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

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kohl to be Co lies if 4 E iittlai if iks ♦kt3t;
bleed belsre ttb4ble to rellete it f thteintit *be Ilif4tit.tl
realm in the heave. The large would ha eoailasteci z ca
that cause. I agree with Dr. Taylor as to the muscular
contractions produced by the poison. I agree with D'
Taylor that the absorption takes place in the
blood, but not that it becomes changed to
such an extent that it is undiscoverable.
Not any mixing of the contents of the stomach
with the intestines would prevent the possibility
of an analysis being made and the poison detected. It
might be detected from the mucous membrane of the
stomach. If a dose of antimony was taken in brand
and water it would not produce any burning sensation.
It does not possess that property. I have studied
poisons for 18 years.
Cross-examined by the Attorney-General—l am not
a member of the College of Physicians. I used to be
employed by the Crown. The last case was in 1851,
when I stated that arsenic had been taken four times
before death. I was the cause of her being respited.
Some of the medical profession challenged my opinion.
I hold the same opinion now. I have operated upon
five animals within the last two months. I have
given one grain in a pill, sometimes in a
pill, and sometimes upon the tongue. In the case of a
dog which bad it given with a full stomach, the poison
kneaded into hard bread, the symptoms did not come on
for three-quarters of an hour. The least noise or breath
of air will cause a recurrence of the paroxysm. I have
known animals die in the first paroxysm. I have said I
should not feel surprised that a person should be able to
-+it up in bed and ring the bell. I heard the account
about his death, and think it quite likely, but have not
seen symptoms that convinces me of that result.
There was nothing in the symptoms exhibited by him
upon the night of his death differing from
those of tetanus by strychnine. One of the
symptoms is an increase of breathing, and a
difficulty when the spasms came on, and sitting up
would be a most likely position for a person in bed.
The symptoms of Cook's death are quite irreconcileable
with anything I ever heard. (Great sensation.)
Re-examined by Sergeant Shee—Such convulsions
might arise from same cause which an early examination
of the spinal cord might have developed. Cook's death is
quite irreconcileable with every cause of death, either
natural or artificial. Touching an animal during the
premonitory symptoms would bring on the spasms.
I do not think that I have displeased the Government
by the case of arsenic alluded to. I have been engaged
since. In that case Dr. Pereira came to me
and asked me to write a letter to him to
the effect that there was a possibility that the
poison might have been taken more than four hours,
and I did so, but denied that it was probable. The respite
came one hour after my letter.

[PRICE 4D. STAMPED 5D'

the symptoms describing Cook's death that the
paroxysm was one of tetanus.
Witness—l do not think it was disease at all.
Attorney-General—Neither do I.
Witness—l never knew a case of tetanus where
rigidity was continued after death. Tetanic paroxysms
are distinguishable from other convulsions at the time
of death. I know no case where in convulsions con-
sciousness was retained to the last. Convulsions from
strychnine are called tetanic, and very properly so. I❑
cases of strychnine the spasms are more violent than in
ordinary tetanus. I have not said, nor do I infer, that
this was in any sense a case of tetanus.
The Attorney-General—Why net
Witness—lt did not run the course of tetauus—diffi-
culty of breathing is a premonitory in strychnine.
The Attorney-General—Did not Cook ask to have his
ears rubbed ?

Witness—So far as my experience in animals is con•

Robert Edward Gay examined by Sergeant
Shee. I am a Fellow of the Royal College of
'surgeons. In October, 1855, I attended a person of the
name of Foster, who was labouring under tetanus. The
Iniptoms were those of an ordinary cataract. Upon
t he fourth day an increasing stiffness of the muscles and
t,et came on, and upon the evening of that day the jaw
was locked ; pains came on in the muscles of the bowels
and legs; he became convulsed with violent contractions
of arms and hands, with a difficulty of swallowing, which
so increased up to the 10th day that not any food, solid
or liquid, could be taken, and upon anything being
attempted to be fed with a spoon he became violently
convulsed, as also did feeling the pulse, He com-
plained of great hunger, and said " What should
he do if he could not eat." He was kept alive by
injections. About the twelfth day he became insen-
sible and weaker, and convulsed until the 14th
day, when he died. He had been an omnibus
conductor, and suffered from a sore throat. The
disease was an inflammatory sore throat, from ex-
posure to cold. He became tetanic from his ex-
tremely nervous and anxious disposition. He had a
large family. His sister died a week before of a pul-
monary sore throat.
Cross-examined by the Attorney-General—This is one
of the ordinary cases of idiopathic tetanus. It is al-
ways progressive. This patient only had remissions of
the severer symptoms ; there was always a twitching of
the muscles. The insensibility was produced from con-
gestion of the brain brought on by the convulsions.
At this stage the Court adjourned. Sergeant Shee,
in answer to his Lordship, said he would, if possible,
conclude the evidence for the defence to-morrow.

3