The Sun.
London, England, 1862-05-01 00:00:00

ARSENICAL PAPIN? lIANGINGS.

-restigation was re-
umed74e,ern Limehouse,
-
Yesterday afternoon the inN
lor. Middlesex,
at the Freernasons'Arms
aged three
by Mr. Sohn Humphreys, the coroner'
touching the death of Amelia Tour: e,
years, the last of a family of four childr, en who have
all died within a period of two months' with strong
symptoms of arsenical poisoning, allegtit.l to have
been caused by inhaling the emanations fin. m green
paper hangings. The leading facts in the worenoticed in a paragraph and letter which app,lared
is The Sun on the 23d and 29th ult. Dr. Tho:nas
Orton, of White Horse-lane, Stepney, said he av as
called to deceased on the 3d of April, and found he.'
suffering from extreme prostration. He thought the
symptoms exhibited by the child very strange, and
questioned the mother about the other children.
She said they had all been attacked in the same
way, and had ultimately died of soreness in the
throat, which had been attributed to diphtheria.
He prescribed tonics, but without much effect. He
then noticed the green paper on the wall and could,
see a marked connexion between the symptoms ex-
hibited by the deceased and the other children and
those caused by arsenical poisoning. He made a
post mortem examination, and found that the
stomach presented streaks of inflammation, but was
otherwise healthy. The intestines were also,
inflamed. The other organs were healthy. lie
found no traces of disease to account for death. Dr.
Letheby, Professor of Chomietry at the London
Hospital, said he had receiver from Dr. Orton the
stomach and viscera of deceased, arid also a certain
portion of green paper. He founJ ishat the latter
contained arsenic, loosely adherent, ja the propor-
tion of three grains to the square foot. lhere was
no glaze, and the poison could be very easiiy rubbed
off. He examined the stomach and viscera, but
could not find arsenic. The symptoms described 1,-.y
Dr. Orton were those of arsenical poisoning. Ffe
had known effects of the same kind produced by,
the poisonous powder from such papers being
absorbed and inhaled while floating in the at-
mosphere, though he could not trace arsenic in
the system, yet he should say in the absence of dia.-
ease that death might have been caused by arsenic..
Owing to the absorption of the poison being gra-
dual, it was possible that the traces might be want-
ing, though the effect would be fatal. The fact
that the chiidren were not sleeping in the room did
not make much difference. He had known two
children in Hackney die from arsenical poisoning
imbibed while playing for a few hours daily in their
father's library. Arsenic would not produce diph-
theria, but it would soreness of throat. Dr. Orton,
recalled, said he had no hesitation in saying that
deceased died from chronic poisoning, by arsenic
taken into the system in minute quantities. Cases
were on record in which arsenic known to have been
taken couldronot be traced after death. The paper
in question was highly deliquescent. At 50 degrees
it became quite damp, and the colour came off on
the hand almost like paint. The coroner summed
up, and the jury, after a brief consultation, returned
a verdict of " Natural Death." The coroner said it
was a question whether he could take this verdict.
He could not refrain from expressing his dissent
from the conclusion to which the jurors had come.
The medical evidence showed that there was not
only no disease to account for death, but that there
were no traces of disease. A juror said that the
jury were willing to admit that the use of green
paper was objectionable, although they were of
opinion that in this case death was natural,

COUNTRY MARKL A 5.

SALISBURY—APnIL 29.

At to-day's market wheat was in moderate supply, and
in much better condition. A short attendance, farmers
being engaged at home in out of door agricultural opera-
tions for which the weather is now so favourable. Sales
were at a trifling decline. Oats, beans, and peas showed
considerable steadiness, at last week's prices. Barley was
much in request.

NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE —APRIL 29.
The supply of wheat was limited, and the demand ruled
slow, at diminished rates. Flour neglected, but late prime
were maintained. Other articles unchanged.