The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-23 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING. MAY 23, 1856.

THE BRITISH ARMY.

From floe Times' Special Correspondent.)
CAMP BEFORE SEBASTOPOL, May 8.
The French army continues to embark daily, and we, with
More dignity and at greater leisure, follow their example.
The French speak confidently of a great campaign in Africa,
and even in another quarter of the globe, and they predict
that peace will not last for two years. The Russians are
equally hopeful that they will have a chance of war iu a
short time, and they do not disguise their earnest burning
lust to phlebotomise Austria, " Ant; fiche lathe et 'ingrate."
The evacuation of the Crimea is taking place with rapidity,
and, if it is desirable, there can be no doubt that the allies
can leave the soil of the Czar long before the time which
has been granted to us—six months after the conclusion of the
treaty—has exp;red. The Tartars bring in terrible stories of
the revenge taken by the Russians on those unfortunate bre-
thren cf theirs who have given aid t, the allies, or have
been engaged in their service. They tell us that several
of these poor creatures have been hanged at Simpheropol,
that others have been sent off in exile, and that more are
condemned to work on the roads for life. Could not a word
be said to avert the wrath of Russia, and to induce her to
extend her clemency to the remnants of this miserable race ?
During the recent excursion of General Windham, in the
-Banshee, to Kertch and back, au incident took place which
shows very clearly the real character of the Russian Govern-
ment, and demonstrates the worthlessness of the professions
which it makes. Prince Gagarin, who holds a command on
the south coast, was extremely polite in all his Communica-
tions with Major-General Cunynghame and the other English
officers at Kertch and Yenikale, and promised them every
faCility should they be desirous of visiting the interior or
proceeding to Sebastopol by land. Ho also specially invited
all English officers to visit him at Kaffa (Theodosia) in their
way. General Windham, being informed of these little polite-
nesses, resolved to pay a visit to Kaffa on his way back from
Kertch. On entering the bay on which the town is situated,
they were astonished to perceive a fleet of many sail of
merchant vessels lying in quarantine, and 'they soon
were made to understand that tho Banshee was in a similar
disagreeable situation. Most of these ships had gontiutt the
Sea of A zoff to Taganrog, and ha 4 been sent'-shack' again all
the wayjsp ICaffa to-perform quarantine. The usual quaran-
tine station for the ports in the Sea of Azoff is-Kertch, but as
that place is in the hands of the allies and as the Government
establishment is destroyed, the Russian authorities have for
the present selected Kaffa as a substitute, and vessels bound
from the south and east will have a considerable detour to
make from the true course, but that is better than being
sent back altogether. This is a valuable commentary on the
statements which have been made that the Czar has given
orders to the Minister of the Interior, &c., to remove all re-
strictions on trade—exports and imports. When General
Windham and staff were permitted to land they were placed
in a small room with bars to the windows like a wild beast
cage,a regular quarantine prison in fact, and when he had pre-
pared a note for Prince Gagarin it was taken from him through
the bars by a pair of tongs. The Prince, all gold lace and fea-
thers, soon made his appearance and received his visitor with
great cordiality and politeness through the bars. lie re-
gretted that his orders were so strict ; he dared not permit
the General to visit the town without performing quarantine,
but if he came round by land he should be most happy to
receive him. Meantime he bad sent off a letter to the Gene-
ral Commanding-in-Chief, and an answer was speedily re-
turned to the effect that the General's order from the
Ministers were so exceedingly stringent that he could not
relax them, notwithstanding his most earnest wishes to do
so. General Windham in the course of his interview thought
it necessary to apprize Prince Gagarin that he had seen
enough to convince him it would be right to advise the Com-
mander-in-Chief to keep possession of Kertch till all our
stores were withdrawn—an intimation which seemed not a
little to perplex and co, found his Excellency. It appears
that General Luders hail expressed a wish that in
the interest of trade, Kertch should be evacuated, as
speedily as possible, and that steps were being taken
to remove the Turkish troops, whose presence was especially
objectionable ; but, as General Windham observed, if the
port were handed over to the Russian authorities before all
the stores were removed, the vessels which were sent for
them would be placed in quarantine, and great annoyance
and delay would be experienced.
Colonel M'Murdo returned from Trebizond on Thursday
night, and has had the rare good fortune to find near the city
a good market for his best horses and mules. It appears that
the main road to Persia passes from Trebizond through a
small town, the name of which I do not know, where the
great horse fair for Asia Minor to su, ply the merchants with
pack and saddle animals is held, and we have just been lucky
enough to meet the demand for transport which has arisen,
now that peace is proclaimed. Col. M'Murdo has received
very fair prices for all the animals he conk' sell, and in
some instances he got more than the original cost price.
Our excursions into the Crimea are becoming rarer as curi-
osity becomes satisfied, and leave more difficult to be obtained
for lengthened absence. General Codrington has paid a visit
to the Alma, and most of us who could go have performed a
pilgrimage to the same place. The graves are scrupulously
respected and are marked with large stones. The inscription
on the stone telegraph tower cut by the French, " La Bataille
Wilma, 20th September, 1854," has been altered to " Sth
September" by the Russians, to reconcile the date to
their old style. The Russians are returning our visits now,
and some unfortunate officers who, in the height of goodfel-
lowship and amid flowing bumpers, gave their name and an
invitation to their boon companions to " come and stop a
week with me, and bring your friends and family," have
been horrified by the vision of a couple of droskies at their
tent doors, containing a whole bevy of fair Musco-
vites and their attendant lieges. Major Montague, of the
Engineers, is entertaining, at his pretty hut on Kamara-hill,
a number of Russian ladies who were kind and attentive to
him when he was a prisoner in Simpheropol, sod is fortunate
in being able to evince his sense of their humanity and good
nature.
Although the greatest cordiality exists between the bulk
of the men of both the allied armies, there have been some
awkward rencontres between the French and the English on
two cr three occasions, of which I have hitherto made no
mention, as the subject is one of extreme delicacy. It ap-
pears quite clear that the French are very ready to resort to
the use of firearms on such occasions. The first of these
affairs which has been brought under the notice of the chiefs
of the two armies took place some time ago at Kainiesh. It
appears that some men of the Mail Staff Corps went out to
hunt rats in the neighbourhood of one of the French redoubts,
and that as they appu ached the parapet they were fired upon
by the soldiers inside. Lieutenant Budgen, staff-adjutant of
Kazateh, ran out of his hut on hearing the shots fired and
Proceeded towards the redoult, and when be was chal-
lenged he replied in French, " °Meier Anglais." He was
at once fired upon three times in succession. On finding
out what had taken place he sent on board one of the men of
war for assistance, and when reinforced by a naval officer
and a small body of Marines unarmed, he approached the re-
doubt, invested it, and captured the men inside, but some
of them escaped, and appear to have attacked and killed the
serjeant of Marines in their flight, and to have wounded an
officer by a shot through the leg. I shall not dwell on the
details further than to state that the serjeant's brains were
knocked out by blows of a musket stock, and that the officer
was, when lying on the ground, charged by a soldier with the
bayonet. General Codrington referred the case to Marshal
Pelissier, and the latter, after a long and minute in, est ga-
tion, sent back the result of his inquiries to head-quarters to-
wards the close of last week. It is understood that the Mar-
shal considers the unfortunate affair does not call for any
sanguinary punishment, but that the excessive vigour of the
measures taken by the men on guard was justified to such
an extent as to hold them blameless by the orders they
had received for the safeguard of their post. The second
occasion took place at one of the wells in camp, from which
men are forbidden to draw water after sunset and before sun-
rise, and which is guarded by French sentries. Some of our
soldiers went down after dusk to draw some water, The sen-
try fired on them with ball, and his comrades of the guards
turned out and contributed a volley, but fortunately they
hurt no one. The third instance of this sort occurred the
night before last, when the commanding general of the Light
Division, Lord W. Pe ulet, sent up a picket to bring some men
into camp who were drinking at a French canteen. As our
men approached to execute their orders they were fired upon
with ball. The circumstance has been reported to General
Codrington for the information of Marshal Pelissier. It is
possi) le that the bare statements of facts respecting these un-
fortunate affairs do not convey their true character, and that
there may be some inaccuracy in the iepottss.iL.ye,twuhsomhope
hconsign.there is. A French sentry is rigid in obeying his consign.
Surgeon Le Blanc, of the 9th, was killed by a sentry,
e
approached too closely at night, and I have seen French
officers treated with rudeness and imperiousness by common
soldiers en faction when the former have been in the slightest
degree infringing lea formalites de la poste. Perhaps it is
only right that the utmost precision on all such matters
should be observed during war time. We are not without
our own internecine fights now and then, hut we certainly
do not use firearms so promptly as the French. The removal
of the Zouaves has given more peace and quietness to the
lino, as there were a sort of rivalry between the infantry and
these famous regiments, the latter of which professed to look
down on all men in red pantaloons.
There have been some discreditable transactions in our own
camp lately, which have led to the retirement of two officers
froni the army, as notified by general orders. In one instance
an officer was detected iu the act of reading a private letter
addressed to a brother officer; in the other a gentleman
forgot how to write his name. General Codrington has a
gentler touch in such matters than General Simpson.
The latter had three officers cashiered by court-martial in as
many weeks after he was appointed Commander-in-Chief ; in
the present cases the punishment is the same for each offence,
and is therefore unequal, for the magnitude of these offences
is not the same.
My diary extends from the 6th to the 10th of the month.
TUESDAY.
The 63d, which was seen off by General Garrett this morn-
lir., embarked in the Andes, but the sea was so high and the
swell- so heavy that it was not deemed expedient to send her
to sea, and the vessel remained at anchor till the roll which
set in on coast had subsided. Brigadier Shewell goes
back to the Sth Hussars. It was this gallant and excel-
lent officer who, beyond any other, saved the remnant
of our cavalry at Balaklava, when his attention was called
to a movement of Russian Lancers by Lieutenant Phil-
lips, of the same regiment. He has received the honour
of the C. 8., and now returns to the command of his regi-
ment. After all that has been said to the contrary, it ap-
pears that the Colonels who held the rank of Brigadiers will
have to rejoin their regiments. The belief that this " degra-
dation" would have been spared them for a little time was
general a short time ago, and it is now ascertained to be
groundless. Brigadier-General Van Straubenzee will return
to the command of the 3d Buffs, unless he avoids doing so
by getting leave of absence before they embark on Saturday.
However, he, and officers in the same category, are cheered
by the hope of the brevet to come, and by the refreshing
showers of the Bath which arc expected to accompany it.
Ina few days the sailing transport, Star of the South, a
fine ship of I ,100 tons, laden with gunpowder, will leave for
England She has been lying in Balaklava harbour about
.
18 months, during which time she never moved an anchor,
and she has cost the country, at a rough guess, about 22,000/,
for that time as the freight on her cargo and her hire at so
much per month.l
has
el
t
s believeo.vn sah
ande
as wat ahks a
iztintsdhe
o firstfno hwh
floating•se tdan
hotel
a dt
s at 32 s
16f6s.
for
natlhofficers Ses .
per
naval and agents, for travelling
psOodemin
: tpe o
oeton.rthe
gentlemen,hte harbourSand merchants. She has been at least once on fire
-that is, she has been in the way of finishing Balaklava, and
as far as we are concerned, wi- h one great
but it will no doubt be maintained that the
t of the ship was a rare stroke of coon -my,
couppwane hrdohl perhaps
aose tnrtnh'l°7otg'wi;eilhelualleks and no vessels at Constantinople could have
been got for oxything lake the money.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.

THE RUGELEY POISONINGS.
[The following appeared in part of our impression of
yesterday.]
Despite the state of the wea'her the Court this morn-
ing was quite full long before the proceedings began.
The Duke of Cambridge was present, and even outside
there was a great many persons standing about in every
available place of shelter to witness the different arrival?,
whilst the houses of public resort in the neighbourhood
of the court were full of persons most anxious to glean
tidings of how the case was going on.
The prisoner, excepting that he looked more fatigued,
maintained the same composed appearance that he has
all along exhibited. The proceedings commenced with
the examination of the witnesses for the defence.
Previously to the first witness being called,
Lord Campbell said—l hope that, until the conclusion
of this trial the public journals will continue to abstain
from any comments noon any points in the case. The
propriety of such abstaining is too obvious to require
from me any remarks. His lordship also further added
—Myself, and brothers upois the bench, wish it to be
understood that our remarks apply to the insertion of
letters as well as editorial remarks.
Mr. Grove then called Dr. Thomas Nunnely, who
said—l am a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons,
and Professor of Surgery to the Leeds School of Medi-
cine, and several other learned societies.' I have a large
practice, and have made both classes of tetanus my
study.
Mr. Grove—How many cases Oridie.pathic tetanus
,have you seen ? —I have'seen four.
Mr. Grove—Did they all terminate in lock jaw ?—No,
only one out of the number, and they did not prevent
the person swallowing during the whole course of the ill-
ness. I have been present during the trial, and heard
the symptoms described, and also read the depositions.
Mr. Grove—From both of those sources what opinion
do you draw as to the cause of the death of Cook ?
From some convulsive disease.
Mr. Grove—Upon what do you found that opinion ?
From the different symptoms described before the
Court, and the depositions.
Lord Campbell interposed, and said it would be better
the witness should give his opinion on the viva voce evi-
dence and the depositions separately.
After some objection to the witness giving his opinion
upon that which was not before the Court, he said, in
answer to Lord Campbell, that his opinion was that the
death was the result of convulsive disease.

By Sergeant Shee—From what you have heard de-
scribed of the symptoms of Cook's health previously
to the final attack at ttugeley, and the fits and
paroxysms, and the particulars of the post mortem ex-
amination, what is your opinion ?
The Bench objected to the quastion being put in so
general a form.

Witness—From what I have beard I should assume
him to be a man of delicate constitution. That for a

long period he felt himself to be ailing, and for which
he had been under medical treatment. That he had
suffered from syphilis. That his lungs were diseased,
and had an old standing disease of the throat. That he
had led an irregular life, and, wac subject to mental ex-
citement. The examination of the body showed the
syphilitic taint and diseased condition of the body. The
lungs were not healthy, being in a state of emphysu-

mstous or distension from wind. The scars were from
syphilitic ulcers. There was a very unusual appear-
ance of the membranes and spinal marrow. The lining
of the aorta was in an unu.,ual state.

Sergeant Shoe—You have heard the accounts given
of the attacks which he had during the night, and when
he said that he was mad for three minutes, what is the
inference you draw from those attacks and their perio-
dicity I—That they were of a convulsive character.
Sergeant Shee—Are not convulsions very various in
degree and form ?—As various as possible,.
Sergeant Shee—ls it not impossible to place some
convulsions amongst the classes described ?—lt is.
Sergeant Shee—Are there not forms of convulsions
in which patients retain their consciousness?—There are.
Sergeant Shee—Name them.—Hysteria.
Sergeant Shee—ls there not also forms of epilepsy I
—So it is stated.
By Lord Campbell—l have not met with a case.
Sergeant Shee—Would not the patient be liable to
irritability 7—Yes ; and in such a state of system other
than physical causes, such as moral ones, would cause
irritability, such as any excitement or depression.
The disorganised state of the bowels, and vomiting for
some days previously, would affect the nervous system
of a subject like the deceased more than a healthy per.
son ; so also would the cold and wet more easily such a
person, and with such a constitution convulsions would
be more likely to supersede. Convulsive attacks are
sometimes followed with spasms and rigidity of some
parts of the body, assuming sometimes the appearance
of teWiic affection, such as the convulsive diseases of
infancy, which are not exactly tetanus. I agree with Dr.
Copeland's work read yesterday. Worms in children will
produce convulsions, in adults disease of the brain and
spinal cord. Hysteria, some from chloroform, and eat-
ing indigestible food, but I do not know of convulsions
from retching.
Sergeant Shee—Di you agree with Dr. Copeland as
to the convulsions sometimes ending in death f—Yes.
Sergeant Shee—What is the immediate proximate
cause of death in such cases ?—Asphyxia.
Sergeant Shee—Do you agree with Dr. Copeland as
to the recurrence of the symptoms I
After some objection being taken as to the witness
founding his opinion upon Dr. Copeland's work, the At-
torney-General objecting, the witness said, of his own
knowledge, he did.
The witness, in answer to further questions, said I
have known convulsive symptoms to occur at various
intervals—sometimes hours, sometimes days. I have
known patients suffer in two minutes, in other cases two
hours. Ttiey were dependent upon some slight disease
of the brain or spinal cord. When death takes place
under such symptoms, in some cases no trace has been
found of disease on a post mortem examination. I have
formed no opinion on the finding of the granules;
they might produce effect on the spinal cord-
There are specimens in museums where granules
are found near the spinal cord. I have seen these
cases in St. Thomas's Hospital. In order to discover
such granules I should think it would be immediately
necessary after death to open the body to discover them
to ascertain their effect on the spinal cord, more espe-
cially if the brain had been previously opened. Inde-
pendent of those granules it would be possible, after
some time had elapsed, to discover the condition of the
spinal cord. In order to discover the minutest structure
of the nervous system a lens would be necessary, and
that would be required supposing an examination took
place immediately after death. In the course of my ex-
perience I have had cases of traumatic tetanus, and
I agree in the opinion that it commonly commences
in the jaw. I have had four cases of idiopathic tetanus
in the course of my experience. One occurred in my
own child. Three of these cases commenced with lock
jaw. I have had experience by personal practice.
The fourth case commenced in the body ; after
swallowing easily the spasms came on. I have
made a post mortem examination of two persons who
have died through strychnine within the last two years.
I had not seen either of the patients before death, and
it was in both cases by chemical analysis that I ascer-
tained that death had been occasioned by strychnine.
I found the strychniue. In the first case the post
mortem examination took place 42 hours after death,
and in the other 30 hours. The body had not been
touched when the post mortem examination com-
menced. The appearances of the body after death
were—general surface not unnatural, no marks
of external violence. The eyelids were partially opened
and the expression of the face distressed. The muscles
of the body were flaccid and could easily be moved, the
feet were somewhat arched. The heart bad been drained
out by the head.han4idg over the table. In the second
case the patient was about 20 years of age, the muscles
were quite flaccid, and the weather was not hot, so the
appearance could not have been produced by atmosphe-
ric influence. The legs and arms were somewhat stif-
fened. The heart was perfectly flaccid, and on
laidtse!neciThewitness, having further
tahneidroignhtthseidlesiteos blood; there was also some
described the appearances of the body, said
the notes I have just read are not the original notes I
made on the occasion of the post mortem examination.
I have also seen cases where an over-dose of strychnis
has been taken, but they have not terminated fatally.
i ot hae
fluid
The quantity taken, in one case, was 1-6th of a grain.
plnoisaovnehr symptoms appeared. The
state. The symptoms
were a want of power in controlling the actions of the
muscles. The patient was up walking about when first
yadfebweenmtianktietoes

attacked. The symptoms manifested themselves by twitch -
ings, rigidity, and sudden cramp—more violent in the
legs than any other part of the body. Toe nature of the
t witchings and spasms were not very violent at first, but it
was six hours before the symptoms entirely disappeared.
During the six hours the attacks were inte-tnittent at
various intervals. As the poison passed off they be-
came less frequent. At first two or three seconds only
elapsed. These symptoms were not combated with
medical treatment. The other case was precisely simi-
lar ; one-sixth of a grain had been taken. I prescribed
one-twelfth of a grain in each case, but one-sixth
was taken. I have experimented upon upwards
of sixty animals. They were dogs, cats, rats, mice,
guinea pigs, rabbits, frogs, and toads. The general
appearance has been a great resemblance in all
the cases ; some bore a lesser dose than others. Gene-
rally speaking, about two minutes to twenty, but more
frequently five or six minutes, elapsed from the injection
of the poison to the effects becoming apparent. The
poison was in some cases given in a solution ; in other
instances in a solid state. I have placed it dry on the
back part of the tongue. When administered in a fluid
state it has been poured down the animal's throat, and
in other cases it has been mixed with butter, suet, and
meat ; in some cases I have rolled it in a portion of
the gut of an animal. In frogs and toads they
have been placed in a solution of the poison,
and I have also applied it direct to the spinal cord and
the brain. The first symptoms were a desire to be still,
hurried breathing, and then snapping at the mouth,
when the poison had been given at the month. Taitch-
ing of the ears, a trembling of the muscles, inability to
walk, and convulsions of all the muscles of the body
followed. The jaws were generally closed dining the
convulsions. Convulsion was followed by a total want
of power in the muscles, which, on the least touch, were
thrown into violent spasms, with a galvanic-like
shock running through the frame. Spasms came on
if the animals were touched, or attempted to move.
Occasionally the animal is able to move, and the spasms
come on at various periods. The animal dies at different
times; about three hours and a half is the longest period
I have known to occur before death took place. In
cases where the animals live for a length of time spasms
occur at frequent intervals. In every case before death
the rigidity ceases, without a single exception. The
muscles are quite soft and flaccid, and the limbs may be
put in any position whatever. The death stiffeess comes
on at various periods. There is very little difference in
the stiffness produced by strychnia, compared with other
poisons. The symptoms which I refer to occurred in the
order I have mentioned before the convulsions came on
I have known an interval of half-an-hour between the
paroxysms in the animal. I have found the heart in-
variably full on the right side, and very generally the
left ventricle firmly contracted, and the blood usually
dark and fluid. There is no particular appearance
attached to the spine. I have experienced largely with
poison producing sudden death on animals, and I have
written on the subject. In the case of sudden death of
an animal by poison the blood is often fluid after death,
but not generally, and it happens also in sudden
death front other causes. The symptoms of
Mr. Cook on Sunday night, I attribute to great
excitement, and taking the symptoms as described on
Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, they do not resemble
the symptoms I have seen produced by strychnine
poison. He had more power or voluntary motion—
such as sitting up in bed, moving his hands about
freely, swallowing, talking, and asking to be rubbed
and moved, and also the sudden occasion of the con-
vulsions, and the greater length of time which occurred
from the taking the pills supposed to contain strych-
nine before the symptoms occurred, were greater
than any I have known from my experience. I have
never seen an animal vomit after taking strychnine
nor scream voluntarily. Where there was so much
spasm there would be inability to vomit. Emetics in
such cases have been given without effect. The post
mortem examination of Cook differed materially from
those I have made of deaths resulting from strythnine—
the heart, it was stated, was empty and uncontracted.
Lord Campbell—l understand the evidence was
" empty and contracted."
Baron Alderson—l have it down the heart was
empty and contracted.
Examination continued—The state of the lungs and
brain appeared to be different from not being congested.
Tee subsidence of the paroxysms in my exneeienee
been gradual. I have experimented on bodies of various
animals at various periods after death, and when decom-
position has set in, up to the 43d day, to discover strych-
nia. I have never failed to discover it where I have
known the animal has died from it. I have experimented
in 15 cases at least. If the person had died in the first
paroxysm after the administration of strychnia, and the
stomach to have been taken out the sixth day after death
and analysed, in my opinion strychnine must have been
found had the proper tests been applied. The witness
then stated the process of separating the parts by
evaporation, when strychnine would be found crys-
tallised, and in a state for applying the tests. If it
be the common commercial strychnine, such as is gener-
ally kept by surgeons and chemists, nitric acid would
be one test. It would produce a red colour, which in
a great measure disappears on the addition of proto-
chloride of tin. If the strychnine be pure, it does not
undergo any change on the addition of sulphuric acid,
but on the addition of a mixture of bi-chromate of
potash and several others a beautiful purple colour is
produced, which changes to various shades till
it got to a dirty red colour. There are seve-
ral other tests that will produce strychnine. In
my judgment the contents of Cook's stomach was in
a favourable condition to produce strychnia by analysis,
if it had been there—it would have given a little extra
trouble, but it would not have affected the result, and the
same applied to the liver, kidneys, and spleen subse-
quently sent up for examination and analysis. In the
various experiments I have made on animals, I have
seen a corresponding amount of strychnia found in the
bodies by the analysers, and I have seen them detect it
in the blood. I have seen it done by Mr. Herapath, of
Bristol. It is not my opinion that the analysis might be
defeated or confused by the existence in the stomach of
auy other substance that would produce the same colour
as strychnia ; the existence of salacine, for instance,
would not affect the finding of strychnia. Supposing
death to have been caused by a dose of strychnia only
sufficient to cause death, it would not be absorbed in
the system so as not to be found on a post mortem ex-
amination. That has been a great question. These
alkalies are not changed in digestion, and may be found
in the blood. No amount of putrefaction of an ordinary
time would destroy its detection, but I do not say that
it is indestructible. I have found it after 42 days.
By the Attorney-General—He experimented with
Morley and some few alone, and the symptoms were
generally alike. The experiments made conjointly were
with Mr. Morley, and with reference to the Leeds case,
and some with reference to this one. I cannot say who
first corresponded about this case. I submitted the one
which I have read. The dose which I have given has
generally been half a grain to two grains. In a dog or
cat half a grain will kill. Some animals are more sus-
ceptible than others. Symptoms have been delayed as
long as an hour. I have known the dose to have to be
repeated. I have known cats killed by half a grain ;
but they were young ones, not old ones. Half a
grain in a solid state would be the minimum dose.
In a solid state I have found a difference in the
attack of the spasms. In some instances animals die
with less convulsion ; and in one or two instances there
has been death after one spasm. That has arisen when
the same dose has been given. The limbs are generally
first affected. In the case of the lady at Leeds, the feet,
were not more curved than was due to the ordinary ri-
gidity of death. That was stated at the time. Thee e
was a distinction between the different parts of th e
body. I disagree in the opinion of Dr. Morley in what
he stated as to the rigidity after death. I believe, front
the heart being empty, coupled with the other facts, that
Cook's death was not from strychnine. The fact of
the heart being empty would depend upon the way the
post rnortem examination was made, If begun at true
head the blood being fluid would by ordinary causes re-
cede from the heart. In Cook's case at the post morteW
examination the chest was opened first. I cannot account
for the emptiness of the heart. I ascribe Cook's death to
convulsions. Excitement may induce such a condition
of the brain and system that convulsions may come on at
a future period enough to cause death. He did not die of
apoplexy. I do not think that morphia caused hi,
death, but it might have accelerated it. Morphia would
not be a proper drug to administer to a person sufferine
from the irritability that Cook was. From what I hear,:
of the attack Cook said he had in the night, I believe he
was suffering from delirium. Any convulsion may be
considered tetanic, if you mean by that term au out-
stretching of the limbs. When convulsions terminate
in death conscious ass is absent. Ido not think, from

cerned---

The Attorney-General—ThJy of course could net ask
to have their ears rubbed (A. laugh.)

Mr. Sergeant Shee—ls this proper ? My witness is
about describing what occurred in experiments, and
he is met like this.

Witness—ln the Leeds case lock jaw came on
very suddenly. It came on in four hours and a half.
The day before yesterday was the first time I had seen
experiments tried upon the blood. I have said that I
have succeeded in discovering strychnine. Mr. Morley
and myself are not divided in opinion in effect, Two
different tests were applied.
By Mr. Sergeant Shee—ln making reports of the
appearance of bodies after death, we state extraordinary
appearances as well as ordinary ones.
The Court here adjourned for a short time.
Upon the jury returning into Calla,
Mr. William Herapath, of Bristol, was called and
examined by Mr. Grove—l have bean connected
with chemistry and toxicology for upwards of thirty
years. I have been experimenting upon strychnia.
I never saw a living subject. I am not in
practice. I am not an analytical chemist. I
have seen a body after death which had been poi-
soned with strychnine. It was about three days
after death. I made two tests, bi-chroma,-,e of potass,
sulphuric acid, per oxide of lead, or the puce coloured
oxide. Third, sulphuric acid and per oxide of manga-
nese. I also made a fourth test. The last two produce
a copper colour of strychnine, and the third a purple
passing to red. Other tests give other colours with
common strychnine, but not with pure strychnine. The
process of the test is to obtsin the poison. In the case
of the human body referred to I made evident the
strychnine by the coloured test. I have ex2erenented
on animals toan extent sufficient to establish the prin-
ciple. I have analysed two cats. I gave one grain of
strychnine in a solid form, but I could not get the ani-
mal to take it voluntarily, so I left it in the food and

found the cat dead in the morning ; the body was con-
torted.
Lord Campbell—Rigid ?
Witness—Extremely so. Tho head was turned round
to the side, the eyes protruding and the iris expanded so
as to be almost invisible. In the urine which had been
ej3cted I found strychnine, and I also found it in the
stomach. I found it by the coloured test. The second
case was also a cat. I gave the same quantity in a
solid form and it swallowed it. The animal remained
♦ery quiet for 15 or 15 minutes with but few symptoms
till 35 minutes, when it had a terrible spasm. I watched
the animal for about 3 hours when it hal a second
spasm, and then I thought it would have died, but it re
covered and remained trembling all over. During two
hours and a half the animal was in a peculiar state ;
touching it had the effect of electrifying it all over. rne
slightest touch produced this effect. • I left the animal
for 3 hours thinking it would recover, but in the morn•
ing I found it dead in the same indurated contorted con-
dition the former animal had been found. I examined

the body 36 hours after death and found strychnine in
the urine, in the stomach and upper intestines, in the
liver and in the blood of the heart. In all cases I have
examined I have found the poison. In cases where
strychnine has been taken it has been discovered,
and I have also found the nux vomica. In one case
the animal had been buried two months. I have experi-
mented with strychnia mixed purposely with putrifying
matter and detected it in all cases. I am of opinion, as a
chemist, that where strychnia has been taken in euffi-
(tient quantity to kill it will be found. I have heard
the evidence respecting the jar taken to Dr. Taylor,
and I think if strychnia had been there it ought to have
been discovered. The experiments I have just mentioned
were made in Bristol. I have made experiments
in London of a similar nature.
Cross-examined by the Attorney-General—l am not a
physiologist. I made a chemical experiment on the
Sth of the present month with a view to this ease. I
have experimented about nine times. I have experi-
mented on the tissues of both a cat and dog. I gave
the dog a grain. I have a strong opinion from the
newspaper reports that strychnia had been given in this
case, and I might have said that Dr. Taylor had not
taken the right way to find it. lam perfectly
satisfied that if a 50.1000 th part of a pure grain
had been taken it ought to have been detected.
I can put ten grains in a gallon of water, take a drop
of that water, and detect the presence of strychnia. I
can find even the one-thousandth part of a grain. I found
it in 11- ounce of fluid in a dug. He had given one grain.
Mr. Rogers was next examined, and said I ant Professor
of Chemistry to the St. George's School of Medicine. I
have made one experiment on an animal. It commenced
at the end of the year, and finished a short time ago. It
was a dog, and I gave it two grains of strychnia between
two pieces of meat. The dog died, and three days after-
wards I removed the stomach, and took some of the
blood, which became putrid in about ten days ; and I
then examined it to discover the strychnia. I separated
the strychnia, but I cannot say how much; but I knew
it was present by three tests. A month or five weeks
after I proceeded to analyse the stomach and its con-
tents. It had become decompose]. Strychnia was
found in large quantities. I have heard the evidence
relative to the jar containing the stomach of
John Parsons Cook, and I am of opinion that
if strychnia had been contained in the jar it ought to
have been found.
By Attorney General.—lf the stomach had had no
contents the washings of it would give a result. I have
made no experiments, butfas the poison resists putre-
faction it would have been found in the body even at
this time. Time would make no difference.
Dr. Henry Letheby, examined by Mr. Kinnealy—
I am a bachelor of Medicine in the London Hospital.
I am also medical officer of health to the city of
London. I have been engaged for some time in the
study of poison and of its action on living bodies. I
have often been employed by the Crown, I may
say in every case tried at this court for the
last fourteen years. I have heard and attended to the
evidence given of the death of Mr. Cook. I have wit-
nessed many cases of the lower animals poisoned by
strychnia, and several persons poisoned by nux vomica.
The symptoms of the animals I have seen do not accord
with this case. Animals differed very much with this
case. I have never seen so long a time elapse before
the symptoms have come on as in this case. The
longest interval I have noticed in animals has been three
quarters of an hour and then the poison was administered
under disadvantageous circumstances in order
prolong its effects. It was administered on a full
stomach. I have seen the poison take effect in
five minutes, and in all the cases I have seen a
quarter of an hour is the average time before the
poison exhibited itself. In all animals and human
beings I have seen the system has been in an irritated
state, so that the slightest excitement, such as an effort
to move, a noise, or breath of air will set them off into
convulsions. I don't believe it at all probable that a
person to whom strychnine had been given, and it had
exhibited itself, that he would be able to pull a bell ; it
would bring on spasms, and he would be convulsed. It
was not likely that a person in :his nervous irritation
would submit to have his neck ruobed. When a case of
strychnine does not terminate fatally, the first paroxysm
is followed by others less powerful ; there would not be
an entire cessation of the symptoms. I have seen antidotes
administered in eases of nux vomica. Strychnine is
most easy of detection. The longest period at which I
have detected it, has been one month ; that was in de-
composed remains. If strychnine is pure, I can detect
the 12 000th part of a grain. I can detect the tenth
part of a grain in a pint of any liquid, whether pure or
itrefied. I have detected it in a pint of the most
putrid liquid, when it has been stand ng three months.
Upon au animal I recovered all but a very small portion
f what I had given. I c mild positively detect its
presence in bodies where it had been. I never failed in
those animals so poisoned. I always found the left side
of the heart full of blood. The physical cause of that I