The Northern Daily Times. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-05-19 00:00:00

THE RUGELEY POISONINGS. TRIAL OF PALMER AT THE CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT FOURTH DAY. ;LONDON, SATURDAY. The in terest evinced in the progress of this remarkable trial increases each day. The interior of the court was Mere e cr owded than upon any previous day, it having been 'erY generally understood that the chemical evidence ° aid be o p ened up in the course of the day. There was Ua tar ge array o f me di ca l an d sc i ent ifi c men present, "' llf nelent of themselves to fill a very large portion of the court, and the galleries were densely crowded. 4 f ew min u t es b e f ore ten, the jury came into court. On pr i'laY evening and Saturday morning they were taken out fora Promenade in the Temple Gardens. The box in huh they s i t during the day has been widened, and made stor e °re eslumodious and comfortable. Th e learned judges took their seats on the bench at : ri f a 'clock. Mr. Dallas, the American minister, arrived ew minutes before the judges ; Earl Grey shortly after ti n:1110 1e s ee, and occupied the same seat as OR the previous wri t' of the trial. The prisoner was looking remarkably ~"° l' and appeared more cheerful than on the previons ua e J , and had a smile on his face. On arriving at the front of the dock, he bowed to the judges, and almost i tamedi ately afterwards entered into conversatien with nis solicitor. The names of th e j urors h av i ng b een ca ll e d over , dame s , Bates was called and examined by Mr. Edwin September, QC. : I have known Palmer eight or nine years. Cs'3ePternber, October, and November of last year, I was nI3 employ, and used to look after the stud, and see 1 1 81 the boys w h o h a d care o f the h o rses, did th e i r d u ty. si ' ad no fixed salary. I used to receive money. Some kir ks 1 r ece i ved two sovereigns, somet i mes one. I knew pa, Cook, and remember about September seeing him at la er s house. It was about the Bth, but I cannot exactly fix the day. I dined with Cook at Palmer's ; I S at at table with them. I remember that after dinner a e e 4letbi ng was said in Palmer's and Cook's presence 4 13 - " Il t an in surance on my li f e. Ei t h er C oo k or P almer e gan the conversation, I don't know which. rAir• Sergeant Shee objected to the question, on the ° and that it referred to events which took place at two months before the death of Cook, and could ? r e no possible bearing on the case. putihe Attorney -General explained that the object in the t ag the question, was to show a fraudulent attempt on part of Palmer. Lo r a Campbell decided that thequestion could not be but,q as it did not appear to be relevant to the case. te T he exa m i nat i on was resumed b y Mr. J ames, and w i t- N e i l s ! 8441 : I reme m b er th e d ea th of Cook and the in ques t e ' e n was held upon his body. I know Mr. Ward, the eeeone r• I saw Palmer on the evening of the first day, when the in ques t was b e i ng h e ld . P a l mer gave me thi s se,tter ( the letter handed to witness), and told me to go to Fran z , with it, an d g i ve it t o a p erson o f th e name o f aa z , who wa s a d ea l er i n game i n th a t t own . P a l mer told me when I gave Franz the letter, that I was to receive a r : ek age of game, which was to be directed to Mr. Ward, and sent to him. I received the game from Mr. Franz 4 3 . 15 n the order which Palmer gave me, and sent it to Mr. °e ar l. The package was directed, "Mr. Ward, coroner ' solicitor "(I do not remember which), Stafford. I direc ted it my se lf. I a f terwar d s d e li vere d t o M r . W ar d this l etter (the letter h an d e d t o w it ness .) Wh en I w ent 0 g i ve Ward th e l e tt er h e was s itti ng i n th e smoking -0,, Wi s r , of the D o lphi n I nn , a t St a ff or d. I t o ld hi m I 'LI to sp ea k to hi m, an d ca ll e d hi m out i nto t h e yar d , s ei rici gave the letter to him there. There were other ° Ple in the roam at tin time. I had no directions et °l3l t he prisoner to do so. I saw Palmer at Rugeley n ight, and told him that I had delivered the 'letter, and sent the game as he had desired me. r emember Thursday, the 13th December. I wasthink sent for on that day to Palmer's house. I should l ak about twelve o'clock. I went to his house, and ;lan d Palmer in bed, and he asked me to go to Stafford, t ° 4 t ake to Mr. Ward a letter, and he told me to take care at no one saw me give the letter to him. On Saturday ere*, Coen via s had taken some money to him. Palmer told me d "en to go IlOt e to "Ben ," and tell him he wanted a five pound „e' as he had no small change. " Ben "is Mr. Thirlby, ;le assistant of Palmer. I was told by Palmer to look in drawer under his glass in the room, and tell him the aee ee II . t o l d ;' of a bank bill w hi c h was there. I looked in and 11 the amount. It was a £5O Bank of England the _ I left th e bill t h ere . Thi s was b e f ore h e gave me ro ll° letter to take to Ward. Afterwards I went to Thirlby no t the £5 note, as I was desired, which I got. It was a eh e a n the B r id genort h B an k . I t oo k it t o P a l mer . I spa went down stairs. Palmer was sitting up in bed, t he writing materials were at the bottom of the bed. 4„relnained down stairs about half an hour, when I went a v again, and Palmer asked me again what was the th ra annt of the bill in the drawer. I looked, and it was 171 '3 , 8 1, 1 ' 11 e bill which I had previously seen and left there, r e e ss '" e a gave me the letter to take to Stafford. I de alt.' f i ' e d that letter to Ward, near the railway statior. he e s n I gave the letter to Ward he crumpled it up in his De s . ' a nd put it in his pocket. He did not read it in my ler e s -el I told Ward whom I had brought it from. h e k tit went back to Rugeley I saw Palmer, and I told tet e tha t I had given the letter to Ward. He made no e arlt to me on the subject. le s : 4 ° B s - examin e d by Mr. Sergeant Shee : Palmer had in L ts - "'ad four brood mares and four yearlings, and some i er horses. I cannot tell the value of the stud, but I C . 4 that one of them sold for 800 guineas. Some of the stables Were in foal at the beginning of November. The e. theere at a short distance from the house of Palmer, st l e b ack of it, and the paddocks were adjoining the Pa s s ab s es ' There were about twenty acres of land in the s --6e ks• They were enclosed by hawthorn hedges. rab er a mare, called the Duchess of. Kent, being ill. enci'.uPPosed she had slipped her foal, but we could never 1104,4' Goldfinder's dam had not slipped her foal that I th e of . I saw the turf cut up by what I supposed to be ha e hor ses' feet. I never saw any dogs with them. I beloe agedo B % ll a gun at the paddocks. I don't know who it d ' to- I never saw it used, and never examined it. I e l : s"e k now Inspector Field. I have seen a person who ted sh heard i s o f t h at name. He came to mein the latter " November. I do not know that lee had seen Iteeweer • Ile was a stranger to me at Rugeley. I don't at all Wher e he put up. I don't know whether he put up 110 I did not see hi m more than once, When I went te:' sta irs about the £5 note, I saw Gillet stantling in is 3' e ar d• Ile was a sheriff's officer, I think. te e s e ' e arnitied by the Attorney-general: When I saw the Ive s a ti t t 11 1 1 . it was after hay harvest. I should think it tie. o at the l at t er end of Septem b er. Reu es , ' , lll emas Blizard Curling examined by the Attorney tee,: •jam a surgeon at the London Hospital. I have and 11 7 a IY attention particularly to the subject of tetanus, ep ee tve Published a work on that subject. Tetanus is a the r . 4di e affecti on of the muscle. Of the true disease tete s e s are two kind s o n ly—idiopathic tetanus and traumatic tre et B * Ther e are ot h er diseases in which we see con - Idi e l°llB of the musc l es w hich I should not call tetanus. tetas.vathic tetanus is self-generating, and traumatic is produc e d b y a wo und or injury. 4taee Attor ney -general: From what cause does idiopathic fre t ll , e ! aria'e ? Witness • From exposure to damp or cold ; 'le irritation of worms in the alimentary canal. Attorne y - general : In what proportion are th e cases est which end fatally to those which occur ? Witness lam ids m ab le to an swer, for I have never seen a case of Ileseaethie tetanus. I have been surgeon to the London v e lte' f or 22 years, and never saw a case of tlsat kind. seul:etlit Attorney-gene;al : Cases of traumatic tetanus are More frequent 14e Attorney -General : How many have you seen ? Witaess AV it n . heli, ' B3 : I can speak confidently of 40 or 50, but I disease first „._ 4 - . v r e 100 would be nearer the mark. The tiffness at the 1 . ests itself by a stiffness of the jaws, by a - • ()- back the a t Of the neck, by a rigidity in tliß muscles r the pit of the e4todornen, attended by a dragging pain at nolach. In many cases, the muscles of the backare 4.11.131 Y affected. These symptoms, although continuous, t e : B la ble to a ggravation in paroxysms, and as the disease re IVll,n"t',Lthe Paroxysms become more frequent• and seve instance the occur, the body is drawn backwards. In some • s though less frequently, it is bent forward. A 'll %'ult ' 1 1 , l ' s 3' of swallowing is a very prominent feature. There Ti t ,' (l ° . a difficulty of breathing during the paroxysms.. Iscase may end in two ways—the patient may die eitnwhat c) l s the suddenly from suffocation, owing to the closure 'Worn ° P e ning of the windpipe; or the patient may • - °ti t bY the severe and painful spasms, and the muscles may relax, and the patient sink and die. The disease is generally fatal. The locking of the jaw is the constant symptom. of traumatic tetanus• The difference is only in degree. The locking of the jaw is an early symptom of the disease. Another symptom is the peculiar expression of the countenance. It generally shows !itself throughout the whole counten ance. The appearance is this—there is a contracted condition of the eyelids, the raising of angles on the mouth, and a contraction of the brow. The lower extremities are sometimes affected, and sometimes, but somewhat rarely, the upper. The chief affection is in the lower extremities. When the muscles of the extremities are affected, the time at which that symptom appears is various, hut if there is no wounds on the arms or legs the extremities are not generally affected u itil late in th e progress of the disease. I never knew traumatic tetanus produced by a sore throat or from sypilis. I think sypilis is a very unlikely cause. The Attorney-General : There is another important question which I wish to ask you. flow lung, ordinarily speaking, does a case of traumatic tetanus, which ter minates fatally, last before death takes place: Witness It varies from twenty-fours to three or four days or longer. The Attorney-general: What is the shortest period which ever came to your knowledge in which the disease ran through its course and ended fatally ? Witness : Eight or ten hours. ,The Attorney.general : If I understand right, the disease when once commenced, is continuous ? Witness : Yes. The Attorney-general: Did you ever know a case in which a man would be attacked one day, and then have 24 hours' respite, and be attacked again the next day. Witness: Never. The Attorney-general: Is it your opinion that such a thing could be? Witness : No, I think not. The Attorney-general: You have heard the account given by Mr. Jones, the surgeon; on the death of Cook. Witness : Yes. Th 9 Attorney-general: Were the symptoms there con sistent with any form of traumatic tetanus which has come under your notice ? Witness : No. The Attorney-general : You heard the description given by Elizabeth Mills of the symptoms' of Cook's death. Witness : Yes. The Attorney-general: Were those symptoms the symptoms of tetanus ? Witness : No, there was the absence of the continuance of the attacks. The Attorney General : Assuming tetanus to be synoni mous with the convulsive and spasmodic action of the muscles, was there in that case tetanus ? Witness : No doubt there was a spasmodic action of the muscles. The Attorney-General : But there was not an idiopathic or traumatic tetanus on the Monday [night ? Witness : No ; there was the sudden onset and the sudden subsi dence. The Attorney-General: The sudden onset and the sudden subsidence are not consistent with the two forms of tetanus ? Witness : No. The Attorney-General : You know certain poisons that will produce tetanus ? Witness : Yes. The Attorney-General : What are they ? Witness : Nux vomica, strychnia, and bruschia. The Attorney-General: Have you seen human or animal life destroyed by strychni a ? Witness : No. Cross—examined by Mr. Sergeant Shee ; I have known tetanus arise from a disease of the spinal chord, irrita tion on the spinal chord, or the afferent nerves might produce it. Mr. Sergeant Shee ; You have stated that in your opinion the traumatic tetanus commences by lock-law, with greater or less violence? Witness Yes. Mr. Sergeant. Shee : Do you agree with Dr. Watson in the opinion which he has expressed in his lectures, that four cases perhaps out of five the disease begins with the lower jaw ? Witness : I do. Mr. Sergeant Shee : Do you agree with Dr. Watson that it may arise from causes so slight as these—from concussion of the air from a musket shot, from the stroke of a whip lash under the eye, from the cutting of a corn, from a bite on a finger, from a blow of a stick on the neck or hand, from the insertion of a seton, or from the extraction of a tooth ? Witness : Except from the concussion of the air from a musket-ball. Mr. Sergeant Shee : Do you know from your reading that a case occurred in Edinburgh where!a negro lacerated his thumb by a fracture of a dish, and died whilst guests were in the room ? An objection was taken to the form :of this :question, and it was not pressed. .Cross-examination continued: Idiopathic tetanus has not come under my notice. It is not so likely to bring patients to the hospital as traumatic tetanus. Idiopathic tetanus would be more likely to come under the notice of a physician. I have heard of such cases. Mr. Sergeant Shee : Don't you know that, very lately, in the London Hospital a case came on so unaccountably that it was referred to strychnine, and that it was thought necessary to examine the stomach of a patient to see if strychnine existed? Witness : The case did not come under my notice I think a syphilitic sore would not be likely to lead to tetanus, Epilepsy is sometimes accom panied with contractions. It is not the character of spasms• It ;frequently happens that convulsions are attributable to no discernible cause. I have not known any instance in which epilepsy has resembled tetanus. Mr. Sergeant Shee ; Do you agree with Dr. Copland in his remarks under the head of " Convulsions," that the character of abnormal contraction of the muscles is in some cases of a most violent nature, in some cases of long con tinuance, and in some cases approaching tetanus ? e W;t ness I would rather speak of my own observations. I have not seen anything of the sort. Mr. Sergeant Shee : Does it not often happen that the patient dies of convulsions, spasmodic in the sense of their being tumultuous and attenuating, and: yet after death no disease is found.? Witness : Are you speaking of children or adults ? Mr. Sergeant Shee : Of adults. Does it often happen ? Witness : I know of no instance. Mr. Sergeant Shee : Don't you know from your reading or from Science that it is so? Witness : No, Ido not. Mr. Sergeant Shee : In cases of convulsion are they not preceded by nausea, retching, vomiting, pain, and dis tension of the stomach, and flatulence of stomach and bowels ? Witness : That class of cases do not come under my notice Mr. Sergeant Shee: Do: you know that general convulsions are oftea, accompanied, with yelling and shriekingl? Witness: Yes. The Attorney-General : Would a medical practitioner, who saw a case of general convulsion, know the difference between such symtoms as those, and the symptoms of tetanus which you know ? Witness : Yes. The Attorney-General: Is it one of the characteristic features of tetanus that, consciousness is not affected ? Witness : Yes. Dr. Todd examined by the Attorney-General: I am a physician, and have been in practice 25 years. lam lec turer at King's College Hospital. I have lectured upon tetanus, and written upon it, and upon diseases of the nervous system generally. I agree entirely with Mr. Curling's opinion. I have seen two eases of idiopathic tetanus. It is that form of tetanus which is produced without any apparent wound, and from internal causes, apparently constitutional causes. I have had limier my observation, cases of traumatic tetanus. The symptoms are precisely the same as in idiopathic tetanus, The symptoms begin with stiffness about the jaw. The symptoms then extend themselves to other parts of the body. These symptoms come on and gradually develop themselves. When once the disease has begun, there are remissions, diminutions of severity, but not a total sut sidence. I speak from my own expe rience. The cases may be divided into two classes; the acute cases will terminate in the course of three or four days ; the chronic cases will go on from 19 to 22 or 23 days. I have not known a case terminate within four days in my own experience, but such cases are related. The extremities are affected, but the affection comes on late. The locking of the j aw i s an 'early symptom. Epilepsy does not produce tetantc symptoms. It will sometimes produce convulsious, which occasionally asszane a tetanic character, but the symptoms are very and net continuous. I n epilepsy there is different, epileptic convulsions assumi ng th at f orm, are n abolition of consciousness for a ti me . A poplexy a q l u w i c a k y l s y a o v er , is not accompanied with tetanic convulsion. smnptitnes, when there is an effusion of blood on the brain, the patient may exhibit something of tetanic convulsions. In that ease the consciousness would be completely deStroyed. In my opinion, in the ease ,ef Cook, there was neith er epilepsy nor apoplexy. The Attorney-General said he wished to put some dues • Vona to Dr. Todd, arising out of Mr. Bamford's examina tion; but as that gentleman was unable to attend, he proposed to put in his deposition. After a short conversation, Dr. Todd was questioned as to the state of Mr. Bamford's health, and stated that he was labouring under an attack of English _cholera, and was unablo to attend the court. Dr. Tweedy gave similar testimony as to Mr. Bamford's illness. Mr. I3amford's deposition was then put in and read. It was as follows : " I am a surgeon, residing at Rugeley. I attended upon Mr. Cook at the request of Mr. Palmer. I first saw him about three o'clock on Saturday, the 17th day of Novem ber. I found him suffering from violent vomiting. His stomach could not retain a tablespoonful of anything. He was in bed. I saw no other symptoms except sickness. He was in no fever. His pulse did not exceed 72—perfect moisture of skin—perfectly sensible—no other symptoms whatever. I prescribed the medicine for him. Mr. Palmer went up to my house. I !prescribed a saline medicine to be taken in an effervescent state. In the evening Mr. Palmer called upon me between seven and eight o'clock to request I would go with him again. II then saw that the deceased's sickness still continued. I gave him a slight opiate. Palmer staid until I prepared the pills, and he then took them away with him. I did not go with Mr. Palmer when he took the;:pills• Between eight and nine o'clock on Sunday morning Mr. Palmer called on me again• I went alai' him. I saw Mr. Cook in presence of Mr. Palmer. He was still sick, and continued so. I remained with him ten minutes. He continued to eject all he took. He then' asked me to neutralise the medi cine, as he did not like to take it in an effervescent state. I did not see him take any thing. I did not examine what came from him. I saw several basins and saw him throw up. The vomit was clear. I saw no appearance of bile, nor was it in any way discoloured. He did not throw any blood from his throat, and what did come from him was as clear as water. I saw him again between six and seven o'clock on the following evening. Mr. Palmer asked me to go with him. He still continued sick and bad. No pain whatever. The skin quite moisla When I saw him he said his bowels had been moved two or three times. His motions were in a natural state, and;rcontained bile. No blood was with the motion. I made pressure upon the stomach, but he did not complain of lany tenderness or pain whatever. 1 last saw him on Sunday, between eight and nine o'clock in the morning. He still complained of sickness and had thrown up. On Monday I altered the medicine. I mixed the mepiciue and sent it to the Talbot. It was a draught to be taken every three hours. It was composed of three drachms of sulphate of magnesia, two of thyasimns dogolasyrup, twelve drachms of tincture, and five ounces of infusion of roses, made up in a six ounce bottle, a fourth part to be taken every three or four hours. I did not See him take the medicine. I saw the bottle in his bedroom, and some of it had been taken. He said the medicine agreed with him, and he had not been sick since he took it. He had taken a basin of coffee and a basin of broth. He said he should continue the medicine as it had done him a great deal of good. I saw him in the evening again, between six a n d seven o'clock. He said he had been up and was comfortable, and wanted two pills again in the evening, which I pre pared, and sent down. I sent them by my servant. I did not at any time see any pill box in the room. He had taken pills on each night from Saturday. They contained one grain and a half of morphia, one grain of calomel, and four grains of rhubarb, divided into two pills. They were made with a conserve of hip. Between seven and eight o'clock on Tuesday morning met Mr. Palmer in the street. He said he had been with Mr. Cook, that he was composed, and appeared very quiet and comfortable, and he did not wish him disturbed. Mr. Palmer called upon me between seven and eight o'clock, and asked me to go down. He intro duced me to Dr. Jones, of Lutter worth. In the presence of Mr. Jones and Mr. Palmer I again examined Mr. Cook. This was the first time I had seen any change in him. His mind appeared disturbed and irritable. He turned himself round in the bed, his face from me. I stood on the left hand side of the bed, and Mr. Jones and Mr. Palmer on the other. He turned towards Mr. Palmer and said, "I'll have no more pills to night." Cook said he would take no more medicine. Mr. Jones and Mr. Palmer came out of the room with me. We had a con sultation together. Afterwards Mr. Palmer and I went to my house. I made the pills in his presence. He asked me to write a direction. It was on a slip of paper, and was wrapped up in the box. They were the same pills I had before prescribed. I sealed them and gave them to Mr. Palmer. About half-past twelve on Wednesday morning I was again called up, and desired to go imme diately to the Talbot. I there found Mr. Cook dead, and Mr. Jones and Mr. Palmer standing by his bedside. The body was not then cold. The body was perfectly straight, and he lay on his back.'" I left Mr. Palmer and Mr. Jones in the room. I was present at the post mortem examination. Dr. Devon shire made it. Dr. Harland, Mr. Palmer, and Mr. Newton were also present. The examination was ',made on the 26th day of November, six days after death. The body had not changed colour. The stomach was opened, and nothing particular was found there. There were secre tions in the lower part of the bowels. I could not discern the cause of death. The heart was quite empty. I thought the vessels of the brain,' after the skull was re moved, were rather full. There did not appear to be any congestion of the brain. The lungs were perfectly healthy. They were not in the least congealed. They did not appear diseased. I did-not then notice the blood. There was nothing in the blood to attract my attention. The effervescing medicine was 20 grains of carbonate of potash, two drachms of compound tincture of cardumus, and about two drachms of simple syrup and water. The acid was fifteen grains of tartaric acid in powder—fifteen grains in each paper. I keep the preparations of antimony, but gave him none. It was the acetate of morphia I gave him. I keep strychnia, locked up in a cupboard in the parlour. I may have about two drachms. It is sometimes used as a medicine. I have not used it for the last four or five years. I have antimony and tartaric acid—tartarised antimony in a pot and bottle, and tartaric acid in a four oz. bottle. I did not see the effervescing mixture after I made it. and Palmer took it away. I saw the mixture afterwards, when a portion had been taken, but I did not the powders. The bottle containing the morphia is an ounce one, and is a stopper bottle. The other, strychnine, has a cork. The strychnine is tied up with leather. Deceased's tongue was perfectly clean all the three days I saw him. I Prepared the pills by candlelight. I did not particularly observe deceased's eyes on Thursday. evening. I mixed up eight pills altogether, but at different times. ; His skin was moist. Therel was no fever. The heart was entirely empty. When I saw Mr. Cook on the M on d ay h e did not complain that he had been ill. When I saw Mr. Palmer on the Tuesday he did say Mr. Cook had had a fit. He also said that Mr. Cook had had two fits before ; but that he had not been called to him. When Mr. Palmer called upon me first it was on the Saturday, and he told me he had dined with Mr. Cook the previous day, and he had taken too much champagne. Mr. Cook said ha believed he had taken a little too much, and that he was not in the habit of taking much. I have attended other patients for Mr. Palmer. The paper produced containing the words One pill directly, 'and repeated towards ten o'clock,' was the direction I sent with the first box of pills on the Saturday night. The other directions were differ ent. They were 'the pills to be taken at bed time,' or words to that effect. My opinion at the time deceased died was, that he died of apoplexy. I certified to that effect. I think deceased died from excitement, from what I saw on the Tuesday night. I observed when the skull was taken off that the blood vessels of the dura mater seemed enlarged and full. I have been a medical prac !loner 53 years. I saw the brain divided. I am still of the same opinion as I was before I saw the body opened. I stated in the presence of Dr. Harland and those present that I believed deceased died of apoplexy. I saw the brain divided, and still I am of the same opinion. I should say the appearances I saw on the brain after the skull was taken off were sufficient to cause death. I attended Mrs. Palmer be fore her decease •, also Mr. Palmer's two children ; also a gentleman who had been staying at Mr. Palmer's a week or two. He was no relation. I cannot say that I have attended any one else for Mr. Palmer. Those I attended all died. Mr. Palmer applied to me on the Monday fol lowing deceased's death for a certificate, as deceased was to be buried the day following. I told him that, as it was his patient, he certainly ought, to give a certificate. He asked mo to fill the certificate up. H 3 said, I had rather yon would give it.' I filled one up out of my own book at Any own house. He asked me what my opinion was as to the cause of death. I believe Mr. Palmer asked me for the certificate before he asked me my opinion as to the cause of death. I cannot say that I ever knew apoplexy to produce rigidity of the limbs. I attributed the sickness the first two days I saw him to the state of the stomach. On the Monday I saw Mr. Cook. He said he did not want to take any medicine prepared either by Mr. Palmer or Mr. Jones, and that he wished me to prepare PI! his medicines. He told me on the Monday that ho respected Mr. Jones as a friend ; that Air. Palmer had had a letter from him that day, and that he would he here on the Tuesday." Dr. Todd's examination was then continued : I do not believe that Cook died from apoplexy or epilepsy. I have never known tetanus arise from a sylphilitic sore or from sore throat. There are poisons which will prnduce tetanic convulsion. Nux vomica, and those poisons which contain as their active principle strychnia and bruschia, are poisons which produce convulsions. I have not seen human life destroyed by these means, but I have seen animal life destroyed. I should not like to give a human subject a quarter of a gran of strychnia. I think half a grain would destroy life. A grain would do so most certainly. Half a grain would destroy a cat. When I have seen it given, it has generally been given in solution. I believe it acts more rapidly in that manner. The manner in which the animal ' is effected,dcpends on the dose. A moderate dose would show its effects in half an hour. The first effect from which, is a convulsion of the spinal muscles. The head is drawn back, the trunk bowed in a most remarkable manner. The extre mities are generally stiffened, and the muscles rendered stiff and rigid. The stiffness once set in does not perfectly relax, and fresh paryoxsms occur. The motion of the muscles is a rigid jerking motion. The feet are forced out of their natural position and powerfully extended. Death would be over in a quarter of an hour, or half an hour, unless the dose is a small one, and the spasms then subside, The Atterney-General : Is there a masked difference be tween a case where death ensues after taking strychnia and a case of tetanus from idiopathic or traumatic tetanus ? Witness : I think the distinction is very marked. The Attorney. General : Wherein ?-Witness . : The con tinuity a the symptoms. As long as the poisonous influence lasts, the symptoms last. but the posonous influence will subside afier a time, if the dose is not strong enough to cause death, and then the spasms will return. In tetanus the symptoms from the commencement are continuous, and go on as long as the patient's powers are capable of endur ing them. the alertness of the duration of the symptom is decidedly a symptom of strychnia ap a poison, The Attorney-G enera l ; Brusohia is analogous iu ite effects to strychnia ? Wi tness : Yes, but weaker. The Attorney-G enera l : Are there any ot h er po i sons that produce conyulsion s o f a tetanic nature ? Witness : The r e are no other that I am aware of. The Attorney General : You have heard the syrnptems described attending the death of Cook. Arc you of opinion that they are referrable to idiopathic or to traumatic teta nus ? Witness: No. The Attorney-General : You say you never saw a per. TIER iteE,THEBN TIME3.—LIVERPOOL, MOND CY, MAY 19, 18‘5, son Cie from the administration of strychnia ? —Witness No. The Attorney General : Have you seen a person suffer from an overdose ? Witness : Yes I perfectly recollect on 3 instance The Attorney-General : What was the effect ? Witness : There was the effect which I Lave described in animals. There was consciousness, there was irritation and tetanic convulsions of the muscles of the trunk. The limbs were stiffened. The Attorney-General : Was there in that case any action of the jaw ?—Witness : My impression is that if there was it was very slight. The Attorney-General : How long was the patient labour ing under the strychnia ? Witness : Nut more than an hour or a couple of hours. The Attorney-General : Judging of cases of animal life and the case of your patient on the one hand, and the cases of idiopathic and traumatic tetanus on the other, and having heard described the symptoms of Cook's attack and death, to what cause do you ascribe that death ? Are the symp toms those of idiopathic or traumatic tetanus, or the symy toms of tetanus by strychnia ? Witness : I think they are those of tetanus from strychnine. Cross -examined by Mr. Grove : There are cases of every degree of tetanus sloping into each other. I have published lectures on diseases of the brain and the nervous system, and adhere to the opinions therein expressed. 0 f traumatic tetanus there are a great variety of symptoms. Sometimes one set of muscles are more affected than the other. I don't think the limbs are affected before the jaws. In a patholo gical point of view an examination of the spinal cord shortly after death is of great importance in cases of this kind. Decomposition would alter the signs of the spinal chord. In the animals to which I saw strychnine administered I remarked that by touching them the spasms appeared to be Increased, and that on being touched they went off into a second spasm. That is usually observed in animals which are po'soned. Icm speak distinctly as to the state of the heart in cases which I have examined—it was generally empty on both sides. I think death from strychnia is partly due to the difficulty of action of the respiratory muscles, but chiefly, I think, to the general nervous exhaustion, which the violence of the paryoxisms produce. I do not agree in the opinion expressed by Dr. Taylor, and several other medical writers, who have expressed the same opinion, that in the cases of persons dying of tetanus death is caused by asphyxia, or suffocation. If they did they should have the right side of the heart filled with blood. The terms " asphyxia" and " suffocation" are sometimes very loosely used. A spasm of the glottis will produce suffocation. I believe convulsions sometimes follow the use of morphia, but T have not witnessed them. Re-examined by the Attorney-General : In cases of ordinary tentanus I should not expect to find anything particular about the heart. My impression is that the heart became strongly contracted with tetanic convulsions caused by strychnine, more so than after ordinary tetanus. By Lord Campbell : Do the spasms extend to the heart ? Witness : They do, and by th it means expel the blood. By the Attorney-General : Medical practitioners would have no difficulty in understanding the distinction between violent convulsions arising from other causes and those which occur in tetanus. I have heard the description given by the witnesses of the state of the spinal cird on the second examination of the body of Cook. I should have expected that the bony substances referred to might have been discovered, as they do not decompose until some time after death. What struck me as a most remarkable feature in this case, and one which is quite new to me, was the rigidity of the extremities of the body. In the case of a cat which was poisoned by strychynine the muscles, I was informed, continued rigid for six days after death, but I did not see it myself. In the case of death by ordinary tetanus I am not aware whether the rigidity of the muscles continues for any time after death. Sir Benjamin Brodie, examined by Mr. James, said : I am the senior surgeon of Guy's Hospital, and in the course of my practice I have had a great many cases of death by tetanus. Deaths from idiopathic tetanus are very rare in this country. According to my experience deaths frequently occur from traumatic tetanus. I have heard the evidence given in this case respecting the death of Cook, and, so far as the spasmodic contractions are concerned, they were the same as those of traumatic tetanus, but with respect to the course which they took, they were entirely different. I noticed, also, this point of difference—that he had an attack on the Monday night, I think, and that the next day he was composed and comfortable, while, on the next night, the symptoms returned. Now, the symptoms of tetanus always begin, as far as I have ever seen, in a gradual stiffening of the lower jaw ; that is, I believe, invariably the first sym tom complained of—at least, so far as my experience is con cerned. The contraction of the muscles of the back is al ways a later symptom —generally much later. The muscles of the extremities are affected in a much less degree than those of the neck and trunk, except in some cases where the injury has been in a limb, and an early symptom has been spasmodic contraction of the muscles of that limb. I do not myself recollect a case of ordinary tetanus in which there was that contraction of the muscles of the hand which I have heard took place in this instance. Then, ordinary tetanus rarely runs its course in less than two or three days, and is often protracted to a much longer perked. I knew one case only in which the disease was said to have termi nated in so short a time as twelve hours; but pr )bably, in that case, the early symptoms had been overlooked. I never knew the symptoms of ordinary tetanus to last for a few minutes, then subside, and come on again after twenty-four hours. I think that these are the principal points of difference which I perceived between the symptoms of ordi nary tetanus and those which I have heard described. Ihave not witnessed the symptoms of tetanic convulsions arising from strychnine. Ido not believe that death in this case arose from what we call ordinary tetanus, either idiopathic or traumatic. I never knew or heard of tetanus as the result of a so-e throat or canker, or any other form of syphilitic disease, nor as the result of apoplexy, or epilepsy. Perhaps I had better say at once, that I never saw a case in which the symptoms which I have heard described, arose from any disease. When I say that, I refer of course not to general symptoms, but to the general course which the symptoms took. _ _ _ Cross-examined by . 111 r. Sergeant Shee: I remember one C3SO in an hospital, which was shown me as a case of idopa thic tetanus, but I doubted whether it deserved the name of tetanus. It was a slight convulsion from tetanus, but I do not renomber the particulars of the case. I never saw syphilitic poison produce tetanic convulsions, except in the event of the bone of the head being affected. Mr. Sergeant Shee : Would you be disposed to place so much reliance upon the description of the symptoms given by chambermaids and local practitioners, as to say positively t h at th e symptoms were not those of ordinary tetanus ? Witness : I thought the evidence was very clearly given. Mr. Sergeant Shee : In the event of any difference of opinion between the chambermaid and the medical prac titioner irelative to the symptoms, to which would you attach the greatest weight ? Mr. Baron Alderson: That is hardly medical evidence, but it is a very proper observation for you to make to the j ury. The Court here adjourned for a short time, and the proceedings were resumed by the examination of Mr. Daniel, who was examined by the Attorney-General. He said : I have been for eight years surgeon to the Bristol Hospital. I have seen a considerable number of cases of tetanus, perhaps as many as thirty cases. They were of all from wounds. There were two cases certainly of idio pathic character. One of these cases did not terminate fatally. Cases of such sort are very rare, indeed. It appeared to my judgment that in the case of idiopathic tetanus, the symptoms were merely of a milder form than those of the traumatic. I was not able to trace these two cases of idiopathic tetanus to any particular cause. I agree with the opinions of the other witnesses respecting the course of the symptoms described in this case. I have heard the description of the symptoms of the attack cf which Cook died ; those symptoms were most assuredly different from those of any cases which have come under my knowledge. The opinion of Sir Benjamin Brodie is one in which I fully concur. In the wises of my experience, tetanus usually begins with uneasi ness in the lower jaw, followed by spasm of the muscles of the trunk, and most frequently extending to the muscles of the limbs. Lockjaw is an almost invariable symptom in traumatic tetanus especially, and this is one of the earliest symptoms. Ido not recollect that clenching of hands was a fre-quent symptom, I think I have seen them. I do not remem ber to have seen the twisting outward of the foot. I cannot recollect an instance of death occurring from tetanus in a less period than from thirty to forty hours. I never knew a base of syphilitic sore producing tetanus, nor in my opinion, can the symptoms I have heard described be ref :ralde either to apoplexy or epilepsey, In all the eases of tetanus which have come under my experience consiousness has remained to the last moment. The symptoms have never commenced violently, they have been continuous without any entire intertnissiq. When the symptoms do set in they generally , commence very mildly, and gradually increase in vio lence. In my judgment, the symptome exhibited by Cook could not be referred to any known descriqtion of tetanus. Cross-examined by Mr. Grove : I am not aware that several cases have occurred in which long intervals have intertened between the symptoms, nor have I read the remarks of Curtis on the subject. lam not aware that excitenael f t and vomiting are given as the cause of tetanus. The symptoms of tetanie convulsion vary very much, but the leading symptoms are usually the same. Ido not think that in a series of traumatic tetanus the symptoms vary much in their character. I believe the cause of death tetanically arises from exhaustion or suffocation. I have seen a post mortoot examination of a person who had died from tetanus, but I do not remember the appearance which the body pre sented. Re•examined byr, the Attorney-general ; No examination of the spinal cord, however, soon after the death of a person who had died of tetanus could afford any evidence of the cause which had produced the disease, Sully, surgec - 4 of SF. Thomas's Ifospl.tal. examinea by Mr. Welsby, said ; I have been connected with St. Thomas's Hospital, as lecturer and surgeon, for 28 years, and have durin'g tha t period had six or seven cases of tetanus under my own care, and have seen several others. There was one case only in which any doubt existed as to its being one of traumatic tetanus. Tf;a symptorna in that ease were slower, and generally rather milder. The shortest period which occurred of death from tetanus was not less than thiny hours, and the symptoms were invaiably progressive. I have heard the evidence given of the symptoms in Cook's case, and they differ essentially from all that I have seen. In all the cases of tetanus I have attended, there has been a marked expression of countenance as the first symptom. It is a sort of grin so peculiar, that having once seen it, it can never be mistaken. There was also this difference, that in the symptoms I heard described there were violent convul sions on the Monday, and on the following day the indi vidual was entirely free from any discomfort about the face or jaw. In the cases that have come under my notice the symptoms are always continuous, and the fixedness of the jaw is the last to disappear. The symptoms described in Mr. Cook's case were not referable to apoplexy, epilepsy, or any other disease that I have ever witnessed. Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant Shce : The grin in case of tetanus is called rises sardonicus." I have only seen one case of idiopathic tetanus. Epilepsy sometimes occurs in the midst of violent convulsions, it is itself a disease of convulsions. In some respects, the last shriek, and the paroxysms which followed in this case, resembled epileptic convulsions. Death by convulsions arising from epilepsy leaves trace behind in the shape of some blood in the brain. Re-examined by the Attorney-General: The convulsions which take place in epilepsy are not of a tetanic character, and are accompanied by a variety of symptoms. There were none of the symptoms of epilepsy in this case. Persons dying of epilepsy are unconscious, and I have never peen any case of c mvulstons similar to those which have been described. Laceration of the brain, injury to the spinal cord, and the process of teething in infants, will produce convulions, but in such cases there would not be that expression in the face which I have never missed in cases of tetanus. Henry Lee, surgeon to the King's College Lock Hos pital, examined by Mr. Bodkin : I have been connected for eighteen years with he Lock Hospital. That establish ment is exclusively devoted to syphilitic affections, and I have occasion to see no less than 3,000 cases of syphilis in the year. I have seen many cases of ssphilitic affection in the throat, but never knew them to end in tetanus. I have not had any experience in cases of tetanus. I have heard of one case of tetanus arising from primary or secondary symptoms. Dr. Corbett, physician, examined by Mr. James, said : I am in practice at Barrhead, near Glasgow. In 1815 I was medical clerk in the Glasgow Infirmary. I remembar the case of Agnes Sennet, who died on the .27th of September, 1845. She died from the effects of strychnine. I saw her shortly before her death, when she was under the influence of the poison. I saw her during the previous day perfectly well. She was a patient in the hospital for a skin disease. I was told when sent for that she had taken some strychnine pills, but made up for a paralytic patient. She was in bed when I saw her. She bad a retraction of her mouth, her face was suffused and red, the pupils of her eyes dilated. Her head was bent back, the spine curved, and the muscles were rigid and hard like a board ; her arms were stretched out, and hands clenched, and severe paroxysms recurred at short intervals of a few seconds. She died in about an hour and a quarter after taking the pills. From the time that I was called to her until her death nearly an hour elapsed. The quantity of strychnine to each pill was a quarter of a grain. She took three pills. The paralytic patient was to take one of the pills night and morning. Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant Shea : The retraction of the mouth was continuous before, but I did not see the body after death. The hands of the patient were semi -bent, not clenched. Bending of the hand in that form is not uncommon in cases of death by violent convulsions. It was about twenty minutes after taking the pills before she was attacked by the symptoms. I tried to make her vomit with a feather, by tickling her throat. She did vomit a little—not much. It was after I had given her an eme'ic. Re-examined by the Attorney-General : There was no lock-jaw in that case. Then was grinding of the teeth, but she swallowed quite well during the interval of the spasms. She could open her mouth and swallow. By Mr. Sergeant Shee : I do not recollect whether, while under the influence of the poison, the slightest touch would send her into paroxysms. W. Watson examined by the Attorney-General, said : I am surgeon to the Glasgow Infirmary. I remember the case of Agnes Sennet. I was called in to attend her a quarter of an hour after the symptoms commenced. I found her in a state of violent convulsions. Her arms were stretched out. The muscles of the body were rigid, as were also those of her feet and legs. During the paroxysms the rigidity of the muscles and the violent tetanic action prevented breath ing, for the short intervals during which they lasted. The paroxysms subsided, but returned again immediately. She died in about half-an-hour after I saw her, and during the whole of the time she appeared perfectly conscious Ido not recolect the state of her hands, and did not observe them after death Her body was opened after death, when the heart was found distended, stiff, and the [cavities we e emptied. Cross-examined by Mr. Grove: In that case the spinal cord was quite healthy. ZDr. James Patterson, examined by Mr. Welsby : I was an apprentice in the Glasgow Lahoratory in 1845. It was my business to dispense the prescriptions. In Sebtember of that year I dispensed a prescription for a patient named Mintyre. It was in the form o! pills. They contained strychina. There were four pills, containing one grain Mi. Baron Alderson : Was there any noise about their being taken by another person ? Witness : There was. Mary Belly, examined by Mr. Bodkin ; In September, 1845, I was in the infirmary at Glasgow. I was a patient there. There was a paralytic patient in the same ward, to whom I had to attend. There was also a patient who went by the name of French, who died whilst I was there. She was suffering from a sore head. In the oourse of the afternoon on which she died I was turning a wheel which was applied to the skin of a paralytic patient. Whilst I was doing that a box with same pills came up. I saw the paralytic) woman take one of the pills out of the box, and swallow it. The order was, that she was to take one pill at a time. After that was done she handed the box to the patient with the sore head, and I saw her take two of the pills and swallow them. She than went and sat before the ward fire. In about three quarters of au hour after that she was taken ill. She fell brick on the floor, and I went for a nurse. We got her into bed, and the doctor wa3 sent for. I remained up with her. We were obliged to cut her clothes off, for she never moved. She was like a poker. I did not notice her hands r feet. I wai stand ing on the floor when she died. She never spoke after she fell. Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant Shee : From the time she took the pills to the time she was carried to the bed wvs about three quarters of an hour; Caroline H lessen, examined by Mr. James : In October, 1842, I was nurse in the family of Mr. Sergeantson Smith. I Was nurse and lady's maid. The family was at that time residing about two miles from Romney. o.a the 30th of October Mrs. Smith was unwell. We dealt with Mr. Jones, of Romsey, for drugs. A prescription was sent to him and it was made up. I remember the medicine being brought back from Jones's. That was about six o'clock in the after noon. The medicine was a mixture in a bottle. I saw my mistress take it. She took about half a wine glass full. That was on the following morning ahout five Or ten minutes past seven. Having given her the medicine I left the room. In the puree of five or ten minutes I was aldrmed by the Tinging of the bell. I returned 01 the room and found my misterss up from the bed, loaning on a chair in her night dress. She appeared to be suffering from what I thought spasms. I ran down and sent the coachman for Mr. Taylor, surgeon, and returned to my mistress's room. I then found some of the other servants in the room. My mistress was lying on the floor. She screamed very much. Her teeth were clenched. She asked to have her arms and legs held straight. I toot hold of her arms and legs, they were drawn up very much. She still Screamed and was in great agony, and requested that same water should be thrown over her. That was done. Her feet were bent inward. I put hot water to her feet, but it did not cause them to relax at all. Shortly before she died she said she felt cagier. The last words she uttered were " tura me me' We did turn her over on the floor. She died a very few minutes afterwards. She died very quietly. She was quite Conscious during the whole time, and knew In all. From the time she took the medicine, until her death, was about an hour and a quarter. The quantity of medicine which she had taken was about half a wine glass full. Cross-examined by Mr. trove : After she had taken the medicine she could not sit up at all. It was when she was in the paroxysms that we endeavoured to straighten her limbs. It was a continual attack, and lasted about an hour or an hour and a quarter altogether. Her teeth were quite clenched during the whole time. By the Attorney-General : The At came on five or ten minutes after the medicine was administered. She remained quite stiff, only for a few minutes. She was conscious all the while. Mr. Francis Taylor, examined by Mr. Welsby ; I am a surgeon and apothecary at Romsey. I was so in 1848. I attended Mrs. Sergaantson Smith. I was summoned there one morning and found her dead. I got there between eight and nine o'clock. The body was on the floor, between the bed and some pieces of furniture. The hands were very much contracted—clenched. The feet mre contracted and turned inwards. The soles of the feet were unnaturally hollowed up, and the toes contracted. I believe that it had arisen from a recent spasm° lie aotion. The inner edge of each foot was turned up. The limbs were remarkably rigid and stiff. The body seemed warm. The eyelids were tightly adherent, almost to the eyeballs. The druggist who made the prescription was Mr. Jones. I saw him running to the house shortly afterwards. 1 made a post mortal; examination three days after death. The contraction of the feet" continued, but it laad &One off somewhat from the rest of the body. The hands were rigid. I did not and any trace of disease in the body. The heart was con tracted. It was perfectly empty, All the large arteries leading from the heart tvere quiet empty. The blood was flui3. I subsequently analysed the medicine alone with Mr. Ranm, of Southampton, I found it to contain a large quantity of strychnine. I knew the mixture eriginally contained nine grains, of which Mrs. S m ith had taken one-third, or three grains. I took out the stomach and bowels. I made a very casual examination, because the proof of having poison was perfectly clear. We did not try any tests, because we had plenty of proof with out them. Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant Shee : In ordinary cases the body does not remain in the same condition after death in which it was at the time of death. I don't know whether if a man died with a clenched hand his hand would remain in that state after death. In opening the body I commenced at the thorax. I did not open the head until after the trunk had been examined. Charles Bloxham : I was apprentice to Mr. Jones in . He is now dead. I remember mixing up a pro scription for Mrs. Smith. A mistake was ma'e, and strychnia was used instead of selacine. It was not my rills • take. It was the mistake of my master, who destroyed himself afterwards. Jane Witham (examined by Mr. James) : In March lost I was in attendance upon a lacy, who afterwards died— [Lord Campboll You need not mention the nsmej—l remember her taking some medicine and afterwards bec ing very ill. When she was fi rs t ta k en ill she complained of her back. I observed her heal thro - rn back and her body thrust out. I could not get to her back. I ob;erved that her eyes were drawn aside and staring, and when I put my hands upon her limbs they did not all relax their rigidity. She first complained of being ill on the 25th Feb. She died on the Ist of March. She had several attacks. The attacks were on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday; and the was a slight one on Friday, and she died on the Saturdi twenty minutes before eleven. At times she was more com posed. She generally complained of a pricking in her head, and twitching of the muscles of the hand, and she could compare it to nothing else than a g slvanic shook. Dariig one of the attacks I heard her ask her husband to rub her legs and arms. She was dead when Dr. Morels carne. Cross-examined by Mr. Se r g ean t Sh ee : She wi-' legs to be tubbed before the paroxysm carer was unon her, on the day she died, she Ca., touched. Her limbs were rigi fly extended. intervals of the paroxysms on the Saturday, brought the spasms on. On the day she died she t swallow at all. She was sensible from a quarter until after nine, but she did not speak. I e whether she was conscious or not Re-examined : The sympton were as on the other days Air. John .cries, examined b wtule i ld not bear to h meciicil attendant of the lady 1 attended her for functional aeragernz:nt. beforo, she died I notice], as she was loin convulsive twitching of the arms of a sli•hi ia, and al )y Mr. Welsby: I uded to by the hst referred them at th eine i': consequenec either on the Wed m, to by I noticei Le sane ;sday or Thum morning he died, when ;I- composed state. :She c in the night, and spoke of I- mortem in and amination or the boa Ince of to account for death. There expression of anxiety about the court were strongly curved. I applied sc. pose of discovering the presence of pois, the presence of strychnia, and in each c traces of the existence of that poison. I lated some animals uith strychnine that the contents of the stomach. rabbits, and a guinea-pig, and I 01 more or less, the effects of poisonir effects were general uneasiness, ditheuit sions of a tetanic kind, muscular rigidly, arching backwarc especially of the heal and neck, and death followed in f of the animals--one in two minutes--a rabbit; anat tt, dve minutes, and another in less than an hour. Tit( it a guicea-pig, sufihred but slightly at first, but hg7ing e left, it was found dea t the next day. The muscles of the animals became placid at the moment of death, but almost immediately afterwards became e.weedin,gly rigid. I after wards nude experiments upon other animals with strychnie, in its pure state, and the symptoms and the results were exactly the same. a every i ti2ea Cross-examined : I noticed that when any of the animals were touched, the effect was immediately to bring on the spasm. It was, in fact, like a galvanic shock. At no period of the illness of the lady I have referred to was she in a state of insensibility, She was able to swallow during the week. The lilings of the stomach was very much congested. and there was a small quantity of bloody serium in the pericardium. The muscles of the body generally presented a peculiar appearance. They were, dark and soft. There was also a notable quantity of serum, slightly tinged with blood, in the membranes of the spinal- cord, The membranes of the spinal marrow were also congested to a considerable extent. I openea, the head first, and a good deal of blood flowed ou , and part of that m'ght come from the heart, and so h perfectly emptied it. I ha' .e examined the hearts of that have been poisoned with strychnine times, and found the right side i;enerally full. the cases where I administered the strychnia the symptoms first appea-cal in about an hour, but generally they come on much earlier. I detected strychnia by every test that 1 applied. In one of the cases where I knew it had been administered to the animal, I was unable to discover its presence afterwards in a satisf.ctory manner. In one ens , I detected the presence of strychnia at a per:Gl of tv months after death, and when decomposition had c nienced. great many In some of By the Attorney,G.eneral : I generally administered about one or two grains, and I believe a portion of it may act upon the nervcs, and another portion upon the blood. kt was no doubt absorbed into the system. I examined the stomachs of the anini9ls, an I I should expect to have. found there the quantity that was ita excess beyond what was abscrhed into the system. Sufficient poison might be absorbed into the system to cause death, and what was in excess would remain in the stomach, where it would of course be inoperative after death. When an uncommon dose sufficient to destroy life by absorption into the system was administered, I should expect to fail sometimes to find any trace of the poison in the stomach. I should expect to find a very different state of things upon post rnortsm Ca in a case where the patient died suddenly, ard death was a long protracted on( the &ceased lady was in a II By the Lord Chief Justi( The blo-o' aid stare. e : I believe it r m may n the body, and I think it it r wing bodies ar Itryebnia con' was form portion of the p undergo a chemical chi continue in the stomach. By Mr. Sergeant Shee substances acting upon in iheir compOii carbon is one of them. I don't knom by any fermenting or putrifying pr( Mr. G. D. Moore said z I profession, and I had a pati paralysis. I administered son tie went t nia to him. _ Brighton, and when u he made a communication to me on the subject e' dose than usual, and I gave him one. I Tn draughts, containing a quarter of a grain present when he took one of these dray me that he had taken so much as, tip while he was at Brighton. After b he said be felt quite comfortable, al but three-quarters of an hour I was auk.— b acmin. When I arrived at his house I fo un d hi s h back, and he was stiffened in every limb, an? violently -nd turn him. T' drawn back to give him some ammo Dnvutsive He was ouzo rus to rub him . Net snapped at the spoon with a sort of suffered for more than three h him in safety, and he survived the attach ous during the whole of the tina-4 RUrS before Cross-eamined: The rigidity of the muieles continued for two or three days after he reeovercl. He experienced no ill effects from the dose, b u t, 411 the cont rary , h e sa id t h at he thought his paralysis was much better. • J The Attoruev4aneral: Strychnine v is a matter that is zenerally media cases in paralysis, I believe, is it not ? Witness ; Yes, it is u se d i n sma l l doses for the -- purpose of stimulating the nerves and. muscles. It acts almost entirely upon these portions of the human frame, and as paralysis is the result of a torpid action of the nerves and muscles, strychnine in such cases has a beneficial effect. The Attorney-General, then addressing the court, said that the next witness he proposed to c ili would be Dr. Tay lor, and as his examination would necessarily occupy some considerable time, he thought it would not be advisable to commence bis examination at such an advanced period of the thy. it being now past five o'clock. The Lord Chief Justice thought it would be bet er t o postpone the examination of Dr. Tayl or until Monday. Mr. Sergeant Shee said that p er h aps h e might be e x cused for stating that medical witnesses wou ld b e called for the defence, with a view to answer the medical testimony Y adduced on behalf of th e prosecution. . The court was then fi na ll y ad j ourned to Jlonday morning, (this day) at ten o'clock, and the jury were taken to the London Coffee-house, in charge of M r . H ar k er , the princi pal usher, and two other officers. A chair was allowed for the use of the prisoner, but he availed hims e lf very li ttle of the accommodation during the day, and he generally leaned over the front of the dock, and ?ppeared t o t a k e t h e deepest interest in the proceedings. i It is said that d ur i ng th e past two days he was under the idea that the trial was going favourably for .him, and he exhibited a very confident demeanour. During yesterday and to-day, however, his appearance has changed very con siderably, and although the fatigue and excitement of ,the proceedings must no doubt t have co ns id era b le effect upon the prisoner, yet, it is evident. that he is m or e f u lly impressed with the sersaus position in which he stands, and that he regards the result with the de e p es t anx i ety, w hi c h lie in vain endeavours to disguise. SUPPOSED LOSS OF THE CITY OF PhiONTßEAL.—Advices received yesterda3 from Newfoundland state that Captain Verge, of the Frances, reported haying fallen in on the 90th of April, at ten o'clock, a.m, in lat. 47.20, lon. 47 50, being the eastern end of the ice, with a painted chest marked, " City of Montreal signal chest ;" also with part of the long boat with four oars ; some loose candles were also floating about, and also a keg of lint juice and vinegar. There were no other signs of wreck, The City of Montreal sailed hence for Montreal on the 2nd of April.