The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-05-17 00:00:00

am glad you have come to make the post mortem exami-
nation ; some person might have been sent that I did
not know, but I know you." I said, " What is this
caseL-I hear there is a suspicion of poisoning in the case."
He said, " Oh, no, I think not ; he bad an epileptic fit on
Monday and Tuesday nights, and you'll find an old disease
in the heart and in the head," We then went on together
to Mr. Bamford's, and whilst in his house, not having
brought my instruments with me, Palmer offered to lend
me his. He said there was a queer old man who seemed
to suspect him (Palmer) of something, and he did not know
what he wanted. He seems to suspect that I have his
betting book, but Cook had no betting book that would be
of use to anybody. Mr. Bamford and I went to Mr. Frere's,
a surgeon, at Rugeley, and from thence to the Talbot Arms.
The post mortem examination was then proceeded with.
Mr. Devonshire operated. Mr. Bamford, Palmer, and
several other persons were present. I stood near Mr.
Devonshire. I noticed the body was very stiff.
Lord Campbell : More than dead bodies generally are ?

Witness : Yes, my lord.
Examination continued : The muscles of the body were
very highly developed by being strongly contracted and

thrown out.

Lord Campbell : By strong spasmodic action ?

Witness : Y. s

Examination continued : I examine d the hands and
found them firmly clenched. The abdomal viscera was first

examined

Dr. Harland was then about to detail the particular
results of the first and second post mortem examination of
the intestines and spinal cord.

Lord Campbell directed that they should be read, which
They were of too long and technical a nature to
report, and the result arrived at was there was nothing at
all unnatural in the appearances presented.
Examination continued : The viscera was taken out of
the body. The lungs and liver were healthy. There was
blood in them, but not more than gravitation after death
would cause. I examined the head. The brain was healthy
no extravasation, or serum, or any thing to indicate pressure ,
The heart was contracted and bloodless. It indicated no
disease but spasmodic action. The stomach had
numerous yellowish white spots, the size of mustard
seeds, and did not at all account for death. They
did not in my opinion interfere with health. The
kidneys were full of blood from gravitation, and gave
no indication of disease. The blood was in a fluid
state. It does occur in cases of sudden death, but is very
rare. I did not discover any appearance of organic disease
upon this occasion. The upper part of the spinal cord only
was examined, and that appeared perfectly natural.
There was nothing to account for the death of deceased,
and nothing unusual in the appearances. When the intes-
tines and stomach were first removed they were placed in a
jar. Mr. Newton and Mr. Devonshire, who operated, put
them in. Palmer was at that time at the back of Newton,
and Palmer gave a push, which threw him upon Devonshire,
and threw part of the contents of the stomach into the
intestines. I thought it was some joke, and said " Don't
do that." After this the opening of the stomach proceeded.
The stomach contained about three ounces of brownish fluid,
but nothing so unusual. Palmer, who was looking on,
said, " They will not hang us yet." The stomach and
its contents were put into the jar. The intestines were
then examined, but nothing material found in them.
They were small and contracted. They were put into
the jar, which was tied over, sealed, and placed upon
the table. Palmer at that time was moving about
the room. In a few minutes I missed the jar. I said,
"Where is it ?" Palmer said " Here," near the door
where he was standing, and he brought the jar, saying that
he thought it would be handier there. That was not the
door I came in at, and I do not knaw where it leads to.
When Palmer gave me the jar I found the covering had
been cut through, but none of the contents had passed
through. I asked who had done it, but there was no
answer. When the jar was about being taken to Mr.
Frere's, prisoner said he would rather it should go to
Stafford. I took it to Mr. Frere's house, and returned to
the Talbot Arms. Before I left it I re-arranged the
bladders over the jar, so that the cut which had been made
would be obviated. Upon my return to the Talbot, I saw
Palmer, and he asked me what would be done with the jar.
I told him that it would go to London that night.
At this point of the evidence the court adjourned.

was done

Previously to the jury retiring, the foreman complained
to his lordship of a serious inconvenience which they fel t
from the continuous gusts of cola air which kept passing
through the court from under their seats, and which affected
them to such an extent that they featel their health would

be injured.
Lord Campbell assured the jury that he would at once see
that the evil was abated: It was most necessary that every
thing should be done in courts of justice, so that no incon-
venience should be felt by any one called upon to attend
them. Notwithstanding this remonstrance, the nuisance
was not abated, but during the whole day a continuous
stream of very cold air kept passing through the perforated
linings under the seats.

On the re-assembling of the court the cross-examination
of Dr. Harland was proceeded with by Mr. Sergeant Shee.
I was merely an acquaintance of Palmer's as a surgeon
practising at Rugoley. lam sure Palmer, addressing Dr.
Bamford, said " They won't hang us yet." Afterwards he
rep3ated the same expression to several persons. I said I
had heard there was a suspicion of poisoning on the first
?oat mortem examination. I drew up some notes in pencil
and wrote that which I have read. I don't know how
Dr. Taylor got the notes. I sent them to Mr.
Stevens the night I drew them up. I have not
seen it since. On the first examination I saw a
larg mucus policals at the base of the tongue, they appeared
to be of some standing. They were numerous. I have
no doubt they would produce much inconvenience. In my
judgment I doubt whether they would give much pain i❑
speaking. I will not undertake to say they were enlarged
glands. I adhere to the statement that the stomach was
healthy. The lungs were full of blood, the heart empty.
I examined the white spots in the stomach, but not with a
lens, it was satisfactory without. The brain was healthy,
it was also carefully examined, and thin slices of it were
taken off. It was slightly sore. There was no open
wound, merely excoriation.
By the Attorney-General : There was nothing more than
mere excoriation, and symptoms of past disease. I never
heard of a certain disease producing tetanus. About a
quarter of a minute, which he thought would show any
disease, if such disease existed. I examined the spinal card
as far down as possible. The wound of the spinal cord
softening would not have produced death. I examined the
throat. There was a loss of substance in the glands. The
distended tonsils arose from a disordered stomach. There
was nothing in the Inns which would cause death. The
spasmodic symptoms would account for the state of the
heart. I mild not trace the emptiness of the heart
to any other cause. I have read of cases of poisoning
in which the blood was fluid, I had no difficulty in
arriving at an opinion with the use of a lense. I
have never read of a case of tetanus occasioned by a
diseased brain. There was no relaxation of the spinal
cord that would occasion death, and if the part had been
examines immediately after death, no better result could
have been arrived at.
Mr. Charles James Devonshire, examined by Mr. Huddle-
stone: In November last I was assistant to Dr. Monckton,
of Rugeley, and on the 26th November assisted Dr Harland
in making the post mom tem examination of the body of the
deceased Mr. Cook. The evidence of Mr. Devenshire was
confirmatory of the testimony givea by the previous witness,
and was to the effect that there was ho organic disease of
any kind. The lungs, liver, heart, skriach, and intestines
were in a perfectly healthy state, and the blood perfectly
fluid. On the 29th witness opened the body again for the
purpose of taking out the liver and kidneys. The vicera
was after wards placedin jars, and sent to Dr. Taylor. Whilst
we were engaged in the post mortem, Mr. Palmer, who was
present, said we should find syphilis, and, in consequence of
this, we carefully examined the parts, 40 foqnd no traces
of it.

Dr. Monckton, of itugeley, was next called, and said that

on the 25th of January last, he made a further examination
of the spinal cord and marrow of the deceased. The rigidity
I found was not such as to enable me to say that the deceased
had not died a natural death, I carefully examined the