The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-03

to make ten color tests from matter con-
tanning three-efghthS of a grain. DR.. Gels
testified that if DR.. Eisenbeiss made any
such number of tests he made them from
ptomaines,s which DIR. Gels insisted and
demonstrated that DR.. EiSenbeiss did not
know from morphine. Ptomaines are some
times found In bodies after death where
death has not been caused by morphine
poisoning. This is a fact of chemistry.
DR.. Gels claims that he is able to differ
entate between ptomaines and the alkaloid
morphine. To prove this he made a test
before the jury. He is the originator Of
The intended effect of DR.. Geis's testi-
mony was to show that DR.. Eisenbeiss did
not know the difference between morphine
and a ptomaine simula tine morphine. He
had made no test for ptomaines. DR.. Gels
showed that when salts of morphia are put
in ether they are inSoiuble, while a ptomaine
simullting morphine is soluble in ether. He
showed, also, that ptomaines Stimulating
morphine will not crystalline. while NOR
phine forms crystals. The defense sought
to show that DR.. Eisebeiss did not try to
purify the residue. These ptomaines de-
scribed haze very similar effects in tests to
morphine.
DR.. Eisenbeiss, on the stand, il is stated,
swore that nitric acid on morphine would
give an orange-red color. He said il al
ways gave this color. He was asked if he
was still willing to swear by his report To
the court in the first trial Of Jennie Carr.
, He said he was. Then his report was shown
him where he stated that nitric acid on
morphine gave a violet-blue color 1t is
said he admitted that he made "A mistake
in this in his report. 1t was claimed by
the defense that Blythe made the mistake
in his book of giving a violet-blue color to
this test, and that the mistake is generally
recognized by chemists. This was to show
that DR.. Eisenbeiss had copied mistake and
all. DR.. Gels was put on the stand TO show
that the examination made by DR.. Eisen-
beiss was not a Thoroughly proper one,
DR.. EiSenbeiSS employed a solution OF
chloride of iron and received a blue color
supposed to he caused by the morphine.
He did not state that This Was a neutral So
luton. Only "A neutral solution would have
given this color. The report shows that
Frohde'S reaSent was added to the res
idue. supposed to be morphine, and "A vio-
let color was seem 1t is proven that a
great many other alkaloids will give the
same color. On the strength of these tests
IL is claimed that morphine was present.
| do not think that these tests were relia-
BILE or conclusive. The report shows that
ana that it dissolved without color. 1t is
proven that a great many other aikaloidS
will do the same under sulphuric acid.
l think he made errors in his premises.
There are ptomaines i'm a body after death,
sometimes, that simulate the vegetable al
kaloids, both chemically and phySiolog1c-
ally; for instance. atropiae. apomorphine,
S~trychnine. nicotine. aconOtine and NOR
phine. The ptomaines are usually not
Strated that ptoDnaineS Stimulating atropine
are chrystallizable. The ptomaines simulat-
ing morphine, however, are not chrystalliZa-
BILE. The method usually employed TO ex-
tract alkaloids from organic mixtures is
Dragendorfs. in which the ptomaine simu-
lating the various allkaloids is extracted
ut the same stage Of the analysis where the
alkaloid itself appears. This was denied
bv the State. it claiming that the ptomaine
could not form, or would be destroyed b.
the chemicals employed in the Dragendorf
process"
Prof. p. s. Baker was called to the
stand to support the position taken by DIR.
Eisenbeiss. He acknowledged that ne had
| never seen ptomaines. and had little knowl-
edge of them. Or. Crosse, of this city, ac-
knowledged that he had no great experience
with ptomaines,
Dr.. Henry Jameson and Or. Franklin
Hays testified that they thought. from the
description of the case as presented by the
State, that the child died from natural
causes. They said a child could not have
lived so long as il did with the amount
Of poison in its system as claimed by the
State.
Hord e. Perkins were the attorneys for
Jennie Carr. and to their untiring efforts
I'm behalf of the poor colored woman Is
due her liberty. They fought the case ev-
cry step. from court to court, firmly con-
WINGED OF her innocence.