The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-19 00:00:00

Copper. I think it would be most dangerous to conduct
experiments for the detection of poison with untested cop-
per, niore especially where a man's life is concerned. I
confined my evidence at Palmer's trial to a toxicological
fact—that, if strychnine had been administered, it ought
to have been discovered.
The Lord Chief Baron—Brother Parry, we don't want
to try that case over again.
Sergeant Parry—No, my lord. I had another question
on my lips, but I abstain from putting it.
Dr. John 'William Lewis Tuticombe, examined by Mr.
Gifford—l am a doctoi of medicine, and was formerly prin-
cipal pupil of Professor Liebig. I have r6ccived the great
Prussian medal. I read the description of the post mortem
exAmination of Isabella Bankes. In my judgment her
death is compatible with natural disease. I have met with
cases of pregnancy accompanied withvomiting and diarrhtea.
The Lord Chief Baron—ln its early stages?
Witness—Yes; I have known such symptoms to attend

all its stages.
Examination continued—l think, taking the whole of
the circumstances connected with the death of the lady,
they are incompatible with slow arsenical poisoning. I
also think they are incompatible with antimonial poisoning.
I agree with Dr. Richardson and Dr. Roberts, and I
quite concur with them in their opinion. If death was
occasioned by arsenic or antimony I most certainly should
expect to find it in the tissues. I attribute Miss Bankes'
death to diphtheretic dysentery.
Sergeant Ballantine—Have you seen any of the cases
of diphtheretic dysentery in London ?
Witness—Yes ; two.
Sergeant Ballantine—And both cases recovered ?
Witness—No ; one died.
Sergeant Ballantine—Was the body opened P
Witness—l quite recollect it was.
Sergeant Ballantine—Will you tell me of the exact lo-
cality in which that circumstance occurred ? -
Witness—ln Stratton-street, Bloomsbury.
Sergeant Ballantine—ls diphtheric dysentery mentioned
in any particular book, Hooper's or Copeland's Dictionary,
for instance ?
Witness—l don't know those books.
Sergeant Ballantine--Or Hooper's " Vade Mecum,"
edited-by Dr. Guy ?
Witness—l don't read such books.
Sergeant Ballantine—You don't read such books ?
Witness—No, they are compilations.
Sergeant Ballantine—Where did you say you were a
lecturer ?
Witness—At the St. George's School of Medicine.
Re-examined by Mr. Giffard—l have analyzed grey
powder. I find it to consist of ten distinct substances,
among them arsenic and antimony. I also examined bis-
muth produced from M'Culloch and Squires. I found anti-
mony and arsenic in it.
The Lord Chief Baron—Do you agree with the opinion
of Dr. Richardson and Dr. Rogers ?
Witness—l do.
Sergeant Ballantine—Do you think the poison in the
grey powder caused the death of Miss Bankes P
Witness—No.
Sergeant Ballantine—Or had any effect on the symptoms
of the deceased ?
Witness—Not the least.
Sergeant Ballantine—Had the poison in the bismuth
anything to do with it ?
Witness—No.
Sergeant Parry—Did you ever hear the absurd sugges-
tion that it had except from my learned friend ?
Witness—Never.
Sergeant Ballantine—Then why was the analysis made ?
Dr. Francis Webb—l am a doctor of medicine of the
College of Edinburgh, a physician in practice in London,
and a lecturer at the Grosvenor School of Medicine. I have
paid great attention to the evidence in this case, and I am
of opinion, from all that I have heard, that the deceased
died from natural causes. In very severe cases of vomiting
in early pregnancy he had known it neces-ary to procure
abortion. I think the copper, nitrate of silver, and bismuth
most incorrect medicines to administer during early preg-
nancy. I consider that Miss Bankes died from dysentery,
made worse by early pregnany. A large proportion of the
knowledge of poisons is derived from experiment on the lower
animals. Chlorate of potash is used as a wash for the
mouth in cases of foul breath. I think if arsenic or anti-
mony were mixed with it, it would not in any way affect
its action. In case of slow arsenical or antimonial poison-
ing, to find poison in the tissues, I agree with Dr. Taylor
that finding it in the liver would be the great criterion. I
have heard a description of the small intestines and stomach,
which is not, in my judgment, compatible with slow arseni-
cal poisoning. In cases of sluw irritant poisoning, the
coating of the stomach is very much inflamed, and pro-
bably ulcerated. I should not expect to find the lungs
perfectly healthy in cases of slow arsenical poisoning.
I am of opinion that Miss Bankes died from natural disease.
Sergeant Parry—You have heard Dr. Taylor say that
he found 100th part of a grain of arsenic in two teaspoons-
full of a certain mixture and by multiplying it by the num-
ber of teaspoonsful in the bottle, he so arrived at the total
amount of the poison therein contained. What value do
you attach to such an opinion?
Witness—l consider it a mere guess, and of no im-
portance whatever.
Cross-examined by Sergeant Ballantine—Dysentery I
believe to be very common in this country. I think the
effect of a quarter of a grain of copper pill, given to a
person in the state of the deceased, would increase irrita-
tion. In the symptoms of Miss Bankes that I have heard
described in court during the progress of this trial, the idea
of poison having been administered would never have
entered into my mind.
Dr. Gilbert Girdwood examined by Mr. Giffard—l have
had great experience in accouchements. I have had up-
wards of 3,000 cases pass through my hands. Among them
I have had cases of pregnancy combined with dysentery.
One was a very severe case. I would not give any mercu-
rial medicine to a person suffering from dysentery during
pregnancy, nor in any dysenteric case whatever unless I
had ascertained the reason why I should do so. I have
heard the symptoms of Miss Bankes and the account of the
post mortem examination, and in my judgment death is to
be attributed to dysenteric ulceration.
Dr. James Edmonds, of No. 2, Spitch-square, said—l
am a doctor of medicine and surgeon to the H division of
police and to the Royal Maternity Charity. I have known
in the early stages of pi egnancy, vomiting and diarrhoea so
as to exhaust the patient. I had a fatal case. The lady was
about 40 years of age. She suffered severely in the abdomen.
She was ill for 5 or 6 weeks. She did not survive the attack.
I made a post-mortem examination of her body. Dysentery
was the cause of death. It arose during pregnancy.
Cross-examined by Sergeant Ballantine The illness
commenced about the fifth or sixth month of pregnancy. I
administered chalk, opium, and prussic acid, and afterwards
bismuth. When I was sure there was ulceration of the
bowels, I used sulphate of zinc as an injection. I did not
use sulphate of copper because of the vomiting. It is a
very fine remedy, and highly recommended in cases of
dysentery. I examined the stomach after death. I found
it slightly injected. The large bowels were extensively
ulcerated. I administered bismuth, but all my medicines
failed to stop the progress of the disease.
The Court here adjourned for refreshment.
On the reassembling of the Court,
Dr. W. Tyler Smith said—l have been studying mid
wifery for a great number of years. I know of a case of
death from vomiting during pregnancy. Excessive vomit-
ing, in the earlier stages of pregnancy, produces a burning
sensation in the throat, at least that is the feeling com-
plained of by persons suffering in the earlier stages of preg-
nancy. The earlier part of pregnancy is the time when
there is most vomiting. A. woman in the earlier stages
might have diarrheas which might ultimately turn
to dysentery. Prussic acid given in an effervescing state is
one of the most valuable remedies to allay vomiting. In
cases of excessive vomiting persons died in the same way as
if they had been starved to death, If a basin of warm soup
was given to a female in that state it would be instantly
rejected. There is a peculiar expression of the features in
cases of excessive vomiting. It is a very painful one. All
the symptoms that I have heard explained with regard to
Miss Bankes might arise from natural causes, with the
exception of the ball in the throat.
Cross-examined by Sergeant Ballantine—Supposing
dysentery existed there would be dysenteric symptoms.
At the wish of a juror, the learned judge asked Dr.
Smyth whether dysentery could be kept up by the adminis-
tration of any irritant medicine ?
Dr. Smyth replied in the affirmative.
Frederick Pedley, dentist, George-street, Hanover-square
—About the middle of February the prisoner complained to
me of foulnesi of breath. I mentioned chlorate of potash.
This was the case for the prisoner.
Mr. Sergeant Ballantine then rose to reply. He
said he did so with great anxiety, in consequence
of the attempt that had been made to make the case
branch off into one of a purely scientific question ; but
notwithstanding that he felt confident the jury would
exercise their own judgment and discretion, and give a ver-
dict from the whole of the evidence that had been laid be-
fore them. He urged the jury to look at the united facts,
and not to view them in a disjointed state, and having done
this, he thought they would be of opinion the defence had
entirely failed to throw down the case he had brought
against the prisoner. It was contended that money was
not the motive of the prisoner, and that, it was said, was
proved by his great affection exhibited towards her ; but he
maintained that he inveigled this unfortunate lady away,
and his letters fully and clearly proved that the
attachment was not to be of long duration. Here
was a person living with his own wife. Now
see the position the prisoner had placed himself in.
Why, it was clear that if his first wife discovered that he
intended to desert her she could indict him for bigam a
y, nd
then the discovery of a former marriage by the friends of
Miss Bankes would be anything but pleasing. If the jury
should feel that the prisoner intended to absent himself but
a short time from his first wife, then the only inference
that could be drawn would be that a crime of the most
hideous description had been committed. He thought it
was a perfect mockery to talk about love and affec-
tion in the face of the letter the prisoner wrote
to his first wife. Why, the letter clearly showed
that the connection was to be merely a temporary one.
The learned sergeant then proceeded to recall the whole of
the incidents he had laid before the jury in his opening
speech. The suspicions of Drs. Julius and Bird that some