St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-12-24


fore he concentrated his energies on
law and science he worked off that
vitality in all sorts of adventures. In
1881 he held lieutenant's commission
in the Third HussarS, which made the
expedition IN Zululand. At one time
this was during his career at Yale-he
sickened of responsibility and joined
troop of travelling players. In Savan-
nah the company went to pieces, and
the amateur player took the manager to
Europe for holiday. In few months
he was back i'll his study.
DR.. O'Sallivau was born in Cork in
1850. He took his degree of B. A. at
Edinburg. In London he studied
chemistry and pathology and became
one OF the best known miScrOscopiSts in
England. There, too. he was made a
member of the Royal Society of Veter-
mary Surgeons. When,in 1882, he came
to the United States, he was already a
man of established reputation. At Yale
he took degrees of NJ. ID. and LII. 3. In
1885, while state veterinarian of MaSSa-
chusetts, he made series of original in
yeStigationS in tuberculosis i'll cattle
and established the fact that the disease
Nigh the communicated through milk to
human beings. He practlced medicine in
New Haven for few years, and then
came to New I Ork and entered upon the
practice of law. 1 daresay he might
tell good many ''hard-luck tales of
that first year here. Then ne was re-
tanned in the Buchanan case-that poi
Soning case out of which he snatched a
reputation as sudden as it was brilliant.
Rarely has tame come upon a man in
SUCH burst of brightness. The scien-
titic Journals OF Germany and England
are still discussing the revolution he
worked in expert evidence" Before
the Buchanan case hired experts word
was taken unquestiOned. No one had
ventured to critlciSe his dogmatism.
But here was a lawyer, himself an ex-.
per-, and he took those autocratic dog
matistS and turned them inside out. He
demonstrated their Ignorance Of the
very subjects On which they posed as
experts. For the first time in all Amer
lean court the question Of ptomaines-
those strange substances generated i'll a
decomposing bOdy-was raised. The,
district attorneys had never even heard
the word. The experts knew almost as
| little. DR.. OSuliivan isolated these
| ptOmaines in court and showed just how
the unlearned experts had mistaken
them for vegetable poisons.
1t was dramatic scene in that stuffy
court room Of the old General Sessions
| building. 1t meant the downfall of the
paid expert, hired to swear to anything
the state asked. 1t discredited the pro-
fessional scientific witnesses on whom
the district attorney has always counted.
In addition, it made the young lawyer
physician famous.
The most remarkable thing about him
is the variety and extent of his knowl-
| edge-he is a scientist who wrested a
victory from Virchow; in chemistry,
toXicology. pathology, surgery. in gen
eral law, marine law and the reconcile
branches of his profession he is thor
oughly equipped. In fact. he might pose
as an ''expert''-if experts were not
discredited-in any one of a dozen sub
| jects. He is a strong aud vigorous
writer, and is the author of number of
valuable scientific works. He is mem
Der of Tammany Hall. and makes a
| rafting stump speech. Withal. he is a
| jolly, good fellow-fences we'll, boxes
| well, sings a good song and mixes a
| good salad.
| He is associated with Charles W.
| Brooke and Lewis Stuyvesant Chanler
| in the defense of DIR. Henry c. F.
| Meyer, who is accused of a sensational
| series of poisonings.
| VANCE THOMPSON