the human subject, in the shape of pills, should you expect a longer
period before it began to act on the human subject than the rabbit?--I
do not think we can fairly draw any inference; the circulation and
absorption are very different. It is very probable that there would also
be a difference between one human subject and another in the power of
taking the thing up with more or less rapidity. The strength of the dose
would make a difference; a large dose would be more rapid than a small
dose. I have experimented upon the intestines of animals to reproduce
the strychnia or to discover it. (Dr. Taylor described the chemical
tests.) These colour tests, as they are called, are, I think, very
fallacious. There are other vegetable matters to which, if these colour
tests are applied, similar results as to colour would be obtained. A
mixture of sugar and bile will produce the purple and red tint, for
instance. Vegetable poisons are more difficult of detection by chemical
processes than the mineral ones, and the tests are more fallacious. In
four cases of animals destroyed by strychnia Dr. Rees and I endeavoured
to reproduce the strychnia, and then applied to it those colouring tests
which I mentioned just now. We also tried the effect of taste. In one
case by the colour test we satisfied ourselves of the presence of
strychnia; in another there was a bitter taste in the liquid, but no
indication of strychnia by the colour test. In other two cases there was
no indication at all of the presence of strychnia. In the first case we
had given a dose of two grains at intervals; in the second case one
grain; in the other two cases one grain and half a grain.
How did you account physiologically for the absence of any indication of
strychnia where you know strychnia to have been given and to have caused
death?--By absorption into the blood so that it is no longer in the
stomach; it is in a great part too changed in the blood. In the case of
the larger dose there would be a retention of some not absorbed. That
would be in cases beyond what was required for the destruction of life.
If the minimum of the quantity required to destroy life was given, I do
not think I would find any. It would be removed by absorption, and no
longer discoverable in the stomach.
Are there any chemical means you are acquainted with whereby the
presence of this poison can be detected in the tissues?--There are not;
there is no process I am acquainted with when it is in a small quantity;
so far as I know it cannot be detected.
In addition to this distribution of the half grain, which you tell us is
known to have destroyed human life, over the whole system, in your
opinion does it undergo decomposition as it mixes itself with the animal
tissues?--I believe it undergoes some change in the blood. That
increases the difficulty in detecting it in the tissues. I have never
heard of its being separated in a crystallised state from the tissues.
[Sidenote: Alfred Taylor]
After the post-mortem examination on the body of Mr. Cook some portion
was sent up to me. I experimented to ascertain if there were any poison
present. We sought for prussic acid, oxalic acid, morphia, strychnia,
veratrea, a poison of white hellebore, the poison of tobacco, hemlock,
arsenic, mercury, antimony, and other mineral poisons generally. We only
found small traces of antimony. The part which we had to operate upon
was in the most unfavourable condition for finding strychnia if it had
been there. The stomach had been completely cut from end to end; all the
contents were gone, and the fine mucous surface, on which any poison if
present would be found, was lying in contact with the outside of the
intestines, all thrown together. There was also succulent matter on the
surface of the mucous membrane, derived from the intestines, the
contents of which partly escaped. The inside of the stomach had been
forced into this mass of intestinal succulent matter; at any rate, it
was lying so. In journeying up to London it must have been shaken in
every possible way. The contents of the intestines were there, but the
contents of the stomach were gone. If there had been any of this poison
present I should have expected to have found it in the contents of the
stomach and on the mucous membrane. At my request other portions of the
body were sent--the liver, the spleen, and the two kidneys; in addition,
a small bottle of blood, unlabelled, giving us no idea whence it was
taken. We analysed all those portions. We searched for mineral poison in
the liver and kidneys, and discovered antimony in an eighth part of the
liver; we analysed only the left kidney and the spleen, and there were
traces of antimony in each. The quantity was less in proportion in the
spleen than in the other parts. The blood contained antimony.
Would its being found in the blood enable you to form any opinion how
shortly before death the antimony had been given?--It is impossible to
say with any precision, but I should say shortly before death--within
some days; the longest period known at which antimony has been found in
the blood, after a person has ceased to take it, was eight days. I heard
the account by the servant girls of the vomiting of Mr. Cook; I also
heard the account given of his vomiting at Shrewsbury, and by the
medical men, Gibson and Jones, and Dr. Bamford’s deposition as to the
concomitant symptoms. In my opinion, the vomiting would be such as might
be produced by antimony. Tartar emetic is soluble in fluids, and if
mixed with broth or toast and water would not affect the colour.
From these traces of the antimony can you form any judgment as to the
time when the antimony was taken?--It is impossible to say with any
precision, but I should say within two or three weeks at the outside. We
did not find any perceptible quantity dissolved in the fluids of the
body and the washings of the stomach; therefore I should infer there was
no evidence of any given within some hours of death. I think that which
I found in the liver might have been administered within eighteen hours
of death or within two days. I know by experience it takes a shorter
time to get to the liver. Antimony does not affect the taste of anything
if it is given in quantities which would cause vomiting. If a large
quantity was taken at once it might leave a choking or constricting
sensation, as if the throat was contracted. There was no trace of
mercury. I should have expected to find mercury according to the
quantity taken. If a few grains had been taken recently before death I
should expect to find some trace in the liver. Supposing a man had been
taking mercury for any syphilitic affection within anything like a
recent period before death I should expect to find it. I heard the
evidence which was given as to the deaths of Mrs. Smith, Agnes French,
and the lady referred to, and also the case of the gentleman of whom Mr.
Moore spoke. Judging by the results of my own experiments and studies, I
agree that those deaths were occasioned by strychnia. Mr. Cook’s attacks
appear to me to be of a similar character.
As a professor of medical science do you know any other cause in the
nature of human diseases to which the symptoms of Mr. Cook’s death can
be referred except to strychnia?--I do not.
[Sidenote: Alfred Taylor]
Cross-examined by Mr. SERJEANT SHEE--In the course of your examination
you have frequently used the words “traces of antimony.” What was the
meaning of “trace”?--A very small quantity.
In analytical chemistry does it mean an imponderable quantity?--I do not
apply it in that shape. Some chemists mean that. I mean we obtained some
quantity in that sense from many parts, and that the quantity thus
calculated would make a ponderable quantity in the whole. We have about
half a grain.
You did not actually ascertain it to amount to half a grain?--No. I do
not think a quarter of a grain would have explained the quantity we
obtained. I will undertake to say there was half a grain to the best of
my judgment.
In all parts of the body you examined?--There was more in the parts of
the body examined, but we extracted that quantity.
In your judgment would that be sufficient to cause death?--No. I was
first asked to investigate this case on Tuesday, 27th November, by Mr.
Stevens. Either on that day or subsequently he mentioned the name of Mr.
Gardner to me. After Mr. Stevens spoke to me he and Mr. Boycott came
together with these jars.
You wrote a letter, the whole of which I will read to you. It is in
reply to a letter received from Mr. Gardner--
Dr. Rees and I have compared the analysis to-day. We have sketched
a report, which will be ready to-morrow or next day. As I am going
to Durham Assizes on the part of the Crown, in the case of _Reg._
v. _Wooler_, the report will be in the hands of Dr. Rees, No. 26
Albemarle Street. It will be most desirable that Mr. Stevens should
call on Dr. Rees, read the report with him, and put such questions
as may occur. In reply to your letter received here this morning, I
beg to say that we wish a statement of all the medicines prescribed
for deceased (until his death) to be drawn up and sent to Dr. Rees.
We did not find strychnia nor prussic acid or any trace of opium.
From the contents having been drained away, it is now impossible to
say whether any strychnine had or had not been given just before
death. But it is quite possible for tartar emetic to destroy life
if given in repeated doses; and, as far as we can at present form
an opinion, in the absence of any natural cause of death, the
deceased must have died from the effects of antimony in this or
some other form.
Was that your opinion at the time?--It was. That was all we could infer
from the chemical analysis.
[Sidenote: Alfred Taylor]
Have you not told me to-day that the quantity of antimony that you found
in Cook’s body was not sufficient to account for death?--Perfectly so;
but what was found in Cook’s body was not all he took. We found
antimony, and we could not account for its being there. I wrote to know
whether antimony had been given as a medicine, and I considered, as
people had died from antimony, it was necessary to have information of
the symptoms connected with the man’s death, which I knew nothing about
at the time; finding antimony there and no explanation, I put it as the
only hypothesis to me to account for death.
Had you any reason to think any undue quantity had been administered to
him?--I could not speculate on that from the quantity there, for I did
not know at all what quantity he had taken, and whether it had been
prescribed medicinally.
May not the injudicious use of quack medicines containing antimony, such
as James’ powder or other mixtures, have accounted for as much antimony
as you found in the body of Mr. Cook?--Any antimonial preparation would
account for it. I knew strychnia was bought before we sent in the
report. Mr. Gardner gave the information in a letter in reply to that
which has been read that strychnia, prussic acid, Batley’s sedative of
opium, had been bought by the prisoner. After giving my evidence at the
inquest I returned to town. Soon after I knew that the prisoner had been
committed on the charge of wilful murder.
You knew, of course, that his life depended in a great degree on your
opinion?--No; my opinion was in reference to the death by poison; I
expressed no opinion of the prisoner’s guilt. I knew I would be examined
as a witness upon his trial. I wrote a letter to the _Lancet_ on the
subject, contradicting several misstatements which were made regarding
my evidence. I have never had under my own observation the effects of
strychnia on the human body; but I have written a book upon the subject.
Do you, from your reading, know of any fatal case in which the patient
under strychnia poison has had, while the paroxysm lasted, as much
command over the muscles and voluntary motion as Mr. Cook had on the
Monday and Tuesday nights, according to the evidence of Mills and
Jones?--I do not see that he had much command over the muscles of
voluntary life. His symptoms are quite in accordance with the ordinary
action of strychnia.
Can you tell me a single case of a patient seized with tetanic symptoms
by strychnia poison sitting up in his bed talking?--He was seized with
the tetanic symptoms after he sat up in his bed.
Do you know of a single case of the symptoms of poison by strychnia
commencing or exhibiting themselves during any time of the paroxysm by
the operation of beating the bed?--There have been only about fifteen
cases altogether; I have not heard of a person taken ill in bed before.
[Sidenote: Alfred Taylor]
Is not the beating of the bed well known under the name of malasaux; is
it not a very common symptom of ordinary convulsions?--No, I do not
think it is the case, not to my knowledge. I have not a case of a
person sitting up in bed and beating the bed.
Have you known any instances in which the patient has screamed before he
was seized with the fit?--No. That is common in convulsions not
occasioned by strychnia poisoning. In many cases they scream very soon
after the spasm sets in; the pain felt is very severe.
This is before the convulsions begin?--No, I have never known that. I
have known cases in which they speak freely, but not after the paroxysm
has commenced; I do not remember a case at the present time.
Can you tell me or refer me to any one case in which the effect of the
strychnia affection or paroxysm in a fatal case has been as long after
the ingestion of the poison as in Cook’s case on Tuesday night?--Yes. In
a case communicated to the _Lancet_ of 31st August, 1850, p. 259, by Mr.
Bennett, one grain and a half of strychnia, taken by mistake, destroyed
the life of a healthy young female in an hour and a half, which is
remarkable, as no symptoms appeared for an hour.
May I take it that is the longest period which has elapsed between the
ingestion of the poison and the commencement of the symptoms on
record?--No, I think not.
Do you know a single case in which the symptoms have manifested
themselves as long as an hour and a half after the ingestion of the
poison?--No, I do not.
Do you know any case of strychnia poison in which the patient has
recovered from a paroxysm in as short a time as Mr. Cook did, he being
well before the morning?--I do not remember any, but I can conceive in
medical practice such cases.
Do you know any case of strychnia poison in which there was so long an
intermission of the paroxysm as between the two fits of Monday and
Tuesday night?--No, I do not.
As you choose to go upon rabbits, do you not know that it constantly
happens, even in rabbits, that the spasm and the contraction instantly
cease immediately with death, or just before death, and that the body
becomes perfectly pliant?--No, I do not. It does so in some instances,
in one out of five cases.
[Sidenote: Alfred Taylor]
Do you agree in this opinion of Dr. Christison--“I have not altered the
statement as to this point in the former edition, that is, that the
rigidity supervenes at an early period after death; yet I strongly
suspect the authors who describe the spasm which precedes death to
continue as it were without the rigidity that occurs after death must
have observed inaccurately, for, in the numerous experiments that I have
made and witnessed upon animals, flaccidity of limb continued after
death”?--Dr. Christison speaks from his own experience; I speak from my
own.
Have you any reason to say that the clenching of the hand is a
distinctive feature of strychnia poison?--It is the result of violent
tetanic spasms. It occurs in other violent spasms.
In all forms of convulsion?--No; the great point is this, that in
tetanus it remains so; in other convulsions it comes and goes.
Is it always so?--That is according to my knowledge.
Re-examined by the ATTORNEY-GENERAL--I have met with three cases in a
human subject in which it has appeared that the heart was found empty
after death, where the death had taken place from strychnia. I think the
emptiness of the heart is owing to spasmodic affection, the effect upon
the heart in the last moment of life. I know of no reason why that
should be more likely to be the case in the human subject than in a
small animal like a rabbit. The only thing I would observe is, that I
think the heart is generally more affected by the paroxysm, so that the
blood accumulates.
Suppose the paroxysms short and violent, and cause death in a few
minutes?--That is the kind of case in which I should expect to find it
empty. The rigidity after death in the cases where I found it always
affected the same muscles, the muscles of the limbs, specially the
muscles of the back. In the case of poisoning by strychnia, where the
rigidity was relaxed in death, it returns while the body is warm.
Would the rigidity of the extremities as long as two months after death,
the clenching of the hands, and the twisting of the feet, afford you any
indication of whether the person died of tetanus?--I have never known
such a case. That would indicate, in my opinion, great violence of the
spasm with which the party died.
With regard to the duration of time in which the effects of the poison
would begin to act, to show itself, would it be uniform, do you think,
in all persons to whom the same quantity of poison might be given?--It
would vary according to the constitution and the strength, according to
the power of absorption.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: G. O. Rees]
Dr. GEORGE OWEN REES, examined by Mr. JAMES--I am a Fellow of the
College of Physicians, and Lecturer on Materia Medica at Guy’s Hospital.
I believe strychnia is absorbed always before it produces the symptoms.
If enough strychnia is given to destroy life, that might be done without
our being able to discover it after death. I agree with Professor Taylor
that it is the excess that is found. Where vitality is destroyed by the
effects of the poison, and an excess remains, I would expect with care
to discover that excess. The symptoms in the cases of death from
strychnia that have been given are analogous, in my opinion, to those of
Mr. Cook, and to those produced by strychnia in the experiments I have
seen made on animals.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: R. Christison]
Professor ROBERT CHRISTISON, examined by the ATTORNEY-GENERAL--I am a
Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Professor of Materia
Medica to the University of Edinburgh. I published in 1845 a treatise on
poisons in relation to medical jurisprudence. Among other poisons, I
have turned my attention to strychnia. It acts upon the human frame by
absorption into the blood, and then by acting on the nervous system. I
have seen a case of strychnia poisoning, but not a fatal one, in a human
subject. I have frequently seen experiments tried upon animals--frogs,
rabbits, cats, dogs, and one wild boar. In most of my experiments I have
given very small doses, a sixth part of a grain, but sometimes as much
as a grain. The first symptom that I have observed has been a slight
tremor and unwillingness to move, then frequently the animal jerks its
head back slightly, and very soon after that all the symptoms of tetanus
come on, which have been so often described in the evidence of previous
witnesses. There is occasionally an intermission of the spasms for a
short while. Where the poison has been introduced into the stomach,
between five or six minutes and twenty-five minutes have elapsed from
the commencement of the symptoms to the death of the animal. From the
giving of the poison to the first symptoms coming on, the appearance of
tremor, I have seen as long as twelve minutes elapse, and from the first
commencement of the symptoms to their termination in death from five or
six minutes to twenty or twenty-five minutes. The symptoms have always
been very much the same. Where we can trace it very correctly, I think
the jaws and the back of the neck are affected first, then the trunk and
the extremities in such rapidity that it is very difficult to follow
them in succession. I have sometimes observed differences in individuals
of the same species; the intermission sometimes is wanting; some lie in
one long continuous spasm, with scarcely any intermission, but that is
uncommon. I have generally found that the animal is in a state of
flaccidity about the period of the termination of life. I have always
observed an interval before the rigidity that takes place after death.
There is a cessation of the symptoms immediately before death; the
rigidity is gone, the body is flaccid. The rigidity is renewed very soon
after death. I have frequently opened the bodies of the animals that
have thus been killed. I never could find that the poison had produced
any apparent effect upon the stomach or intestines. I have never found
any apparent effect on the spinal cord or brain which I could trace
satisfactorily to the poison. I have always found that the heart of the
animal after death contained blood. Others have found it devoid of
blood, but I have not. In the one case of the human subject which I saw
the symptoms were the fixing of the jaw, spasmodic retraction of the
head, slight grinning expression of the mouth, and a slight stiffness of
the arms and legs. There was no convulsion of the muscles of the trunk,
nor any convulsive movement of the arms and legs in that case. I have
collected all the cases that have occurred up to the time of the
publication of my book as far as I am aware. The poison appears to
require a longer time in producing its effect in the larger animals than
the small. In the case of the wild boar, the poison was injected into
the chest. The animal died in ten minutes, from the third of a grain. I
think there are cases where strychnia, given to the human subject in the
shape of nux vomica, has not operated for about an hour. Strychnia
itself is generally given in the solid form, sometimes in the fluid
form. When given in the fluid form the symptoms are not so long in
appearing as when given in the solid form. When given in the shape of a
pill the time it takes to act depends very much upon the material used
for making the pill. To make the appearance of the symptoms as late as
possible the poison might be mixed up with resinous materials, which are
all difficult of digestion. Such materials would be within the knowledge
and reach of a medical man, and some are often used for making ordinary
pills. Absorption would not begin until the pill came to be broken up or
digested; the less soluble the pill the longer would be the period
required.
Now, independently of that, does the state of knowledge upon this
subject enable you to predicate with anything like certainty or accuracy
the period that would be required in the human subject before such
poison would begin to operate after it has been taken into the stomach;
does the state of science enable you to form an opinion as to the
precise time, or near the precise time, that it would require for this
poison to operate?--I do not think we can fix from our present knowledge
the precise time for the poison beginning to operate. When we give
poison to an animal for the purpose of watching the effect of the
poison, we give it in a manner in which it would act most rapidly,
whether in the fluid or the solid form. We take care that the animal is
fasting, and have every circumstance favourable for the action of
poison. We mix it up with materials that are readily soluble in the
stomach. I have seen a good many cases of tetanus arising from wounds,
but very few from natural diseases.
[Sidenote: R. Christison]
Is there, in your opinion, any marked difference between what I may call
natural tetanus and the tetanus of strychnia?--I would not rest much
upon the little difference of particular symptoms, but rather upon the
course and the general circumstances attending them. First, that in all
the natural forms of tetanus the symptoms begin and advance much more
slowly; and, secondly, they prove fatal much more slowly. When once set
up in natural forms of tetanus there is no intermission. Where the first
paroxysm does not prove fatal there are short intermissions in tetanus
from strychnia. I heard the evidence given by Elizabeth Mills of what
took place on the Monday, and by Mr. Jones of what took place on the
Tuesday night when Mr. Cook died.
Now, of the two classes of tetanus, to which should you refer the spasm
and other symptoms spoken to by those two witnesses?--To strychnia, or
one of the natural poisons containing it--nux vomica, St. Ignatius’s
bean, snakewood, and a poison called exhetwick. They belong to different
plants of the same genus, from all of which strychnia may be obtained.
There is no natural disease that I have ever seen or that I otherwise
know to which I can refer these symptoms which I have heard described.