New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-10-26


4 lbs. & o. muscular and adpose Tissues from the
body Of the deceased, cut il fne pieces were placed
in new and clean glass retor aud, TO avoid lose,
receiver adapted with bent tube passing into y
/ besker glass Of pure water.
Pure bydrOcloric acid was added, and heat from 4
/ gas furnace applied for IL hours. ,
About ~. Of Il light pink. cOlored liquid Distilled
over into The receiver which was reserved for exam
! ination.
One bali OF tie contents Of the retort WAS treated
with chlorine and sulphurOus acid gases, evspOrated
and tested IN the hydrogen apparatus tor I'VE
producing faint dark metallic slain, marked III.
Tie portion remaining in the retOrt was heate1
again, and chlorate Of POTASH was gradually In small
quantities adood till a clear oTsage-c"ored hqmd was
obtained. Tlis vas filtered, and pure washed sui
phurous acid gas passed through II lor 'hlee houiS
/ until IT completely saturated
! IL was warmed over water bath TO expel the ex-
Cess Of supburous acid.
Pure washed suphureted hydrogen gas was passed
through the LIQUID for sixteen hours, producing yc-
! low precipitate this was allowed TO sHo'ide auiins
/ eighteen hours.
Tie greater part Of the liquid decanted, and
| the precipiate poured small alter OF Swedlsh
! papcr and repeatedly washed with warm distilled
/ water ,
The precipate and filter dried in water bath,
! placed in porcelain crucible, and digested with
| pure nitric acid.
! The acid was neutraized with pure carbonate of
! soda. and evaporated to dryness in a rater-bath.
TIE contents Of the crucble were fused over a gas
furnace till the organ matter was burnt, and clear,
| colo,less liquid obtained.
| The nitric and nitrous acids were expelled by pure
suphuric acid, and the remaining salt3 dissolved IN
n small quantity Of distilled water.
An apparatus for generating pure and dry hydrogen
gas was prepared and attached TO glass tube three
feet i'm length cooled that two feet of heated
| red hot n glass furnace.
Tn other cases two or more ofthesc coils were united
thus enabling the operator To increase tho heated sur
face od hJitam thereby insuring the complete de-
! composition Of any compounds Of hydrogen.
| To test the purity Of the hydrogen 1t was passed
\ a, ed IN az oil a
stain was produced the cool portion OF the tube
| beyond where the heat was applied.
! The zinc and suipburc acid employed were thus
known to be pure they had been previously and re-
| peatedly examined for several hours
Almost Immediately after the introduction of the
SUSPECTED liquid, obtained from the muscles az de-
sc1ibed and which was reduced 10 hall an ounce a
dark stain with metallic luster, resembling arsenc,
appeared beyond the heated glass coil this was al
low ed toaccumuate for two hours.
On introducing bubble or two Of air through the
hydrogen apparatus, slight oxydation OF the metal
occurred and the characteristic garlic odor Of burning
arsenic was distinctly recognized.
The hydrogen apparatus was removed, ana the ar
! rapeement for passIg pure and dry oxygen gas was
applied at the opposite end Of the glass tube;
The coiled portion continued at red heat les'
on cooling it might fracture d., -
tube and the greater portion Of the dark STAN was
gradually volatilized by the heat from spirit lamp
About the eighth of the metallic stain was reserved
for exhibition in tube marked IN.
: The yaporized arsenic, minging with the oxygeI
nj n rcd heat as il was urged through the coil, wa:
converted into arsenOus acid, which appeared as
white deposit the cool tube beyond the heated coil
The tube and stain removed and heated Will
q few drops Of distilled water in new and clean ties
c tube.
G The white deposit dissolved completely
+ One potion Of the solution gave yellow preopi
ttte with ammonia nitrate Of silver, which dissolved
: in excess Of ammonia; another yielded green pre-
ciptate with ammonia sulphate of copper, soluble OF
i addition of ammonia; and the third and remaining
portion afforded yellow precpate with sulphurette
i hydrogen when acidulated with hydrochloric acid
part Of this preciptate dissolved in ammonia
5 and the remainder reserved for exhibition Ia tup
!. marked y. - >.
Hence arsenic was present. because of its aficTdin
, the following distinguishing tests, when combined
: cannot be initiated by any other known substance;
LIST. Because Of the black notwithstanding STAN
which,
: I'd. Volatized by heat,
+ Sd. Oxydized into arseni0us acid as recognized b.
e its garlic odor, -. .nuo.r.,oa
: 9Th. BY its solubihty in hot water, -.
9th. BY its yellow precipate, with ammonia nittat
: of silver,
It stb. BY its dissol,ing in excess Of ammonia
9Th. BY it's green precpitate with aminono-suphat
# 9th. Dissolved in ammonia
Il 10th. BY its yellow preciptate with sulphurette
= hydrogen and hydrochlorc acid,
C nth. Insoluble in Of hydrochoric acid but
:, 18th. Soluble in ammonia
II After obtaining the first arsenical deposit
coied tube of glass was attached to the appaTatu
: which had generated the arseIiureted hydrogen
the metallic deposit obtained, contained in tube Xl
I a portion Of the sulphuret from the muscle reate
/ by hydrocholric acid suphurous acid, and sulphuret
ted hydrogen, the rosdne of preciptate from whic
/ metallic stain marked VIII. was obtained is deposits
u on watch-glass numbered MI.
Another portion Of the soft tissues was prepared b.
modification of tie foregoing processes for the hydro
! gen apparatus.
4 Twoithirds Of tie liquid thus obtained produced
dark STAIN with metallic luster resembling arsenic
D See tube marked NH.
: The remaining third os tho liquid employed lie con
. | tanned in scaled bottle marked XIV.
a quantitaiive analysis WIZ made of the arseni
contained in the yscera of .he deceased, viz: tn
+ heart, the remainder of the lungs liver and kidneys
with the large and small ntestines the Spleen pan
ereas omentum the bladder and uterus, weighing to
! | Cether IL and Boz.
i 0.Ol2 grains of arscpious acid were obtained.
i O.lSj grains OF arsenious acid or about 18th Of
+ grain.
One portion of the sulphuret, from the quantitstiv
analysis of the VifceTa reduced by the method
Fresenius & Babe producing distinct metallic stat
z Of arsenic. See tube Nv.
d Another portion was collected ON wateh-glass an
. dried See watch glass XVI
d A second bottle of liquid obtained By treating tn
tissues reserved for examination. See bottl
marked XVII.
portion of the skeleton Of the deceased was ana
lyzed and metallic arsenic obainedthis oXydizeC
by the Of the apparatus described, and portion
of the arseIous acid tested the remainder being pre-
served in tube marked XVIII.
In addition TO the various examinations OF the body
the mating the bed of the deceased, which wal
identified and suspected might contain traces Of yOmt
ed matter was analysed, but afforded no indications o
metallic pOisOr
The cotton from the month Of deceased was Ike wise
tested, but yielded DO evidence of arsenic or othe
poison.
In consequence ofthe responses to the tests related