Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-18
ALL ABOUT ARSENIC.
LEARNED DOCTORS TESTIFY.
a Witness Calls Lawyer an Insulting
Puppy-The undertaker Gives
HIS Testimony.

There were more spectators IN the court
room yesterday than any day before since
the trial began. DIR. Duffield again took the
stand and described the symptoms of differ
ent kinds of fever in response TO redirect
examination by the prosecution. Dr. Duff
field said that a person suffering from
cerebo spinal-meningetis would be afflicted
with severe pain in the head and would
soon have TO take TO bed; also there would
be pain all over the surface of the body aud
the patient would be drowsy and, when
awake, would answer questions like drunk
en- man; there would be commissions and the
head would be thrown back. In that disease
there is no burning of the stomach or throat;
leucorrh8 would not produce irritation of
the stomach; Bright's disease would produce
puffiness of the eye, and also dropsy; the
SYMPTOMS described in the hypothetical
question indicate case of irritant poisoning
some physicians might suspect only arsenical
poisoning; arsenic is an irritant poison.
DEMONSTRATING of the bowels is a
symptom of arsenical poisoning; there is
also burning and scalding sensation; if
there was an absence of burning In the
throat my answer of yesterday would be
weakened; if arsenic had been administered
in sufficient quantities to produce the symp-
toms of arsenicai poisoning for nine days
prior to death, ! should expect to find traces
of the poison in the muscles. of the calves of
the leg. and in the brain; should say the
spasms described were nervous spasms.
e-direct-Have not seen the process used
by Prof. Prescott in the analysis made; we
barely get traces in the brain by using the
whole of it: the different forms of arsenic
would produce the same symptoms If ad-
ministered during life; there are two forms
of arsenic, the soluble and insoluble;. the
amount found would indicate the form in
which it was given: mere trace is only
found in the brain when ii is of the unsolu-
BILE form; deem some of the symptoms
described by Mr.. Marston material in
arsenical poisoning.
DIR. Prescott was then recalled: could not
tell whether the arsenic found in the body
was put there before or after death: in re-
sponse to the hypothetical question the
doctor said that the symptoms indicated
irritant poisoning.
Cross-examined-The symptoms indicating
definitely arsenlcal poisoning were those of
May 2 and 3; merely suspicious symptoms on
April %; there was thirst with the vomiting
and diarrhea on that day: these symptoms
are liable to occur in other Diseases the
symptoms in the throat on May 2 strength
ems that suspicion: usually the pain in the
body is increased by pressure: there must
have been Inflammation and decided irri-
tation as early as the 25th; don't
know whether pressure on the stomach
at that time would cause pain or
give relief; if there were no purging or diar-
rhna it would cause me to modify my an
swervery much: usually in arsenical poison
ing there are bloody passages towards the
last; if the diarrhoea did not appear In the
question, but on the contrary costiveness ex-
listed except where medicine were given to
relieve it, / should modify my answer;
if on the day of her death the
patient desired a pressure on her
stomach, and experienced relief there
from, my answer would be modified some
what: if there was no burning construction of
the throat should miss quite an important
symptom; / consider the matter of relief af-
forded by vomiting of minor importance:
the absence of thirst would lessen the
strength of the group of symptoms; / should
expect difficulty in urinating in such case:
/ should expect this after the diarrhea had
developed: the attendant would learn of this
by finding scantiness of urine, or by hear
ing the patient say she was unable to pass
water.
Recess until 1:30.