Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1830-03-03

= Al. l..--
LEGAL MEDICINE.
A ca.c has recently occurred in
france, ia which body uss slisint tered
several years after. burial, and tk, fact
Of the individual having been poisoned
bv arseoic Determined by chemical ex-
animation. NJ. uriiia WAS asked, last
June, f body removed ffom the
grave. after such lapse Of time, could
possibly afford prcuf, Of poison having
been administered. and If so, In what
manner sueh an investigation WAS To
ne conducted To this question he
replied. that Il was very probable the
body was already almost entirely re-
Joced TO ashes, but that nevertheless.
II sort Of bsackish COON ~ q found a,
the side Of the spinal column. chiefly
IN the dorsal and lumbar r~xions. such
mass might be snalys ed in tI,e msnner
painted out in HE work ON 'rpsiccIesy.
~. NJ. Ozanam and lde, physicians at
Lyons, where the supposed murder
Had occurred. were requested by the
legal authorities TO proceed 10 the dis.
iuterment vi the body of a man Who
they suspected had been poisoned bv
his daughter. IN tbe year 1922. in th.
department Of Ain. They according.
ly did SO. and found that nitrate of
potass aud hydro sulpburic acid were
acted upon by the suspected matters
"a arsenic. The grave had been due
IN dry graveiIy soil, in which there
was little suiphatc Of lime and 10
this circumstance must doubtless be
attributed tie remarkable state of pre
srrsst'os i which the body was found
The coffin was entire, formed Of thick
blanks Of fir, which internally were
quite dry.
Although more than seven years had
elapsed since the inferment. the bod v
was recognized by the priest. by the
grase-disgcr, and even by some of the
national guard who had assisted ut the
ceremony. and fired over the grave.
All remembered the spot, and the indi-
vidual was identified by the hair which
remained, and by the teeth, all Of
which were Ia the sockets. except one
particular toa:h, which he had lo, be-
fore death: and lastly, the joiner re-
cosnized the coffin, which had been
constructed with unusual care, being
intended for a person Of distinction.
The head. trunk, and limb, were en-
tire, so that the stature cool,i be mea-
sured. The chest had sunk in, the
heart and lungs we're blended together,
anu presented the appearance of a
dark ointment. The whole was with.
out smell. The entire trunk was re.
moved, the head and extremitics being
regarded as unnecessary 20 the inyes
tigation. The portion thus reserved
Tor examination, weighed nine pounds:
OF this. tro pounds were set aside for
second series OF experiments. in case
those made on the first should proye
unsatisfactory. In these inyestir,
tons. NJ. NJ. Ozanam and Idle wen,
on the superstition Of arsenic being the
poison, this being the one employed in
the great majority Of cases. The mat
tiers above mentioned were boiled. the
mud evaporated to dryness, and the
residuum obtained dissolved IN distili.
ed water. This produced a deep CO.
Toured liqoor. which was but i'm perfect.
W deprived OF its hue by chlorine
The distilled water charged with this
extract was again eyaporated 10 dry.
Oess. Al the same time. four ounces
OF nitrate Of poiass. placed in a mat.
rass, were exposed on ignited charcoal.
The suspected matter, well dried and
roffe6 inse LitIe portions, was intro
ducsd. Each time this was done. =
deiiagratioa was perceived. IL was
then allowed to cool, and the residue
again dissolved in distilled water
This solution was saturated with nitric
ncid, and war,ls subjected 60 the
usual reagents. all Of winch indicated
the presence of arsenic. Some small
portions WIRE treated with vegetable
charcoal. introduced into glass lube,
and then heated. They gave out n.
qoeOus vapor (; soon after which. small
grey-coloured and brilliant puints wer.
seen. A grain Of metallic arsenic vas
thus obtained. Another portion, treat
ed with hydro-s uIphuric acid, furnish
ed suIphuret Of arsenic aud this. heat.
cal and acted upon by caustic potass.
afforded portion oi shining matter.
which was easily dissolved in distilled
water, by directing upon il a current
oil oxygen gas. BY these varioas sx-
per'"ents. tlse fact Of a considerable
quantity VI arsenic having been admin
isterrd wss thus demonstrated al the
sud OF seven years, slFord,ng a slrik
iDe illustration Of the importance Of
tox'cology in forwArding the ends of
justice.- .lkedicsI Gazette.
We find the following statistical nc.
count Of the Bap,Isis IN America, in
the last nsmbero OF The Christian srcre.