Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-10-28

pnOr ana opium. asked MIN VINO nau useu
this improper conversation, supposing it was
the names of the parties he did not wish to
reveal To the question, he replied, "Mrs
White" He did not say any one else was
present. Isupposed the conversation was in
the presence of third party
Redirect eramination.-My understanding
of the conversation was that he did not want
me to press him as to the party to the conver-
sation alluded to.
DR.. HUGH G. JACKSON, s'uorn.-I was pres
ent at the inquest, in the capacity Of a physi.
clan, to take out the stomach of the deceased.
The body was badly decomposed, and l could
tell but little of the probable cause of death
from appearances at that time. The arms
and hands were rigid. I opened the body to
take out the stomach; found the afterbirth
partially expelled from the womb, but not
entirely passed. The symptoms of poison by
strychnine are similar to convulslons from
lock jaw or spasms. The teeth are clenched,
the muscles contracted, the head thrown back,
and the toes and heels inclined to point to-
ward each other, the medical term for which
is opisthotonos the hands become rigid, the
fingers clenched, the arms bent, the lips
slightly parted, the teeth clenched, and the
features contorted. Lock;jaw and convul-
sions from strychnine are similar. Contrac-
ton of the limbs in death from puerperal con.
vulsions is similar to the contraction caused
by appoplexy. The convulsons come on sud-
denly. During commissions caused by strych-
nine the patient is conscious, and will remain
conscious while dying. In convulsions caus-
| ed by child. birth, there is rush of blood to
the head, while in convulsions caused by
strychnine the flow of blood is checked by
contraction affecting the arteries. | heard
the symptoms of Miss Castles, as described by
witnesses here to-day. The symptoms, as des-
cribed, are The same as those of poison by
strychnine. have seen death from lock, jaw.
The teeth are clenched until the convulsion
passes away, and after death the teeth remain
closed. In convulsions caused by childbirth,
the tongue is sometimes bitten, and the patient
gives a kissing sound while breathing. l
never saw subject die from puerperal or
childbirth convulsions. have seen patients
with the convulsions. During the econvulsion,
if the PATIENTS not properly attended, and if
the necessary precautions are not used, bloody
froth will issue from the mouth, caused by BIZ
ting of the tongue. Should the tongue not
be bitten the froth will be white. Frothing at
the mouth does not result from convulsions
caused by strychnine. The smallest amount
of strycbnine reported by the books to have
caused death is one-half grain. One grain
is considered an ordinary dose. Halfa grain
has been known to produce death. In respect
to the quantity required to produce death,
much would depend upon the state of the
system of the person taking it. The same
quantity will cause the death Of debilitated
person in much less time than would be
required to destroy person in good health.
1'rhe prosecutor for the State required wit.
ness to dispose on piece of paper the
quantity contained in grain of strychnine,
which was exhibited to the jury.] The
bottle in evidence by the accused was shown
to witness. He gave the opinion that if one
third full, it would contain thirty grains. ]
The taste Of strychnine is bitter, similar to
that of quinine. The taste of quinne will
remain, if it be dissolved in sixty times its
weigh of water. The taste of rhubarb is also
bitter. To one not accustomed to tho taste OF
strychnine, the taste would appear about the
same as the taste of quinine or rhubarb. A
halfgrain of strychnine would, [ think, cause
death to woman in Mary Castles condition.
Onehalf or one grain Of strychnine could be
/ administered in three of Cooks pills. They
. are composed of calomel, aloes and rhubarb,
! and have bitter taste. Half grain, or one
grain, of strychnine could be incorporated in
three of Cocks pills without increasing the
size The color of Cooks pills is brown,
though they are frequently sugar.coated, CIV
ing them white appearance; or, sometimes
they are gelatine-c coated, giving them black
appearance. Uncoated, the pill is of brown
ish color. One case of death from strychnine
is reported to have resulted in fifteen minutes,
from one-half a grain, the victim being an
adult 1t is possible for one-half grain to
cause DEATH in fifteen minutes, to girl in
childbirth. One grain would cause death in
shorter time. Strychnine possesses peculiar
properties 1t is an akaloid poison-a prep
aration from nur von,ica Sometimes it is
difficult to detect its presence by chemical
analysis, if only few hours intervene after it
has been taken. Eight days after death, it
would be almost impossible to detect it in any
part of the human body. Unlike mineral
poison, it becomes absorbed and disspates
through the system. Alkaloid poisons are the
discoveries of science, within the last few
years. If one grain of strychnine were ad-
ministered to a woman in childbirth, there
would be little chance to discover any traces
of it eight days afterward. In case of de-
composition of the body, the chances would
be further diminished the poison would dis
sipate and pass away. l have never read or
heard of case of poisoning by strychnne in
which traces of the poison were discovered
eight days after the death of tie victim
Cross eramined.-Child.birth is a critical
period in the life of woman, more especial
ly with the first child. The shock to the
nervous system and to the brain, which is the
centre of the nervous system, is severe Puer-
peral or childbirth convulsons are not pre-
monitory. They come without warning.
[Counsel read passages to this effect from
the Encyclopedia Of Practical Medicine.]
Sometimes there is no warning of their ap-
proach. The convulsons do not always come
in the form of appoplexy. There are three
forms of convulsions. In childbirth, they
occur suddenly. In other forms the patient
is conscious. The premonitory symptoms are
sickness and pains in the stomach. In any
sudden death, contraction of muscles and
limbs ensues. All cases of poisoning, from
whatever substance used, are similar, in some
respects, to be sure. Heart disease may be
the cause of sudden death. PARA lyss, the re-
suit of appoplexy, may cause sudden death.
In cases of this class, it is natural for the
body, after death, to be rigid, but not so prob:
able as if death resulted from convulsions. l
am not familiar with the so-called remedy
known as s9uawweed tea. 1t is remedy in
use by old ladies who recommend it to produce
pcrspiration and relaxation. In cases Of OBJ