in fact unleashed Madeline before she was supposed to be revealed (sorry!). If there was some sort of locked door, or even just a lock on the coffin so that these mistakes could not happen with future role players, I think disaster may easily be prevented.

Overall, I enjoyed this experience. The actors who played Roderick and Madeline during my experience were exceptionally rehearsed and really kept me on my toes. Although the extra work has given me a little more stress, I would most definitely support the use of this project in future 103 classes. And to those future students I say, Good Luck! This final SL project just may be the death of you...