The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-03-11
DEFENSE OF PATRICK
Expert Medical Testimony as to
Cause of Death Was Given.

who has charge Of the autopsy department
Of the city morguc, was the first witness
today. lie assisted at the autopsy on
Ricc's body He was not permitted 70
answer question rs to whether Or. Donlln
said m the end OF the post mortem, tine
old mans time had come. lie dled or oid
age and that's all there is 10 It.
rur defense then asked permission to re-
CAN Dr D0ullu to ask the question OF him
and Prosecuting Attorney osborne asked
time tu decide whether lie should object 20
the request Dr. Lee, surgeon who said
be had administered chlOrOform about 5000
tlWcs was then called. The odor OF chic
reform, hc said was n lasting one and has
been noticeable for more than an hour after
the use of IL. The tendency OF the drug
was TO excite the porHon to whom it was
given I'm tho circumstances described hy
Charles j.. Jones on the witness stand, he
would expect the patient to struggle and
knock of the bed clothes. Jones said Rlce
did not move.
Mr. Moore ~ Patrcks counsel described
10 Dr. Lee. in a Hypothetical case Of great
length the condition shown by tho autopsy
uf Mr.. Ricc's body and asked what, In his
opinion. WAS the cause Of death. The wit
ness replied that he would say 10 was duS
to congestion OF the lungs and diseased
Kidneys. The symptoms as described To
him he said, did not show that the heart
WAS "a factor In the cause Of death. DR..
lee said extensive congestion of the lungs
would be caused hy pneumonia.
Replying TO question he said that chic
reform was not combustihle.
The examination Of DR.. Lee was contin-
ucd after recess and the matter Of expert
, uonts was dropped. In answer 10 Mr.. Os-
borne the witness said in case or death
by chloroform poisoning he would expect
To- find congestion Of the other organs
whore there was congestion Of the lungs.
| He had found congestion OF the lungs after
I death by chioroform, hut did not know IL
: ID was due 10 the poison.
I'm redirect examination Or. Lee said IN
| his opinion Bcc's death was not caused
! Pror lanes Ewing Of tho medical depart
mcut OF Cornell university said the same
| cuuscs that produced the dropsy OF the
! lower limbs from which Mr.. Rice suffered
| would tend ~ produce an oedematous cohui-
/ tiun Of The lungs.
Mr. Moore asked q hypothetical question
ms to the causc OF death and DR.. Ewing
| said in his opinion under the conditions
prescribed, death WAS due 10 congestion
| az the lungs brought on hy pneumonia. 10
/ n second question he said The conditions
described could not have been brought
about nv chloroform
what did you regard from the condl.
lion as revealed as the chief factor OF
deathf" asked Mr.. Moore.
'"rhe congestion and oedma Of the lungs
Mr. Osborne obiected TO this lHe OF queS-
tionng on the ground that no evidence or
pneumonia had been submitted. The re-
! corder allowed the questions after Dr. tw.
ing had said that the report OF the autop.
| IS showed conclusiyely that form or
pneumonia existed In the lungs. Inc doe-
tor stated that chloroform kills In two
ways; by asphyXlation or by paralysis or
the heart When death resulted from a.,
phyXlatiOn there was no pathologlcai way
OF determining the cause Of death.