New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-18
BRAINS SHOWN IN A TRIAL.
ONE PREPARED AND THE OTHER NATURAL.
| Mr.. wELLMAN TAKES UP THE BUCHANAN CASE
PROFESSOR VAUGHAN TESTIFIEs.

Mr.. wELLMAN TAKES UP THE BUCHANAN CASE
PROFESSOR VAUGHAN TEsTIFIEs.
District Attorney Nicoll unable to be in Gen
cral Sessions yesterday to conduct the prosecution
In the trial Of Dr. Robert ". Buchanan for poison.
ing lis wife. lie has worked so hard on the case
that his eyes have given way under the strain.
short rest will restore them enough TO enable him
to go with the case. Assistant DistrictAttorney
wellman filed his place ably.
DR.. Arthur J. Wolfe, OF Hartford. Conn.,, expert
for the defence again took the witness stand In the
morning. He said that 1t was mistake TO examine
Mrs Buchanans organs the embalming table. as
they likely to be contaminated lie also said
that 1t was wrong TO open the abdomen first as that
would drain the blood from the brain and remove
the evidences Of congestion. lie believed that the
s0ftenng Of parts OF the brain and the evidence Of
blood in the caplares signs Of congestion. and
perhaps OF acute meningitis. He cut open a real
brain, which had been hardened and preserved by
some process to illustrate some OF his statements.
DIR. Wolfe positive that coma could cause death
and yet leave no LESSONS The fact that the kidneys
decompOsed and the brain well preserved showed
that the kidneys were diseased The witness knew
OF case where hysteria ended In 4 coma which
caused death. The physicians for the prosecution
had not believed this possible DIR. Wolfe said that
clrrhosis OF the liver acute meningitis. uracma or
two other diseases might have caused Mrs.
Buchanan's death
DIR. Wolfe gave 1t as his opinion that when NOR.
phine had been administered the giving Of atropinc
would not alter the symptoms or change the clinical
history OF the II the atropine was given first
and then the morphine the would he true. liz
described OF atroplnc poisoning which he sa"
in Mexico. The temperature was subnormal. Mrs
Buchanan's was higher than the ordinary. Death &c
CURED in about three hours. This the Longest
time that he had heard OF any ones living after
taking n fatal dose OF the drug. There is not n
single symptom Of atropnc poisoning In this case.
declared the witness. lie told Of various evidences
OF arcpine poisoning when should have been present
Mr.. Wellman crossexamIned In the afternoon. III
showed n human brain which had Just been taken
from body prove that the prepared brain OF the
defence was a caricaturc. The OF Helen Potts
mentioned.
/" DO you know about the Harris case than
do'- Mr.. wellman asked OF Mr.. Brooke
IL will show you that YOU don't know anythin:
about it, said Nj. Brooke.
The Jury thought / knew something ABOUT 1t
and Harris thinks so, too" retorted Mr.. wellman.
The next witness was Professor Victor Clarence
Vaughan, OF the University Of Michigan. He Is pro
lessor in the medical department dean OF the mcdi
cal faculty and professor Of chemical physiology If
and the products Of putrefaction have engaged hi
special attention. some Btomanes, the products %
putreiacton. resembled morphine. quinine and nlco
tine m their effects. They could not BE- distinguished
by chemical tests. Professor Vaughan will So oil
the stand again to-day.