Daily Texarkana Democrat., 1893-01-04

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we publish below The report of DR.
Curtman, of st. Louis, Mo-, who, as
one of the most eminent chemists of
the nation, has been selected by the
State authorities of Arkansas, TO make
final chemical examination as to the
cause of death in these cases, and who,
after most searching and minute
analysis in each of the several cases,
submitted to him, makes his report as
follows;
ST., LOUIS, January !
Report of examination of the Wis
cera taken from the bodies of Andrew
Fall and w. Cooper. delivered to me
by j. j Robertson, Nj, d., Physician of
the Arkansas Pcnitentiary,
After all preparations had been
carefully made, the glass jars contain
ing the viscera were unsealed early in
the morning of December 81, 1898, by
Dr. Robertson and myself, and a sulli-
cient portion of each of the eight
specimens was transferred to eight
specially prepared glass-stoppered
vessels, the name marked on the label
Of each, and the rest returned to the
keeping of DR.. Robertson.
A small piece of the stomach, to-
gether with one cubic centimere of
the liquid contents of the stomach
was then introduced into test tube
and digested for some time with eight
ccntimetres Of pure diluted sulphuric
acid. Afterward piece Of pure zinc
was introduced, and the escaping gas
examined for the presence Of hpdro-
gen sulphidc by passing it through Il
pellet of glass wool containing solu-
ton of lead acetate. If this prcCau-
tion were neglected no reliance could
be placed upon the subsequent test
for arsenic
The absence Of hydrogen sulphido
being assured, n triple cap Of pure,
Swedish filteriDg paper was fastened
over the mouth Of the test tube, and
upon the upper layer drop Of salu-
rated solution of pure silver nitrate IN
water, acidulated with nitrate acid,
was placed to indicate the presence or
absence of arsenic.
If arsenic be present in the speci-
men it will be converted into arsenet-
ed hydrogen, and as this comes in con-
tact with the silver nitrate the spot
will assume bright yellow color, and
this, on mostening with water, will
turn brown or black. according to the
quantity of arsenic present in the
specimen,
In the specimen taken from the
stomach Of Andrew Fall no trace of
arsenic was indicated after u full hours
time of the gas passing through the
silver nitrate. DR.. Robertson was
present at this test us well as the CON
trolling tests made for assuring the
purity of the reagents and glassware.
AS it is barely possible that all Of
the arsenic might have been removed
from tho stomach by vomiting, purg-
lug, etc, but that II portion might
have been absorbed and carried by
the circulation into other visccra,
piece Of the liver, Of the spleen and Of
the kidney, taken from the body Of
Andrew Fall, were in succession sub
ject to the same methods of analysis,
and in either case not the slightest
trace of arsenic could be found
On the next day, January /, 1898,
the viscera Of w. Cooper were exam
ined in like manner by the same meth
ods, and In these also no evidence Of
even such slight traces Of arsenic as
the delicate methods employed permit
to be detected.
TO make assurance doubly sure, and
in order to obviate the possibility
VERY slight indeed) Of the escase ofall
arsennetted hydrogen during the few
minutes while the examination for the
presence Of hydrogen sulphide was GO
| ing on, another control test was made
of the stomach of Andrew Fall, by the
older modification Of Marsh's test, in
volving the separation of arsenic at u
high temperature, but not trace Of
poison could be detected by this
method.
have, therefore, no besitancy TO ai-
firm that the death Of the two persons,
Andrew Fall aud W. Cooper, was not
occasioDod by arsenic poisoning, but
must be due TO other causes.
Very respectfully,
| CtfAurpa u Gttu1t1AN
|
The German.