Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1858-12-04

/ 'uHDboD bHt Ddtfdnt " IeIuhlo " OF Zb
years old, of slender yet ordinary health,
with more than usual predisposition to
medicinal influence, at 81 hours after her
usual supper takes teaspoonfnl and hall
of some unknown liquid and fetires; that
within 40 minutes afterward she is attacked
by well.defued tetanic spasms, involving
the whole voluntary muscular system, com
ing on suddenly, continuing few moments,
and suddenly ceasiDg, returning after short
regular intervals, and succeeding each other
IN rapid succession with increased violence
for period Of two and one-haf hours; ac-
eompanied by extreme seRsibility Of surface
of the body, intoIerant Of sounds and slight
movements Of the bed clothes, and at one
tune thrown into violent spasms by drop
Of water falling upon her neck these spasms
accompanied by difficult respiration, patient
, complaining of burning sensation in throat
and fauces, together with thirst; an absence
of nausea, vomiting or purging; the patient
insisting upon being held down by applica-
ton Of force over the chest aud abdomen:
all OF these occurring in the absence of tetan-
US, either idiopathic or traumatic; what in
your opinion, was the causeg
Answer. know Of no agent capable of
producing that condition of things except
stryehnine or some of its compounds.
Suppose further: the case to have reach
ed its maximum at 2 o'clock, and from
that time the symptoms gradually abate,
the spasms are less frequent and less severe,
until at three O'Clock they entirely cease, with
lessened sensibility; no complaint Of burning
in throat or fauees; no thirst and from that
period patient continues to improve till six
O'Clock, at which time she arises, has her
bed changed, complains of dizziness Of the
head while standing; converses cheerfully
with her attendants and has passage of
urine; at seven partakes slightly of food,
with relish, portion of which is soon
vOmited; from seven to nine continued i'm
proyement is made at which time all indica-
tons of sensitiveness have passed away; the
patient is cheerful-converses with visitors,
and complains only of slight dizziness of the
head while standing, with bad taste in the
mouth and some soreness of the muscles;
at eleven A. M. she falls into sleep which
is undisturbed, and from which in half an
hour she awakens naturally; at a little past
twelve she partakes of food with relish, a
part of which is also vomited and she has
another passage of urine: the patient pro-
crosses until half past one, P. NJ, with
constant improvement: what do you say to
the probability or possibility of a return, and
with increased violence, from the dose al
ready named as taken the night before?
ARSwer. | do not see upon what prin-
cipe it can be possible. ~
Suppose that the before named dose con-
sisted of a dram and half of laudanum
with grain of arsenic partly in. solution
and partly in suspension: would that ac-
count for the previous symptoms and their
cause!
Answer. | think not.
Suppose the quantity of arsenic was in
creased to four grains; would you expect
the foregoing result?
Answsr. Do not see how they could
have produced it.
Suppose the above case to go on till half
past 4 p. NJ, at which time teaspoonful of
epson salts is taken in solution: what eff
feet would that producel
AnsWer. | should not expect any unless
a slight laxative effect.
Suppose that within 45 minutes after ia
king the salts the patient should suddenly
be seized with tetanic spasms in all respects
similar to the first named, except they are
more violent, and follow each other with
greater rapidity until within an hour after
their appearance the patient dies in a
paroxysm; that their course has been &C.
with difficulty CT breathing, the
80. Ioc, 4.
slighter thirst, distorted countenance and
glarng eyes: to what in the absence of te-
Janus, traumatic or idiopathic, would you
attribute this death?
ARsWer. know of no agent that could |
produce it except strychnine or its COM
pounds
In what way would that opinion be mod
fed by the following facts AT death the
body is left with the fingers nearly closed; |
he toes turned up, the eyes prominent and
,:aring, the lips eyerted, and the body per-
nanently rigid, which remains till decom-
position; that seven days before deaih the
patient took a large dose of arsenic produ-
ing wel-defned arsenical symptoms; that
after death chemical tests detected no poison
n tho stomach, and very slight indications
Of ar,enic only in the liver?
Answer. do not know as those facts
would modify my opinion at all.
Cross Examined Have not practiced
medicine for 20 years. In my experiments
[ put stTychnine in laudanum, and with
'ome difficulty found my strychnine again;
hen tested the "horse medicine" and found
no strychnine. There is a loathing Of water
n case of strychnine poison arising from in
Ibility to swallow, on account of the con-
raction Of the muscles. Arsenic is undoubt
dly an antiseptic (preservative) agent: gem
rally find the body preserved several
lonths in case of arsenical poison. Think
arsenic WAS readily found in half pound
{ the tissue of the thigh, large dose must
ave been taken. - nH
Court adjourned till 81 o'clock to-mor-
ow morning.
SEVENTH DAY.