The Sun.
London, England, 1865-03-29 00:00:00

THE CASE OF DR, PRITCHARD.

DISCOVERY OF ANTIMONY IN THE BODY OF
MRS. PRITCHARD.

The public interest in this case still continues, and it
will no doubt be increased by the announcement which w
believe we are now fully justified in making, that the che-
mical analysis, which has now been in progress for some
days, is understood to have resulted in the discovery of
minute traces of antimony in the liver of Mrs. Pritchard.
The analysis was not interrupted by the temporary absence
of Dr. Maclagan in London, as has been supposed, but has
been carried on with great care and in the utmost secrecy.
No official information, therefore, can be obtained as yet
upon the case—that antimony has been discovered, though
in minute traces, in the liver of the deceased. It is neces-
sary to remember, in connection with this fact, that several
preparations of antimony are used medicinally, and that it
is not at all improbable that, in in the course of some tem-
porary sickness, a medicine containing antimony might have
been with perfect propriety administered. On the other
hand, we believe that the police authorities in Glasgow have
from the first suspected that antimony had been used, and
we understand that they telegraphed through here to
that effect. The result of the analysis, therefore, so far as
it has gone, has confirmed these suspicions; and though
the traces of antimony are, as we have said, very minute,
yet antimony is so rapidly eliminated from the system,
that large quantities of it are rarely found on analysis.—
Scotsman.

THE SHEFFIELD AIURDER.—The inquest on the
body of Eliza Drabble was held on Monday. The jury
returned a verdict of wilful murder against Stanton, who
was committed to the present Leeds assizes for trial.

A dreadful accident, arising from an incautious
use of gunpowder, occurred at Marsko, near Redcar, on
Sunday night. One man named Holmes was killed, and
three of his children were so frightfully burnt that there
was no hope for their recovery.
CHAIN CABLES AND ANCHORS.—A report has been
laid before Parliament, made to the Board of Trade
by their officers, Mr. Galloway and Mr. Gray, on the Act of
last session, which provides that after the Ist of July next
no chain cable whatever, and no anchor exceeding 1681 b. in
weight be sold for the use of any vessel unless it has been
tested and stamped by some person or company licensed
under this act to test anchors and cables. The officers have
examined the proving and testing machines at various
places, and find that the machines cannot generally bo
relied upon. There is a beautiful one at Birkenhead pro-
vided with compound levers and deadweight as a check, but
of the machines without them the officers have reason to
believe that no two exert a like strain on the cable proved
unless by accident. Ono public machine examined was
found to be absolutely worthless ; at another the manager
was found testing the chains double. The public machine
erected for Lloyd's in London is spoken of by very many
persons with anything but confidence. It is not fitted with
levers and dead weight, and therefore no one can say what
is the actual strain put upon the chain. The length tested
is as much as 75 fathoms ; a great part of the force of
the machine is exerted in lifting such a length of chain
from the bed, and the chain is never stretched tight.
Chainmakers say they can afford to sell a chain 10s. a ton
cheaper if it is to pass this. London machine than if it is to
pass the Birkenhead or the Tipton, and this although the
freight to London is several shillings a ton more. The
officers report the several requirements which they consider
ought to be insisted upon by the Board of Trade in the:test-
ing to be undertaken. The Act of last Session has been
well received; it ►ill be of immense value for the foreign
trade, and the officers were told repeatedly that the honest
maker now sees his way to supplying a really good chain
without being undersold by a bad article made by a small
maker. They were shown specimens of bad iron almost
resembling plate-glass in brittleness, which has been used
in making chains to meet the market, and they wore shown
good iron which may be used, and if used will make a chain
guaranteed to stand 15 per cent. beyond the Admiralty
proof.
MDLLE. ILILA DE MURSKA AT VIENNA, February
11.—Mdlle. von Murska has now added to the
characters already performed by her, at our Imperial Opera
House, that of the Queen of Night in Mozart's " Zauber-
flote," and reaped a large harvest of appreciative approba-
tion. Her performance was earnest and noble, in harmony
with the ideal spirit of music, and iu every detail her object
was to raise herself to the level of her task. In no instance
did we hear an uncertain and puffed-out, or tremulous tone ;
nor, generally, a single specimen of those vulgar, clumsy
tricks, which are so frequently practised by fair singers at
all used to the life of the coulisses, and which have
gradually become naturalised as substitutes for, or ex-
aggerations of, the expressions of genuine feeling. Madlle.
von Murska has under her command an organ of extensive
compass, rich and full, and capable of the most varied tonal
feats. Even where Mozart had let loose all the powers of
his orchestra, the voice of Madlle. von Murska rose a head
higher than the raging flood of sound. Our Opera appears
at length to have found in this young lady an artist who
is fully capable of satisfying the most exaggerated demands
in this particular, and who, certain beforehand of victory,
can hold her ground against the brass-cuirassed orchestra
of the most modern scores. As Queen of Night she met
with a most brilliant reception from the public ; nearly
every separate phrase, and especially the two airs, was
followed by a thundering tutti of applause.—Vienna
Zeitung.