The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1871-09-29
THE CHEMISTS STORY.
BY DIR. ROSS WILSON.


I am a chemist. Many doubtless,
would find it difficult to define what
the duties of chemist are, If asked.
To such I say, chemist Is a collector
of facts. 1t is the business of his life to
aid in unmasking for the worlds ben
eft, the good and evil hOvering 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 tTembles in antic-
ipation. The. Oracular lips of the
chemist move; he names out one of a
fearful list of poisons. tits either stTych-
nine, prussia acid, OF 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
eeble man can know. The compost
ton of the ocean he 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. I am the occupant of
this responsible and important posi-
ton in the Medical College of P.
It was about eleven o'clock on a
stormy evening that l bade q good
night to my student, Tom Richard, at
the door OfmY laboratory, at the south
end of the college building,
Goodnight, Professor" said Tom;
&c we are going to have fall of hydro
gen, oxygen, and trace of saline.n
II ydrogen and oxygen-in our no.
menclatuTe, II. o. is water.
sT hope,b said, in'answeT to TOMS
playful words, " that it will not rain
before get homen
so no; it won't for an hour yeti
said Tom.
i6Then," 1 said with a sigh, noticing
that the mercury in my barometer was
| falling, a sign of a violent storm, @
shall certainly get wet"
Tom was very anxious to know
what would keep me up after twelve
o clock; so I told him was about tC
commence anaIyzing the stomach of 8
Mrs. Johnson, whose husband now
layIin P jail, just across the road from
| the college, on suspicion that he was
| the murderer. Tom said had worked
| hard enough that day and deserved
| the night to myself. He spoke the
truth. Still I had delayed examining
| the WOman's stomach so long; and the
| trial was so near at hand, that cOulC
! not in conscience put Off the exami
| nation farther; although had hearC
| several classes recite at the differen
public schools in the morning, had de
ltVered lecture in the college prope
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 heaC
turned, bidding me good night; j.
brushed against a man standing will
his back to the college and his face to
" ard the prison. The street LAM
showed me that the man was clad il
the police uniform.
Re-entering my laboratory, tool
down u glass Jar from shelf, and sa
down before my sink to examine il
The jar, which contained Mrs. John
sons stomach, was covered by
cloth, duly tied with strings, an
properly sealed with my official sea
, In red wax. Breaking through tn
| cloth and seal, I lifted the stomach on
with O dissecting hook and laid il o
the white platter before me; then be
came busi1y engaged ia applying thos
, tests ITO its contents by which We dc
tect the presence Of injurious sui
stances,
An hour had passed since the depar
uxe of young Richards. had care
, silly emptied the contents Of th
| 4, Slaeh Into a number of bowls an
stoL I had Iabored hard to discovC
paslhs' poison I'm all this, but ha
traces "a ~sessful. Joe Johnson, ii
been tn5 9al5uI T,op had been a student
suslecSeSS Ile few We Yea, x before; l thougE
lne nun Sroo5,fearteo, = leI Intelligent fellow
III, nLlH " little wild, aV1d really bega
- hone that he might pl r<'Ve in4Oceal L5 cel.
'.,,aT aToonU the macel ,StcG 100
7 came uDon a small, intinls i e2sit!I 81
-,,11ite Grain By careful nan1puL S'lO
and fhe use of the magnifying glass
mauaged to get this upon 2 piece
: smoked glass. and examined IL. =.
l I was then certain that had vi
5 covered arsnic; but to MAKE assure l-tS-l 81
Z | doublv sure, 1 determined 20 Apply
n well known test for that poison. "a
Y cordingly ] placed in the W9i-. ~ ~
e stomach the usual acids, anu i4A' W
e turned on the blOW-pipe naLnei - y
n presently there appeared In9t pIill.o' il..,a,
& metallic mark worthy of Gains prQ ,,
q which is the sign and signet OF {
Poison Fend.
i ''Yes,'' / exclaimed, as ] saw that
n tai blazon, "Joe johnson is the mt
/ derer of bis wife! With the eviden
p of that mark to back me, DO po"
l. can save him from the rope ~
''Do you really think so?" sale
calm, squeaking voice behind me.
: i turned quickly and discoveTet
= tall, Iank policeman, having n
" weak and watery eyes, standing at I
g, Office door and staring IN. His bo
is InnI-nd as il if had haen rollpd ont 10