The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-03-14
,o,r,v . Grain IN one) AconitIne, or AGO.

nary medicinal preparations. tincture,
nuid extract, solid extract, &C.. OF the
crude plant, root, or leaf.
THE SYMPTOMS OF DEATH.
A. I have heard them described. accord
fairly with the idea Of death having been
due 20 aconitine m some form. but | am
surprised at the rapidity with which The
fatal result was reached in three OF the
cases, including two Of those chemically
examined, Holoman and Adams. ! also
examined the extremely small residues
left in the mugs used 10y wilkins and
Adams, which gave the following results
In both cases the
SINGING AND NUMBING TASTE
most distinctly. but their value in the case
was OF course impaired by the other aka
loids present in the medicine. But the
strychnia could not be tasted on account
of the very large amount Of sugar present
in the minute quantity OF the material
available. find il conclusive that in the
two mugs examined the materials pre-
scribed FOR the patients were actually adj
ministered to them. with the addition Of
the aconitine. The charge Of acOnitine
must have been very heavy. a. from VIII
kins's mug, in which there only remained
for experiment q thin film Of the prepare
tion upon the bottom, the residue being
small chunk about grain, when placed
upon my tongue produced singing sem
sation. which lasted half an hour which Is
suggestive Of the more probable use OF
aconitine itself or one OF its salt. rather
than one Of the usual medicinal prepare
tions from the crude root. But on this
TOO MUCH STRESS
ought not to be laid.
The other materials examined consisted
o. a piece Of sheet stained by matter yo-
mited by another patient. Joel Thomas.
mot a fatal case.) The stained piece Of
cloth cut out, soaked in very dilute acetic
acid, and the solution tested by the method
for aIkaloids, gave a minute chloroform
residue. yielding
SLIGHT TRACE OF ACoNITISE
taste. There was also some liquid matter
yomted by the same patient after whiskey
had been administered. This was the
second yomit OF the patient, a wa, that
upon the sheet.) This ,melt strongly Of
whi>key, and tested by the method for
alkaloids gave a slight chloroiorm residue
Welding a slight taste Of aconitine test. not
much to be relied on. The remains Of the
medicine used by the other patients-yiz.
the elixir OF iron and the fluid extract Of
all examined. but no
signs Of aconitine obtained from any Of
them. Twenty drops Of the fluid extract
Of aconite is said to have produced fatal
results.
Question by the Commonwealth: Would
any mistake made in the quantity Of the
medicine prepared to be administered in
the mugs account for the fatal result:
Professor Mallet: | can hardly think
so. taking into account the symptoms
which followed and theeXcocdingly speedy
death in three cases. | know Of no other
point, in the ease necessary to be men,
Toned.
This ended Professor Mallot'> testimony,
preyiou, to the taking Of which be, accom-
PANIED by the jury. had visited the dispen-
sary and examined the medicines there.
DR.. Butter. in reply to a question from
Mr. J. II. Wayt. one Of the jurors, ,aid
that he had never had any aconiune in the
office. Professor MaIlet privately ex-
pressed the opinion that there was nothing
10 lead TO the supposition that Or. Butler
had made a mistake in compromising the
medicines which had proved 80 fatal, and
II seemed TO be the general impression that
be was entirely relieved from that suspi-
cion bv the investigation Of the distin-
gushed expert taken in connection with
other attendant circumstances, and that
for the solution Of the mystery. which, by
the Professors report, j. somewhat simpli-
fed. the officers Of the law and the institu-
ton must look in another direction. The
Jury l. not vet ready FOR a verdict, having
in view some further Investigations. which
viii probably be completed in the next
few days.
THE POISON; ITS USES AND SYMPTOMS.
rAconitia Tor aconitine) is the alkaloid OF
aconite root or leaves otherwise known a
wolf, bane or monks hood). "lt is one
OF the most powerful poisons known
one tenth OF a grain Of sconitine has been
known to prove fatal. II j. used eXter-
nallv or internally 10 relieve the pain Of
neuralgia or cancer, and in heart-diSease
internally 10 relieve palpitation, and in
dropsy rs a diurctic. Aconitine oitment
for neuralgia has long been in use. AGO.
nitine i a white powder, with no smell,
but an acid taste. symptoms Of poisoning
/ from II are tinglng sensations on the lips
and tongue; extreme depression OF spi-
rits; cheat and parched state OF the
throat" and paralysis Of the limbs. The
tincture and lluid extract are most COM
monty found in the drugstores. and Of them
il would take comparatively large doses to
Kill. one OF the most celebrated cases OF
poisoning by the use Of acOnitine hap
pened recently in England, where DR..
LaInson deliberately killed his brother-in-
/ law with il. The chemist, in Analysing
the poison taken from the body, put some
OF It on his mouth TO see il he could feel
the tingling sensation, and nearly poisoned
himself thereby
| Railroad Matters.
/ LYNCHBUEC. Va, March l5.-The New
| piver diyisuon of the Norfolk and Western
/ railroad was formally opened to-day 10 the