Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-01-06
POISON.
Interesting and Instructive Testimony Of
Or. Warren, In the Wharton Case.

ANNAPOLIS, January Ain the Whar-
ton csse, Dr.. Warren resumed the stand.
In answer to q question, the witness an
swere6 that il was not possible that Gene
raj Kstehum could have been poisoned on
Saturday night or Sunday night, because
on both these occasions he sat up and
tRlked-snd was lot i'll for some time
sfssrEsrd. Tartar emetic is one Of the
most powerful agents. Sometimes il does
not act, but when it does il is immediate.
A poisonous dose Of tsrtar-emetic in his
stomsch, and General KeschUm could
not . have smoked q cigar, chsttsd
with his friends, gone up stsirE,
undressed himself and gone to bsd.
Such dslic3cy Of action of tartsr-smetic
was unprecedented in his knowledge.
There was no relaxation of the muscles,
no syncOpe and other symptoms attend
ing poison by tsrtsr-emetic. On Monday
be WIS seen by his physician holding 6
slOp-bucket in his hands snd between his
knees, which would not have been likely
had he been poisoned by Jsrtsr-emetic
BE could not have held the bucket hsd the
muscles bes1 relaxed by poison, Again,
b medicine administered by his pbysi-
clan. creosote and lime water. would not
have arrested the effects OF tartar enetie;
4 is not an antidote of that poison. Had
tsrtaF-emstic been taken, It's absorption
would hsye be52 going on snd continued
The creOsOte snd lime Wstsr acted
only on the stomach, and Yet
General ketchum was relieved by IL,
when be could not hsv5 bS5a III poisoned
by tsrtsr-smsac. Therefore be concludes
ne was not poisoned on Monday. On
aTuesdsy, although morbidly impressed,
mono Of the characteristic symptoms Of
poison by tsrtsr~emetic manifested them
selves. &c was conscious that thst there
was no vomiting or purgtng on that day,
no profound relaxation of the muscles, as
he walked from TIE bed scross the room;
none Of the symptoms produced on the
nervous system; no increased secretion OF
urine. Had he been poisoned by tartar
emetic there would have been a hyper-Ee-
erection Of urins. All these characteristic
symptoms Of poison by anthony were
wanting on Tuesday, and therefore he
concludes be wa not poisoned. On Wed
nssdRy, the day Of his death, symptoms
of cerebo- spinal meningitis we're present,
and not thOseof tartar-emetic poison; and
thinks the difersntisl diagnosis Of these
diseases proves this. The increased sen
sitivensss Of the skin on that day
was g characteristic Of meningitis snd
not the tartST-emetic poison, Indeed,
Inconsistencies Of skin Is q characteristic
Of the latter. There was no relsxaiOn Of
ulusclss, for be carried his hand 70 the
aaoul6er Of q witness, and from there 70
iiferent parts OF his body. There was
no DcE1@1c u INC ecCEeR40N VI LAAAgf
which wss an invsrisble characteristic OF
poison by tartar -smstic, but there was
suppression of urine, which was ch2rse-
ltsrist1c OF cerebrO-gpinal m~enegetis. This
proves 70 witness that Genera kstchem
died Of his disease.
The conclusion wa from symptoms
alone. The post mortem went 20 show
shat death did not result from poison by
sntimony. which. hRd It been present.
would have developed itself by irritation
Of the mucous membrane. A cross-ex8m-
fnatiOn OF DR.. Warren was commenced
Be said thai the death Of Kstchum was
not from taking gelEmeum ~ or ohloraL
ReE6li Ssked boU what time menengitis
set In, and how long bsfcEs death ensued
Witness could not say that the yOmitings
Of the previous days were ~premonitory or
initial symptoms The crOss-eXgminstion
a. 70 the different forms or classes Of this
aSsesse, and as to the symptoms OF cases
seeO and treated by the witness during it's
preEaiencs In Baltimore LAST yesr, was
cOntinuSd until the cOurt adjourned.