Star.
London, England, 1830-08-26 00:00:00

ADJOURNED INQUEST UPON MISS CASHIN.

Yesterday, at ten o'clock, the Coroner and Jury assembled. The
Jury-room was crowded with medical gentlemen, snd several persons
of distinction.
Dr. Alexander Thompson was then sworn, and the evidence he gave
on Monday was read over to him, and some corrections, merely verbal,
made. He went on to state, that the cause of hyper-organization of
the piece of flesh cut from the back, produced on Monday, was the
stimulants which had been applied to the part before death, and which
had augmented the quantity of matter in the secreting vessels. Wit-
ness had examined the spine and brain of the deceased since the last in-
vestigation. The brain was in the most perfect state that he had seen
for a long dine. About four inches of the spinal marrow, underneath
the wound on the back, was of a red colour, and much inflamed.
Doctor James Johnson, Mr. Goolheal, Dr. ogg, Mr. Alackechny,
Mr. Wilelgoose, Mr. Bolton, and other surgeons, were present at
die examination, and assisted therein. Free access was given to
any medical man who chose to present himself. Witness was
now enabled. to state as his opinion that the sore in the
lisck was the first cause of the death of the deceased. The stimu-
lants which had been applied to the back produced irritative fever, and
from that proceeded the inflammation of the pluera. and the veinous
congestion of the lungs. All these causes combined produced death.
It is the practice among the natives of Arabia and America to produce
iseunter.irritation by stimulating applications externally, and the bo.
dies of the natives of those countries were often found covered with
sores. Witness could state that no medical practitioner would be j'us-
titied in producing counter irritation to any extent at all on a healthy
person, for the purpose of preventing disease, and especially to such
an extent as appeared on the back of the deceased. He should not con.
shier her going on well if he had seen her on the evening before her
death. He should not have given her mulled port wine as a fit bever.
:Iv. where her stomach was in such a state of inflammation as it must
have been from the appearances after death, and from the statement of
Mrs. ltodelis. It was highly improper, of course, to give any stimu-
lating medicine to the person in whose system inflammation existed.
lie should have considered that if he had ordered Miss Cashin port
wine in the state she was in when Mr. Long ordered her a tumbler,
that the patient would rot have survived twenty-four hours. Mr.
Long, or whoever attended the young lady, ought certainly to have
attended to the symptoms which showed themselves, and prescribed'
remedies to reduce the inflammation. He ought to have prescribed
medicine if he wished to save his patient. No medical practitioner
ought to have neglected such symptoms as continued vomiting and a
high state of fever, but should have administered calomel and bled the
patient, and used every other means to lower the inflammation.
Mr. Thomas King, of Hanover-street, Hanover-square, surgeon,
sworn—l attended the examination of the body of the deceased, yes-
terday, and saw on the back, between the shoulders, a large sear, or
disorganized or burnt piece of skin. All the surrounding parts under
the skin were gorged with serum ; there was no process at separation
evident. The spinal marrow had exactly the same appearance as I have
always seen after violent local injury, when the body has been examined
ten days after death, and (specially when it has been kept tolerably
cool. Every part of the cranium appeared to me to be perfectly healthy.
Tire hotly has the appearance of being in good condition ; that is, to
have been that of a person in a healthy state, who had died after a very
short illness. That, I believe, is all I know on the subject. 1 did not
csatnine the stomach and 'deur?. I took notice of the back ; it had
the appearance of being produced by a scorching heat ; for instance, if
you held very near the skin a red-hot iron, as broad as the crown of
my hat, for a quarter of an hour, it would produce the same ap-
pearance as I have mentioned. I cannot form an idea of what ap-
plication did cause the appearance, but it was such as would have
been produced by what I have described. Any violent caustic
would have produced the same appearance ; an arsenical application
would have produced that appearance. I cannot say what was applied,
but I should think it was something of that sort. Judging from the
examination which I made yesterday, I should say that the death was
occasioned by the local injury. Very few persons would recover from
such a local injury ; the strongest might have been killed by it, anti the
weakest might have recovered, if proper care had been taken imme-
diately upon the sore making its appearance, but it would have required
the utmost skill and attention. Clop forbid that any surgeon should
produce such a sore ! I have seen the derivative system practised to
the fullest extent in all parts of Europe, but I certainly never saw one-
fourth of the injury which I saw on the back of this young lady, pro-
duced by any surgeon. Judging from what I saw, I should say that
the wound in the back was the sole cause of death.. . . . .

Mr W.O ildgoose, surgeon, sworn—Having read the depositions that
hail been taken, found it difficult for him to say what the cause of death
bad been. Having nothing else to go by than the appearances after
death, he was bound to suppose that the injury which had been inflicted
hail been the cause of the death, but he could not swear that it was.—
The internal surface of the stomach and duodenum were inflamed. in-
fiammation of the stomach could not exist for any length of time without
killing the patient, independent of any other injury or disease. Had I
seen the back, and if he (witness) had nothing to go by but the back
alone, he should not have supposed it would have caused death.
By a Juror—Could not tell whether the inflammation of the bowels
could have been occasioned by the state of the back or not ; it might or
might not by sympathy. lied been in the habit of examining bodies
after death. The appearance of the back was somewhat like as it lunar
caustic had been applied to the part. The skin was mortified, but the
muscles were uninjured. Had seen such injuries before. Had seen
deeper ulcerations produced by caustic. Had never seen an injury in-
tentionally produced to such an extent on the back of any individual.
Had he been called in,and supposing the inflammation of the stomach
to have been sympathetic, he might have done something for the relief
of the patient. Ile had no means of knowing what had caused the
wound. He should not like to see such a wound on the back
of any patient of his. Knew nothing of Mr. Long's mode of
treatment. •
By Mr. Anotrnus--Knew Mr. Long. Had heard front very res.
pectable people that he was a successful practitioner. Had known for
some years, and seen many patients go to him.
By a Juror.—Did not know until this investigation had begun, whe-
ther the persons he had seen go to Mr. bong were patients or visitors,
as he had never been inquisitive respecting Mr. Long's affairs. Be-
lieved part of his plan of treatment to be that of counter-irritation,
that was to produce an external illness for the purpose of drawing
off' an intetnal disease. Would not have made a wound so large
as this on the hack under the circumstances. From what he had
seen since death, he ' did not think be should have been justified
in makiog so large a wound. Consumption consisted of tuber.
des of the lungs. His conduct in treatment would be much in.
fluerced by a mother or an old woman saying other branches of a
patient bad shied of a consumption, but not so much as to be induced to
make such a large eschar as this was.
Dr. John Hogg sworn—Was present yesterday in the vault in llnor.
fields Chapel, and sssisted in examining the head and spine of the de-
eeasrd. The first thing that struck hint 613 remarkable was the state of
Be back. It presented between the shoulder-blades a very large kind
of schar ; it appear, d as if it had been scorched by fire. The body it.
self was not at all emaciated, but muscular, symmetrical, and in many
respects well formed. Dr. Thompson, witness, and others, proceeded to
examine the spine ; obtained a full view of the spinal cord. There WU
certainly an appearance on the sheath of the spinal cord, opposite to

where the external sore was, of discolouration. This was very minutely
examined. On removing it to the day-light, it looked like crimson.—
The other part of the sheath was of a more natural colour. On opening
the sheath it was evidently thickened at the part where it uas discoloured,
but had no appearance of disease. The cord itself was not at all af-
fected. The examination was next directed to the head. On removing
the skull cap, the brain presented an unusually firm and healthy ap-
pearance; portions of it were removed and examined as to its structure,
which exhibited a state of perfect health. The brain was perfectly
sound at the basis, and at the origin of all the cerebra; nerves, and all
nerves emanating from the brain itself. Not having been present at the
former examination, it was difficult for him (witness) to form an opinion
as to the cause of death, but should say that the violence which had
been done to the nervous system was quite sufficient to cause death, par-
ticularly in the ease of a nervous and delicate young lady.
By a juror.—The sheath of the spinal cord was discoloured from ex-
ternal causes. The opinions of the different gentlemen present at the
examination were not communicated to each other ; each gentleman
made and brought away his own observations. As a professional man,
he (witness) should certainly not create such a wound on a healthy per.
son. Had not the slightest idea what such a wound could have been
made for. Should say decidedly that the lady had not been labouring
under the effect of any disease, except that of the wound produced on
the back, as tar as he saw ; in death even the body had the appearance
of health. Had never seen a more beautiful formed body. Had never
seen such a wound produced on an unhealthy person, and should be
sorry to produce such a one. If the mother of a patient had gone to
him, and said other children of her's had died of consumption, and that
she was afraid of the one produced falling a victim to the same disease,
there were prophylactics that might be had recourse to, but he should
never think of making such a wound.
After examining several other witnesses, the further inquiry was post.
poned till Friday.