The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-09-29
THE CHEMISTS STORY.
BY DIR. ROSS WILSON.


/ am a chemist. Many doubtless,
would find it difficult to define what
the duties of chemist are, if asked.
To such I say, q chemist Is q collector
of facts. 1t is the business OF bus LIE 10
aid in unmasking for the worlds ben
eft, the good and evil lowering even
in the air we breathe, burrowing in the
earth we tread, mingling with the
food we eat, and swimming in what
we drink.
Then again, the law waits on the
chemist. A human being has passed
suddenly away. The chemist exam
ines the body of the supposed victim.
The law listens hat in hand to science.
The suspected party trembles in antic-
ipation. The oracular lips of the
chemist move; he names out one of a
fearful list of poisons. tits eithers strych-
nine. prussic acid, or that deadly oil
bitter almonds. The law then puts on
its hat, takes the decision into court,
and hangs the prisoner.
In short, the chemist must know
the why's and wherefOres of everything
in the phenomena of life, as far as
feeble man can know. The compost
ton of the ocean be must be familiar
with; he must be able to name the
gases of the air, and capable of re-
solving the human body itself into
visible vapors. / am the occupant of
this responsible and important posi-
ton in the Medical College Of P.
1t was about eleven o'clock on a
stormy evening that 1 bade a good
night to my student, Tom Richard, at
the door of my laboratory, at the south
end of the college building,
Goodnight, Professor said Tom;
"we are going to have fall of hydro
gen. oxygen, and a trace of saline"
Hydrogen and oxygen-in our no
menclature, II. o. is water.
II hope" said, in answer to Toms
playful words, that it will not rain
before I get home"
40 no; it won't for an hour yet"
said Tom.
"Then," 1 said with sigh, noticing
that the mercury in my barometer was
falling, a sign of violent storm, " 1
shall certainly get wet"
Tom was very anxious to know
what would keep me up after twelve
O clock: SO 1 told him 1 was about to
commence analyzing the stomach of
Mrs. johnson, whose husband now
layIin P Jail, just across the road from
the college, on suspicion that he was
the murderer. Tom said l had worked
hard enough that day and deserved
the night to myself. He spoke the
truth. Still / had delayed examining
the woman's stomach so long; and the
trial was so near at hand, that could
not in conscience put off the exami-
nation farther; although had heard
several classes recite at the different
public schools in the morning, had de-
iivered lecture in the college proper
in the afternoon, and one in the labora-
tory that evening, besides attending
to my several duties as police surgeon
during the day.
AS Tom was passing out of the col
lege yard, through the gate, his head
turned, bidding me good night; Re
brushed against man standing with
his back to the college and his face to-
ard the prison. The street lamp
showed me that the man was clad in
the police uniform.
Re-entering my laboratory, l took
down glass jar from a shelf, and sat
down before my sink to examine it.
The jar, which contained Mrs. John
sons stomach, was covered by a
cloth, duly tied with strings, and
properly sealed with my official seal
in red wax. Breaking through the
cloth and seal, lifted the stomach out
with q dissecting hook and laid it on
the white platter before me; then be-
came busily engaged in applying those
tests to its contents by which we de-
tect the presence of injurious sub
stances.
An hour had passed since the depart
ure of young Richards. l had care
fully emptied the contents of the
stomach into a number of bowls and
basins. I had labored hard to discover
traces of poison in all this, but had
been unsuccessful. Joe johnson, the
suspected man, had been a student of
mine q few years before. l thought
him a good-hearted, intelligent fellow,
only a little wild, and really began
to hope that he might prove innocent;
when among the macerated food,
I came upon a small, infnitessimal
white grain. By careful manipulation
and the use of the magnifyins glass /
managed to get this upon piece of
smoked glass, and examined it.
/ was then certain that 1 had dis
covered arsnic; but to make assurance
doubly sure, determined to apply a
well known test for that poison. Ac-
cordingly 1 placed in the woman's
stomach the usual acids, and then
turned on the blow-pipe flame, and
presently there appeared that brilliant
metallic mark worthy of Gains brow,
which is the sign and signet of the
Poison Fend.
"Yes,n 1 exclaimed, as 1 saw that IA
tai blaZon, "Joe johnson is the muir
derer of his wife! With the evidence
of that mark to back me, no power
can save him from the rope W
"Do you really think so?" said a
calm, squeaking voice behind me.
l turned quickly and discovered a
tall, lank policeman, having red,
weak and watery eyes, standing at my
office door and staring in. His body
looked as if it had been rolled out long
between his hands, like a molasses
Csluuy StlCh. I1lS hOSC Vas LuClCly an
elongated, fleshy plug, and his fore
head was decorated with two red
streaks instead of eyebrows. He had
no expression at all in his face, and
his policeman's hat was so large that
it threatened to settle down on his
shoulders.
His uniform reassured me and adj
dressed him with some impatience.
"My friend, / suppose ! am wanted
70 attend an inquest-or what is your
purpose@
"No Doctor the man amt dead
yet"
Anything in the surgical way::"
Iwas police surgeon as well as coro-
ner.
"No.n
"Well, then, why am l sent for at
this time of night ?'
Don't bother, Professor; the man
amt dead yet; but they say he will die
before morning.
"Are doctors attending him?"
"Oh, he's in good hands Professor" F"
"What's the matter with him?"
"Well," said the official, "some
folks say he's got SO much knowledge
into him that he can't live under il. ~