The Sun.
London, England, 1856-06-30 00:00:00

BOW-STREET.
THE ALLEGED MANSLAUGHTER OF A LUNATIC.—The
further hearing of this case was proceeded with this
morning before Mr. Henry.
Mr. Dociiiin appeared t con,?uet the prosecution, and
Mr. Clarkson for the defendant, Mr. Snaps.
The first witness called was Mr. Suield, an engineer,
who stated that he had examined the bath and found it
very narrow. In 28 minutes 618 gallons of water would
pass through it. Tne bath was 10 feet,/ inch long, and
2 feet wide.
Dr. Diinroond, the superintendent for the female
side of the Surrey Lunatic Asylum, stated that
Mr. Snape was the superintendent of the male side.
After a few observations, the witness said—On the
9,.h Mr. Snape came to me and asked me to take
charge of his department, as he was going out. I
told him I would try. I afterwards saw him, and
he said a disagreeable circumstance had just taken
place ; a patient had struck him and he Lad ordered
him a sharp shower bath, but that the man bad died
shortly alter he came out. I said it was possible it
would be advisable not to have an inquest, but the chair-
man must be written to, and the death treated as a
sudden case. I said most likely the man died from a
disease of the heart. But from certain causes I after-
wards wrote to Mr. Snaps, telling bins I thought
he would be compelled to have an inquest.
Mr. Snape came to my surgery about 11 o'clock, and he
told me he agreed with the letter I had written, and said
he would tell the steward to inform the coroner. He
said he would make a post mortein examination, and
asked me to be present. He said Blake and other
patients had got hold of the affair, and that Blake said
he would never re-t until shower-baths were abolished.
I told Mr. Snaps he had said nothing about giving
the deceased an emetic ; bet he said he told
one of the circumstances a day or two ago. I
told him 1 never heard of it till Barnett told me

in the evening. Barnett told rue that Mr. Snaps had given
Lim a strong dose of emetic—a grain and a-half of tai tar
e.netic. I don't recollect.hearing anything about short
allowance. The post mortern examination of the body
of fi.)33y took place on the 10th. Tao body was in the
dead-house, and, as I was returning from that place, I
[net Mr. S:taoe. When I saw the body it was l-yrig
on a table, the head and chest had been opened. On
Mr. Suape opening the bead, he said Sandy (the attendant
is the d,a'.l hous,e) had done more than he had told him
to do. This, observation_ was made after Saape had
_looked at the .head. My son, made the post mortem
exarnivatioei. He; made sections of•it. I saw the brain,
but I in.tic.rd nothing of importance—nothing to ac-
count for &a- h. The spinal cord .was in a healthy state.
The chest had been opened, but none of its contents re-
moved. I saw my son ctit through the perricardurn, and
Mr. Snap+) said, ",That's .a diseased heart." I replied,
after looking at it, that I did not see any disease, He
"It is larger than it ought to be." The heart
. was removed, and there was a little thickening in the
vessels of the aorta. The witness then detailed the
other appearances of the heart. There was nothing
in the appearance of the heart that wou!cl account
fur death. It was not what I should call a
diseased heart. After Mr. Soaps and myself left the
dead-house Mr. Suapo said, " I suppose I may safely
say the man had diseased heart, but I said it was my
o,rinion that there was nothing there to slnirten a man's
life. I don't recollect anything the passing. The in-
quest was held on the 12th ; that morning Mr. Swipe
C 1111'j to my surgery and said the ingairy was to take
.place that afternoon, and made some observations about
the heart, but I. cann-t recollect the words. I
said, "Don't y,u think. if the man bad not had the
shower bath and the emetic lie would have been alive
now," and Alr. Swipe said, "I could not say that," and
nu walked away one way, and I the other. I did not
attend the ingaest, The heart was shown to Mr. Paget,
professor of anatomy, and Mr. 11-andcock of Charing.
cross Hospital. The heart was examined' by both those
gentlemen. Mr. Lawrence also saw the heart. I was
alter th:s summoned to appear before the commissioners
of lunacy. In consequence of some observations of Mr.
Paget, I examined different portions of the heart with
a microscope, and found no change of structure or unna-
tural appearance. I submitted the small thickeniug I
.have spoken of to the instrument, and• found it con-
sistel of nothing but.serus membrane and muscular fibre..
passing through it. lam still of opinion that there was
nothing there to account for death. - •

Thlson of Mr. Dimmondiwho performed the post-mor-
tem eKamination, was next called, and deposed td the
fact.

Mr. Clarkson— Some of the emetic was note wallowed.
Would that alter your opinion ?
Witness—Cattainly not. One grain of tartar emetic
would he sufficient to cause vomiting.
Mr. Handcock, surgeon, of Charing-cross Hospital,
was next examined, and said—• Dr. Dinunond submitted
to me a human heart for my opinion as to the cause of
death. I did not see any appearance on it to account for
death. I must make the same reservation as Mr.
Paget has done, and say I have had no expe-
rience in the treatment of lunatics, lout that
the condition of the heart dirt not, in
my opinion account for death. A sane person, of sixty.
five, if treated with a bath of this description and the
emetic, would not survive.
Dr. John Elliotson, of 37, Conduit-street, said—
I have heart the evidence of the treatment of Dolby, of
the shower-bath and tartar emetic, and I have
also heard the evidence relative to'the appearance of the
heart and its structure. From these circumstances lam
in a position to form judgment on the case. I 'attribute
death to long continued shower baths- and a dose
of tartar emetic. In arriving at that -opinion
have takeu into consideration the fact of the man being
a lunatic.

Cross examined—nave studied for the treatment of
lunatic. If the dec aced was a highlyAxcited lunatic he
would bear what, if he was not so, he could not.
By Mr. Bodkin—l know that the deceased was in the
bath 28 minutes. I have both seen and tried the bath.
I was in it for eight minutes 40 seconds and it became
very, very uncomfortable, and I shouldnot like to have
stopped in any longer. Insane persons sometimes wouli
bear what would kill sane persons.
Ily Mr. Itetry—What is the duration of a shower
bath ?

Dr. Elliotson—About a minute. I take one every
m.rning. but I never step in longer than* a minute.
Mr. Cfarkson—lS itgoid for excitement?, (Laughter.)
Dr. Elliotson--Ceittlinly, in moderation.
Mr. Clatkson having replied for his client,
Mr. Henry said it was a case that must be tried by a
jury.
Dr. Snape was then fully committed for trial for man-
slaughter. accepted any the slim, of 2001