New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-07-10

muscular movement, very feeble sensbnty eebleness
of the generally and therefore of inspiration,
occasional deep sghs in large majority of cases the
pupils are dated and the temperature of the body is
lower than normal the normal temperaturei 9S and
little than half the temperature OF the blood
O. Arc YOU familiar with the effects OF opium Have
you lectuIed on the effects of opiuml A. have.
O. Have you seen casesi A. / haze; in tho early
stages of opium poisoning 1t is not uncommon for
patients to and ask for drink.
O. will put 10 YOU this hypothetical question repeat
ing the hypothesis put TO preceding witnesses what
would you consider the cause Of death in such case
O. what is uremia A. Its O condition OF the blood
in which the urea is not properly eliminated through
the Kidneys; the case looks like that OF poisoning by
morphine.
@ But suppose upon examination the kidneys were
found to be IN healthy conditions A Then shoud
look for opium poisoning.
Mr.. Townsend then read the account Of the postmor;
TEN OF Fisks body at the COrOnes inquest ana asked
the witness if he had opinion as TO the cause OF
death-whether he could state in his opinion It was rom
the effects Of opium A. Those minutes are nsnfhcient
from those minutes no one would be able 10 say what
Q. The kidneys are healthy; that excludes uremiai
o. From the post molten. then. would you have any
doubt as between uremia and opium A. NO, SIT.
@. Would you think he died Of shOckl A. would not
Cross-examined by Mr.. Fullerton:
q. You understood that was an Hypothetical question
that was put to youi A believe II was A., ,uo
@ You say then from that he must nave died rom
morphine pOisoningi
The COurt-Yes he did. He twice stated that death
was caused according 70 the appearances, by OPIUM
Mr. FuIierton-You say then, that from the symptoms
that have been read, the man must have ded from
q When person dies Of opium poisoning expect to
hnd efnSon OF water on me Drn, OF nlv sa
that account is insufficient . 49,. A.,
@ Don't you learn from the postnortem that the
O. We'll does that imply that he died Of efIusion or
congestoni a. am not prepared TO say; what writ
ten there Is in my opinion absolutely useless.
O. Never mind that, them if the brain was healthy
no congestion, waery eflusion-did that imply he
died OF morphine poisoningl A. / must answer my
questions in my own way.
put TO you. Why do You say that he died OF NOR
phne poison, when the post-mortem shows that me
O. 30 Won confne yourself to the symptoms during
lte A. They were not read together; my answer was
O. Yes but after the reading Of the postmortem you
said he died of morphine poisoning. But you don't
predicate that opinion on the conditions after death
A. No; referred to the symptoms during life.
O. Now you commence TO take a departure. Now,
if You learn that after death the brain healthy,
opium posoningi A. From what have seen Of opium
poisoning, and what have seen OF post-mortems
should expect there would be cases wnere the opium
could not be found; would have to look over the
| records before answering that question.
q. Alb then you are not prepared now. Can't You
state whether if upon the postmortem examination the
brain was found heathy-no watery ehasion, no con,
should tlink it very doubtful; we don't pref nd to be
absolutely certain of ANYTHING in medical practice a..
other side based on facts assumed by the connsef 1t
was mere answer gwen ON Hypothetical question
OPIUM IMPROPERLY ADMINISTERED.
@. Did you ever administer opium in cases Of shOckl
A. Never; opium remedy in certain cases II after
shock there pain should administer OPIUM after
had administered a certain amount Of opium should
sGPi and administer other Femede'a' h'dr'' OF
In answer to further questions the witness declared
that he not hOmeOpah; but declined to call him
self aopath. He considered that such wound as
tie deceased received would certainly be followed by
death.
TESTIMONY OF DIR. MACREADY.
Benjamin Macready was the next witness called. He
testified that he practlcing physician in this city,
and had been in active practice % years had been
ted with various medical institutions, including
Bellevue Hospital for years had been present all the
time during which the medical testimony giyen and
had heard it all.
O. What from that medical testimony, in your opinion
is the cause of the death of James Fiskl
Mr. Beach objected the inquiry should be put
in the form of hypothetical case The Court ruled
Mr. Townsend-Then will have to read the testimony
Of all the doctors.
@. 4 man in the prime Of life in unusually sound
health receives severe injury from pisol-sho wound,
that man being man OF temperate habits, the 1rst
shock recovered from pulse 10; respiration ~ intel
hgence undisturbcd; his answers prompt would you
sR4 any further danger from the 'n0'A A. No.
@ If in such case at lOs, his pulse and respiration
were normal and at IL O'Clock reaction is further es-
tahlshed the condition OF the patient considered I'M
proved but you find that he then becomes sleepy but IS
seepiness and then apses into pulse runs to $50,
and respiration down 10 - that soon he cannot
previously healthy man should have no doubt that man
was laborng under the influence OF narcotic poison
O. Could these symptoms have occurred from recur-
o. From collapse A. No, Sir they are not the symp-
Q. From peritonitisl A. No, Sir.
O. How much opium is there in 10 drops Of Magendies
solutionl A. Fifteen drops would probably be 22t min
ms hypOdermic injections of morphine are considered
dangerous two fatal cases have recently reported
in which Is mnms of Migendies solution have been adj
minstered hvpOdermically.
@ What Influence would 10 ounces of brandy have II
patent had taken 80 drops OF morphine internally and
is drops hypOdermicayi A. In my belief it would be
O. Is a man who bears large doses of purgative medi
cine necessarily tolerant OF narcotic medicine A. TOT
erance purgng medicine is proof Of tolerance
! Of another kind OF medicine; delicate woman
may require large dose and strong man
small dose; hut delicate woman Would be hkcy 10 pe
more influenced by large dose Of morphine but there
is peculiarly in that which you cannot anticipate prior
DEATH FROM OPIUM.
@. Would you think if person. woke after quarter
past conscious and asked for water he was neces
sary free from the effects Of poisoni A. Decidedly not
morphine necessarily part of its influence, dries the
mouth and throat, and the person waking might ask
for water and then lapse into sleep again until the fatal
O. From your knowledge of this case, and the ny
pothethical questions that have been put 10 you what
IN your opinion was the cause OF the death OF MT FISK
A. have doubt that the cause or death was directly
the influence Of opium and morphine; 1t was not shock
| it not peritonts; 1t was not uIemai he beng
healthy man, brain disease was excluded II was opium,
| and nothing else
TESTIMONY OF DAVID s. BEACH.
David s. Beach, stenOgrapher Of the Court Of Special
Sessions was called TO his original official notes
of tue testimony gwen by Thomas Hart, as written out
by the witness, to if there was to be found in his
notes any such testimony Hart had given the trial
that he heard Stokes deny the shooting After consu
Ing good deal Of time, there was no such testimony OF
/ Hart found.
| FATHER OF THE PRISONER ON THE STAND.
Edward A. Stokes, father OF the prisoner, was next
called and sworn. He testified as follows: My age is
r. and reside this city, and have lived here for the
past years; previous 10 that resided In Phadel-