The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-22 00:00:00

" Secondly, That there were traces of strychnia in the
contents of the stomach.
" Thirdly, That there were no strychnia in the liver,
spleen, and blood.
(Signed) "ALFRED SWAINE TAYLOR, M.D., F.R.S.,
Fellow of the College of Physicians,
and Professor of Medical Jurispru-
dence and Chemistry in Guy's Hos-
pital."
The Coroner—Assuming three pills of a similar charac-
ter had been taken shortly before the death of the deceased,
and that they contained a similar amount of strychnia to
that which you examined, would you have expected to
find greater or more distinct traces of the strychnia, in the
stomach of the deceased ?
Professor Taylor—No, I should not ; the dose was very
small. The smallest quantity of strychnine that has been
known to destroy an adult is half a grain. I should state
that the longer a person lives after the strychnine has been
taken the less it can be discovered, as it becomes absorbed.
The Coroner—Would you have expected to find it in
the blood, or the liver, or the spleen ?
Professor Taylor—No, I should not. I have made a
calculation, and find that had the whole of the strl chnine
been there there would have been only 1-50th of the grain
to a pound of blood. The quantity was too small to ex-
pect to find it. The same answer applies to the liver and
spleen. Strychnine is given in cases of paralysis and
nervous affection, but the medical dose would commence
at the twentieth part of a grain, and be increased to a
twelfth, or even tenth part of a grain. I may add that
symptoms of poisoning begin in doses of from half to a
third of a grain, and actual death has taken place in two
known instances from a quantity similar to that which is
before you now. The quantity of strychnine found in the
deceased is consistent with either a poisonous or a medici-
nal dose. From the traces found in the stomach I can
draw no inferences ; the residue was consistent with either,
as I have already stated, so that I can form no conclusion
as to the cause of death. Ido not consider that strychnine
would be a proper medicine for the purpose of procuring
abortion. I have never known it used for such a purpose,
and can conceive no other effect from it than convulsions
resulting in death. The action of strychnine is over the
voluntary muscles, but I have never heard of it having
any action on the uterus. One pill would not destroy
life, two would jeopardise it, and three would be certain
to prove fatal to any one. It is possible that one pill
might contain more strychnine than the other, but
from the analysis I made I take it that the strychnine in
them was pretty equally divided, and that any adult taking
three of them would die. There were no directions on the
box, and that is very improper in a medicine of that na-
ture. It is not usual to give strychnine in pills ; it is
usually given in solution, as it can be meie ...eeurateiy
apportioned in that form.
By Mr. Whatman—l have never personally known
strychnine to be given medicinally to correct feminine
irregularities; it has been used by Dr. Bardsley and
others with benefit.
_ By the Coroner—The other portions of the pills were
made up of aromatic confection. I should say that no
medical man would venture to give the dose of strychnia 1
found in one pill for the purpose of correcting feminine
irregularities. Three of those pills I should say would act
in half an hour after they had been taken, as they were
composed of soft materials, and would soon break up in
the stomach and let the poison out. All poisons are more
or less slow of action, according to whether the stomach is
full or empty.
By the Jury—The pills were apparently made up by a
person thoroughly acquainted with medicine.
By Mr. Kelsey—Battle's vermin powder contains
strychnia to the extent of a grain and a half in the six-
penny packet. Strychnia has been given as a tonic for in-
digestion or disorders of the stomach, but in very small
doses in all cases. Had the deceased taken one pill she
might have died, but in a recent case within my know-
ledge the same quantity produced in a man all the symp-
toms of poisoning to an alarming extent. Assuming that
I had not heard anything of the pills 1 should not have
considered that the strychnia I found would have been
sufficient to account for death.
By the Coroner—On the 19th of September I received
from Superintendent Caldow a white crystallised sub-
• stance weighing 11 grains. It is strychnia.
The Coroner then read over the evidence of Mr. Coates
and Dr. Blackmore.
Professor Taylor—Having heard that evidence, my opi-
nion is that the symptoms described are consistent with
poisoning by strychnia, and not with any known disease,
and also such symptoms as I should expect to arise from
taking three of those pills, and to be followed by death.
Mr. Blake was recalled and said—l have not had strych-
nine in my place for twelve months past.
By Mr. Kelsey—l kept in the surgery saccharated
cyanide of iron with strychnine in it, and any one could go
to it. I parted with Storer on apparently good terms, but I
did not invite him to come and see me if he was passing
through Salisbury.
Professor Taylor, recalled by Mr. Whatman—Battle's
vermin killer contains flour coloured with soot or indigo,
which constitutes 58 parts out of 60 of it. If any person
wanted the strychnia out of it he must get it done by a
skilled hand.
Superintendent Caldow recalled, and proved that Stdrer
made a statement before the city magistrates, and that in
that statement he said he never had any strychnine in his

possession.
Fanny Bevan, housemaid to Mr. Blake, proved that Miss
Blake called for a candle about half-past nine on the night
of her death and at once went up to bed. She had seen
the deceased all day, and she was quite cheerful the whole
day. Miss Blake did not appear to be distressed at Mr.
Stcrer's leaving. The box produced (the medicine chest)
witness recognised as Mr. Storer's. She had seen it in
his bed-room frequently on the table under the bookshelf.
He took it away with him. Never heard him speak of it
as a medicine chest. It was about half-past eleven when
deceased screamed out. Had waited on her, but never saw
her take medicine.
Mrs. Blake also identified the medicine chest as Mr.
Storer's.
The Coroner then summed up at considerable length,
and directed the attention of the jury to certain facts. Ile
said there could be no doubt chat Miss Blake had died
from an overdose of strychnine, and the statements of the
deceased showed that she had received the medicine from
Mr. Storer. If he had administered it in ignorance, it
would be their duty to return a verdict of manslaughter,
but if the strychnine was maliciously given it would then
amount to wilful murder. He then referred to other
portions of the evidence, bearing upon the connection of
Storer Ivith the strychnine and the pills, and pointed out
matters upon which they would have to find their verdict.
The jury retired at half-past five, and returned into
court with the following verdict :—" We find that tho de-
ceased, Emily Sophia Blake, died from the effects of
strychnine, taken by her in three pills, given to her by
William John Storer; and we find a verdict of manslaugh-
ter against the said William John Storer."
The Coroner then made out his warrant of committal of
the prisoner on the charge of manslaughter.
Although the crowd was very great in the court the best
order was preserved, which was entirely to be attributed
to the excellent arrangements made by Superintendent
Caldow.

M. Berryer has been preparing his own tomb at
A.ngervillo, by the side of that which contains tho remains
of his father, his mother, his wife, and his brother the
general. The monument is very simple, consisting only of
a sort of thatched roof supported by columns of coloured
wood 'with the following inscription—" Expecto donee
veniat imrfautatio mea."

SUSPENSION OF CERTIFICATE FOR DRUNKENNEss.
—On Wednesday the Local Ilarine Board at Liverpool
suspended for six months the certificate of James Smith,
chief engineer of the screw steamer ['Aladin ,lor aruukez.
4.055 at i'vlo Janeiro, St. Ilona.; alid N4vt York.