The Express. — 1867-05-04 (London, England)

DISTRESSING SUICIDE OP A MEDICAL  GENTLEMA3.  INQIIMI4T.—(THIS DAY.) This morning Mr. John Humphreys, the Middlesex coroner, held an inquiry at the Illakeney's Head tavern High-street, Poplar, respecting the suicide of Mr. John Nathaniel hleseeena, aged 75 years. Mr. Roland Measeena, 74, Bridport-place, }loiter', said that the deceased was a surgeon in practice at No. 108, High-street, Popar. He was witness's brother. Witness last saw him alive on Monday night. He was then in a very distressed and irritated state of mind. Witness bad been often compelled to sit up with him night after night. He said that be could never survive the effects of what he had done. He had sold his practice for bills of no value in comparison with his business. He said that he would never get over it. He spoke with great feeling of having to leave so many dear friends, and he said, " And now I have to and introduce this man to all of them." The deceased had never threatened to commit suicide. Witness was, however, afraid that he might poison himself, and therefore he removed all the poisons out of the surgery. He had not been requested to do so. Mr. H. Tibbetts, M.R.C.S. said that he had been at tending the deoeised for fair months. His mind was affected by softening of the brain. Witness had requested his family to keep the razors out of his way, as he felt that it would be prudent to do so. On Tuesday last witness called upon him, and upon going upstairs he found the door locked. Witness burst it open, as be suspected that something wrong bad happened. The deceased had previously been in a very desponding state. Witness found him lying on the floor, and a razor was lying near him. His throat was cut from left to right. The gash was a very severe one, and must have caused instantaneous death. Shortly before the occurrence the deceased had asked his wife for a glass of wine. Ho made that request in order that he might be able to get her out of the room. When she had left to see about the wine, he bolted the door. Witness wished to make a statement. A short time previous to the occurrence witness had seen Davis, of Finsbury-square, and the result of • consultstion that had taken place between them was that they decided that if the deceased continued to carry on his business, the result would be most disastrous. He was in a very low, nervous, depressed state, and they wanted him to go to the country fur change of air and scene ; that he declined to do. With regard to the statement made by the deceased that a medical man had purchased his business below its right value, witness wished to state that he was the gentleman who had purchased the practice. Hearing that the deceased had been dissatisfied with the arrangement be had made, witness offered to cancel the agreement, but the offer was declined.  The Coroner asked the relatives of the deceased whether they did not believe that the statements made by the deceased about the sale of his practice were not the result of softening of the brain. Mr. Hemeena said that his brother had frequently spoken about the small price he had got for his practice. The Coroner said that he believed that the deceased had got • delusion about the sale of the practice. The evidence proved that the brain was softened. In that state it would have been impossible for the deceased to have carried on his practice. A relative of the deceased gentleman admitted that he believed that the deceased was suffering from a delusion. He was very well off, kept his carnage, and before his death he had made • will disposing of his property. A gentleman in court said that a fortnight before the deceased's death he bad come up to him in the street and said, " I am not long for this world—when I die will you take all my property r The deceased has left nothing to this gentleman in his will. The Coroner having summed up, The jury returned a verdict of " Suicide while in a state of temporary insanity."  At the meeting of the Royal Society on Thursday last the list of the fifteen selected candidates recommended by the council for election to the dignity of F.A.S. was read as follows :—W. Baird, M.D., W. B. Dawkins. B. F. Duppa, A. C. L. G. Gunther, M.D., J. Haast, Ph.D., Capt. R. W. Haig, R.A., D. Hanbury, J. W. Hulke, K. Hull, E. J. Lowe, J. R. Napier, B. W. Richardson,'M.D., J. S. B. Sanderson, M.D., H. T. Maintop, and C. Tomlinson. Four of the number write M.D. after their names, Of the others three are geologists, three chemists, two naturalists, one surgeon, one meteorologist, and one shipbuilder. This selection of fifteen only, leaves forty-five candidates either to try again next year, or abjure their pretensions to the monogram F.R.S. The meeting for election will be held on the 6th of June.  An application is to be made to the government to sanction the re-opening of the cattle market at Farnham in Sonny._  MR. R.. W.