Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-11
Evening Session.

The evening session commenced at
O'Clock with Professor Prescott in the wit
ness stand. The question as to the amount
of arsenic necessary to produce death in an
adult, and the acknowledgement by the pro-
fessor that he had not been a practicing
physician for nineteen years, had no expert
ence in the administration of poiSons, and
had obtained his knowledge of the subject
by reading, study, conversation, correspond
ence and hearing testimony in court, opened
the question of the admissibility of his evil
dence as an expert. A discussion by counsel
followed. decision was reserved. The
witness then proceeded, and in reply to ques-
tions gave testimony as follows:
Have had some experience on animals,
with poison, go as TO cause their death; as
physician, had one and a half years practice
in the army, at Louisville and Jacksonville;
have had experience with persons suffering
from inhalation Of arsenous vapor: effect of
arsenical poisoning has been the study of
my life; teach toxocology in the University;
have been teaching that subject for three
years, and had experience before that.
Cross-examined.-M no memoranda of
size or weight of organs sent me; think on
former trial made answers based upon sup
posed size OF liver; my answers were based
| think on supposing the part of liver ex-
amined to be fourth or third. Witness
was informed he had stated, that the por-
ton of liver weighed from six to eight
ounces" don't remember to have made
such answer; my estimate / think
was one-quarter or one-third Of human
liver; don't know that l fixed it at
nine to ID grains. Question-In either
chronic or acute poisoning, would you ex-
pect as much as found IL this case?, From
pieces made careful estimate and accord
ing to best judgment thought there could be
as much. Could not say beyond q perad-
venture if arsenic had been put in the jars or
lot, nor could so say if all the arsenic was
in the stomach; from contact in jar, If poison
was IN one part ii would be In both; couldn' Z
say from these circumstances which organ il
was In in the two jars. Can't say just how
much brain was sent; it was one-half meas
ured by the eye; examined it; could find
no traces of arsenic in it; where there is
from two TO four sixty -ffths of a grain of
arsenic TO pound of brain can detect it by
the method used: If there is FIVE sixty -fifths
of grain could get at least one sixty tiffh;
trace is not weighable; the least weighable
quantity Is LOCO of grain. but it is not
palpable, but can be predicated and can be
detected by the mirror in the tube, and will
have oxydised crystals under the micro
scope: If no mirror appears we go no fur
ther. saw no mirror in brain test: can't re-
member amount of arsenic in legs: found
no strychnine in body; Ii might he found
sir or eight months after death. though there
II no certainty after one hundred
and fifty days: made microscopic ex-
animation of lining of stomach and
rectum for arsenical crystals: stomach was
pinked with decomposition, but was not de-
composed: from memoranda think the an
alyaia was Sept 10. 1882. did not examine
coating Of stomach with microscope 10 find
crystals. IL vas too decompoeed met DIR.
Gundrum to-day in hotel. etc. etc.
Following this the witness gave some evi-
dence direct, and by re cross examination.
when the court adjourned until this morn
ing.