The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-21 00:00:00

poison. The proper remedies for prussic acid are
stimulants. Brandy, whiskey, dashing cold water in the
face, ammonia or hartshorn applied to the nose, arti-
ficial respiration—these remedies ought to be well known
to professional men. Putting the feet in warm water,
and mustard poultices, would be of little use. They
would be loss of time, but would not be im-
proper. Bleeding may be occasionally necessary.
Cross examined by Mr. Emx.—These remedies I have
learned not from experience, but from study. After
the death I consulted with Captain Clarke as to the
inquest. A post mortem examination was not proposed
at that time.
Re examined by the SOLICITOR-GENERAL—Captain
Clarke was present at the post mortem examination. On
smelling the contents of the stomach I made use of the
word" hydrocyanic." That is the ehemical word for
prussic acid. Captain Clarke was present. Lle saw the
contents of the stomach put into the bottle.
By Mr. Baron GURNEY—A drachm of medicinal
prussic acid would be sufficient to produce death—that
is sixty drops. The dose is from one to two drops.
Less than a drachm might produce death.
Mr. T. P. Curling examined by Mr. BoDKIN—I as-
sisted the last witness in the post mortem examination
of Mrs. Belaney. The heart was healthy. Deceased was
pregnant. The contents of the stomach smelt of prussic
acid. I handed them to Mr. Garratt, who said, in a
low tone of voice, "hydrocyanic." I question whether
Clarke heard it. The contents of the stomach were
placed in a tumbler, covered with a bladder, and carried
to the hospital,and delivered to Dr.Leatherby. They were
examined the following morning, and found to contain
prussic acid. No attempt was made to ascertain the
quantity, for while the analysis was going on I received
a communication stating that Mr. Belaney had said she
had taken prussic acid. As small a quantity as twenty
drops of Scheelie's prussic acid has been fatal.
The remedies in cases of poisoning by prussic acid
are cold affusion and ammonia, and artificial. respiration.
If you have not ammonia, spirits would be good. The
poison takes effect immediately upon the brain, destroy-
ing sensation. The breathing would be affected subse-
quently. I should say that putting the hands
and feet in warm water would do no good ;
neither would a mustard poultice. I never
met with a case of poisoning by prussic acid. I saw the
prisoner in the adjoining room after the post mortem
examination. He asked what I considered the cause of
death. I said we had not concluded our inquiries, when
we had done so we should be happy to inform him.
Cross-examined by Mr. CLARKSON—Mustard poultice
is a stimulant, but nothing but the most energetic sti-
mulants will produce effect,. I have often prescribed
pussic acid for indigestion Prussic acid produces its
poisonous effects very rapidly. I mean by artificial re-
spiration the same as that which is used on recovering
drowned persons. I never made any analysis of the
contents of the stomach, and therefore cannot say whe-
ther there were salts or not. _ _

By Mr. Baron GURNEY—As long as she lived and
breathed I should never have despaired of recovering her.
Dr. Letherby, examined by Mr. CHAMBERS—I am as-
sistant chemical lecturer at the London Hospital. I have
made frequent experiments on the effects of prussic acid.
The effect of an overdose is to produce a peculiar giddiness—
lam speaking oflower animals—a dispositionito run round.
The respiration is irregular. There is a scream probably
before the animal drops. There are two or three expi-
ratory efforts producing the scream in convulsions. The
animal foams at the mouth, and, after a longer or shorter
time, dies. I have never seen the effect in a human being.
After the scream volition and sensibility cease. A person
who had taken it, would not, after the scream, be able to
walk or talk. The most usual remedy is to dash cold
water over the person. This is taught constantly in
medical schools. I would also administer ammonia,
spirits, and stimulants. Hot water to the hands and
feet would not be of any service, nor would a mustard
poultice. It would be too long in producing its effect.
So far as I have heard the account of this lady's death,
I am disposed to think that if those remedies had been
applied she might have recovered. If she lived for 20
minutes there would be better hopes of her recovery, and
I should continue the remedies longer. I ana-
lysed the contents of the stomach on the Tues-
day. I discovered on the first analysis the presence
of prussic acid. On the second analysis, on the Thursday
following, I discovered Epsom salts. A different ana-
lysis is necessary to do this. The prussic acid which
had produced death had been taken into the system,
and that which was found in the stomach was over and
above that which was sufficient to cause death. I can
form no opinion as to the quantity. I only analysed it
for the purpose of ascertaining the presence of prussic
acid. The symptoms I have heard described are those
of poisoning by prussic acid. Mr. Donaghue afterwards
furnished me with some prussic acid. It contained rather
more than 2 per cent. of pure acid. If it is spilt in a room
there would be an odour. Half a tea-spoonful produced
an odour which remained in a large room nearly an
hour. If it is poured in a glass, there is a slight odour.
If half an ounce were poured in a glass and left in a
room, it would produce an odour. I have expe-
rimented with the prussic acid for Mr. Donaghue.
I gave a cat 10 or 20 drops of Scheeile's strength,
and restored the cat by cold allusion and ammonia.
I gave a horse a table-spoonful of acid twelve times the
strength, and restored the horse, He was on the ground
in convulsions, and apparently dead, and all the symp-
toms had occurred before I applied the remedies. He
was restored in twenty minutes. I dashed cold water
ever his head, and put ammonia to his nostrils. Ammonia
is common smelling salt. The mode of producing arti-
ficial respiration should be well known to all medical men.
Cross-examined by Mr. ERLE—I isolated the prussic
acid from the contents of the stomach. There was a
drachm and a half of water mixed with prussic acid, but
there are no data to determine the quantity. There was a
strong odour of the acid. Prussic acid is one of the poisons
easiest of detection after draught. Acetate of morphine
is poison. There is no smell from it after death. Prussic
acid is detected by the smell. The scream is the indi
cation of volition and sensation having gone. The
swallowing of prussic acid is not attended with a shock.
There is a taste with it. I have tasted it. I
have had it spilt on me, and applied to my
nostrils, so that it has produced giddiness.
This effect is produced in about thirty seconds ; then
faintness comes on. It would depend upon the quantity
taken whether a person would have time to call out and
say anythirg. If prussic acid were taken immediately
after some other fluid, that would have the effect of
diluting it and making its action slower. I am not ac-
quainted with the effect of prussic acid on the human
subject.

Re-examined by the SOLICITOR-GENERAL—There is
no acid taste in Scheeile's prussic acid. There is a bitter
taste. There is no hot taste.
At the conclusion of the examination of this witness,
the Court adjourned for a few minutes for refreshments.

On the re-assembling of the Court,
Dr. Anthony Todd Thompson was called, and exa-
mined by the SOLICITOR-GENERAL—I am Professor of
Medical Jurisprudence at the London University. MY
attention has been called to the effects of hydrocyanic
acid upon the system. Hydrocyanic acid would
produce such symptoms as those under
which Mrs. Belaney is described as labouring.
but they would also be produced by any other sedative.
The smell of prussic acid is very peculiar. If any be
spilled in a room the odour remains a considerable time,
unless there is much movement in the air of the room.
If it were in a tumbler the odour would be strong—if it
were lifted to the top the odour would be perceived.
The effects of taking it are those which have been
so clearly explained by the last witness—giddiness,
faintness, convulsions resembling those of tetanus, or
lock-jaw, and screaming. When the symptoms have
advanced to a scream, the powers of volition are gone.
After the scream it would be impossibe for a party to
talk so as to describe what happened. The remedies are
well known in the medical world; they are stimulants of all
kinds, ammonia, effusion of cold water, and artificial re-
spiration, and chlorine applied in the form of vapour.
I have tried experiments on the effects of those reme-
dies on animals. I have tried ammonia, cold effusion,
and artificial respiration. I have known no cases
in which artificial respiration alone has 'succeeded.
Warm water to the feet and hands are of no use. Mustard
poultice would be too slow in its effects. If a person
lived twenty minutes after taking prussic acid, the pro-
bability would be in favour of recovery, if remedies
were applied. Bleeding has been used in cases of strong
plethoric people, but with no good effect.
Cross-examined by Mr. ERLE—I have seen cases in
the human subject, in which large doses have been
taken so as to produce fainting. It might have been
a quarter of an hour after fainting had occurred that
I was called in. The person recovered in consequence
of the remedies. I hare taken it myself in sufficient
quantities to produce uneasiness. A person would
scream from any extraordinary or strong sensation. A
person might immediately on taking the acid feel an un-
comfortable sensation in the mouth and might scream.
The evaporation of the acid is very quick when it is
spilled, but the smell remains for a considerable time.
By Mr. Baron GURNEY—Ammonia is a powerful re-
medy. Chlorine is more powerful, but is not so easy to
be obtained. The first thing I should call for would be
a smelling-bottle, hartshorn and brandy, and I should
also use the cold allusion.
(The trial was proceeding when we wont to press.)