The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-06-24
TIE PACIFIC
DIR. Stangenwald's Report in
the Case of Mrs. tanner,

- 1A'G ~ 49,
Hon. W. c. PARKE, Marshal of the Hawaiian
Islands, &c, &c, &c.
DEAR SIR,-On March 18th, a. c., [ received
at the hands of Captain Fehlber, of the Honolulu
Police Force, two jars, viz.
A-One smaller jar, corked, tied, and sealed (tbe
seal showing a crown and cockatrice) and
Bone larger jar with earthenware stopper,
fastened by iron bands.
The aforementioned Jar A, contained about q
ounces OF a pasty, grumous fluid, and human
small intestInes reaching below the pylOric ori6ce
Of the tomach to within a few inches Of the cae-
cum. The second jar B., contained a human
stomach, and about seven inches of small intes-
tines, together with the caecum and appendix
vermitormis, and about thirty-two inches Of large
i~ntestines attached. Also, about fourteen ounces
of a thin, reddish fluid, having the odor of alcohol
combined with carhOlIc acid. The stomach and
i%ntestiues had been slit open By the medical
gentlemen who made the post nortem examina-
ton.
On the lining membrane of the stomach there
were found a number OF infiamed spots, some OF
them showing soltening bat none of them of
sufficient depth to penetrate to the peritnneum.
On examination IF the small intestines, they
likewise showed Il number of patches, s1ftened,
red, and inaamcd. ana scattered over almost their
entire length. Two If these, OF a roURdish form,
and located in the middle third, penetrated
deeply through the tissues, and showed reddening
and discoloration On the peritoneal side.
The large rs'e7tIne, at the distance Of about
nine inches from lie caecum, showed a large, in
tensely redeemed and rather circumscribed patch
of about one inch in diameter, which likewise
had penetrated the mucous and muscular coats,
and gave indications OF Inflammation on the peri
toneaI side. A number OF smaller Redeemed and
sottened patches were also found scattered over
The snrtace of the large intestine but none of
the latter penetrated TO the peritoneum.
The appearance of the morbid changes that
had taken place in the texture of these organs
was certainly such as to justify the belief that
they might be the effects Of a corrosive poison.
They did not resemble the LESSONS produced by
typhoid fever, or other ordinary diseases. And
vet | have seen at least one case in which a SINH
lar condition of the said organs was found to
exist during a post mortem examination. Said
examination was made by DR.. VIM. Hillebrand
and myself a number of years ago, at the Queens
Hospital, on the body of a Hawaiian WHO died of
some form of malarial fever, and who a short
time before being conveyed to the Hospital, and
while suffering from said fever. had been exposed
during Il Whole night in the open air to the rain.
| regret that | have no further memoranda con-
cerning this case but distinctly remember the
impression made upon DIR. Hillebrand and myself
by the resemblance of the LESSONS in the stomach
and intestines to those produced by corrosive
pOisons.
Taken in connection with the evidence already
produced before the Coroner's jury, the appear
ance q! these LESSONS was such as to impress
deeply upon my mind the importance of the work
before me, and the grave nature of the RESPONSE
bilIty resting upon me and this will explain
the reason why | have spent so much time and
labor upon this analysis. Again and again, even
after | was about convinced that no poison could
be found, the remembrance of the peculiar ap-
pearance of these spots and patches made me
return to my task with renewed care and energy,
so that by this time the work has really been
done about five times over again, according to the
most approved processes known to modern
/ chemistry The most searching and mast n ora
fully performed analysis has, however, failed to
detect any traces of poison. The result is mega
tive. No poison has been found.
Although many other poisons-such as anti
mony, corrosive chloride of mercury, salts of
copper. Zinc chloride. &c, were carefully looked
for, yet the nature of the LESSONS discovered in the
stomach and intestines, if referable to any poison
at all, pointed with strongest probability to
arsenic.
As [ stated in my letter to you, dated March
18Th, 1882, this poison, with some others which
/ named, may be completely and entirely elimi-
mated from the system by perfectly natural pro-
cess within fourteen or fifteen days, 50 that not a
trace of it might possibly be discovered within
the body after death, and yet death might have
been produced as an undoubted effect of the
poison. a remarkable unanImity of opinion
prcvailes upon this point among our best au-
thoritie5. 1t would follow from this that the
longer the patient survives the administration of
the poison the more difficult will it be to demon
strate its presence after death. As the patient
in the case under consideration lived about
eighteen days after symptoms resembling those
produced by poisoning had manifested themselves,
| felt from the beginning that my task would be
a difficult ne-eVe If a real poisoning case was
before me for the amount of poison, which could
reasonably be supposed to exist in the tissues of
the body after such a length Of time, could only
be very small indeed. And not alone this, but
another difficulty had been added to those already
existing. The medical gentlemen who made the
post morten examination had washed the stomach
and intestines with water (), in order examine
them, and then drenched them with alcohol and
carbolic acid. You will remember that this
statement was made to me by one of them in
your presence, and that at the time | strongly
expressed my disapproval of such a most extra
ordinary proceeding, which would lessen the
chances of finding the poison, and might go far
to defeat the ends Of justice.
Altogether, therefore, | was convinced that ex-
traordinary care and caution, and extremely pure
chemical tests would be required for this analysis.
Much precious time was lost in testing the latter,
and purifying many of them that required it,
although they had been purchased and sent out
here as chemically pure. Another cause of delay
arose from the fact that the lease of my old office
in town expired on the last day of May. and that
the building of a new Office, and my removal into
the same, unavoidably demanded a considerable
portion of my time. Still, every moment that
could possibly be spared has been devoted to the
work, and a vast amount Of patient labour has
been performed. Every precaution has been
taken to make this investigation as searching and
as thorough as it could possibly be made. |
subjoin a synopsis eff the more important pro-
cesses employed by me in this investigation.
Many other tests were likewise employed but
as the results were always negative, the following
will probably suffice.
1t is quite true that early in the work / became
impressed with the fact that probably no poison
could be found, which impression | cOmmuni-
Gated to you as early as the middle Of April. But
as there existed weighty reasons to have this
matter thoroughly tested, and in order to do full
justice to all, | asked your consent to be allowed
to continue the Investigation until ! was
thoroughly satisfied with the result. This | have
now done, and | submit my report, hoping that
the same will be found satisfactory, and that it
will serve to promote the ends OF right and JUS
tice. | remain, dear Sir,
Very respectfully yours,