“H. Thomson.
“J. Steven.”
[APPENDIX B.], p. [319].
ON THE QUANTITY OF POISON FOUND IN THE STOMACH OF A PERSON MURDERED BY ARSENIC.
Extract from Letter from Professor Christison to the Edinburgh Medical Journal, December, 1857.
“The purpose of the present brief communication is to state a case which annihilates the defence of the prisoner, so far as the large quantity of arsenic found in the stomach of the deceased may have been thought to support it.
“Dr. Mackinlay, of Paisley, very lately reminded me of a case of poisoning with arsenic, in which we were both concerned in 1842. A person came under a charge of poisoning with arsenic, and was indicted. But, on account of some informality, this indictment fell to the ground, and the trial was necessarily delayed. Meanwhile, during the delay, the general evidence was thought defective, and the trial was dropped. There could be no doubt, however, that murder had been committed. The arsenic was administered in whisky-punch with sugar, the arsenic being kept in suspension by constant stirring. The person survived at least five, possibly seven, hours, and frequently vomited a yellowish or greenish liquid. Nevertheless, I found a little spirit in the contents of the stomach; and I collected thirty grains of arsenic in substance from the stomach and its contents.
“Drs. Mackinlay and Wylie, of Paisley, who examined the dead body, and also discovered arsenic in the stomach, had scraped off a quantity of the powder of this substance from the inside upon a watch-glass. I was not made aware at the time how much had been thus obtained; but Dr. Mackinlay now informs me that the quantity was sixty grains. Here, then, is a case exactly like that of L’Angelier. Ninety grains of arsenic, and this in substance, were found within the stomach alone. If to this be added, as in Dr. Penny’s analysis in L’Angelier’s case, the probable arsenic dissolved and suspended in the contents of the stomach, and that imbibed by the textures of the stomach itself, it is impossible to estimate the total quantity in the stomach at less than 100 grains. But there was also arsenic in the intestines; and, indeed, it had actually caused purging.
“How large a quantity, then, must have been given in that instance! How strangely easy is it for a determined designing murderer to administer secretly those large quantities of a substance, whose weight should render it difficult to be mixed, and whose roughness should betray its presence when abundant! How difficult for the stomach to discharge it by vomiting. I draw no conclusion as to the question of Madeline Smith’s innocence or guilt. In common with the public at large, I am well satisfied that she escaped condemnation. But, as I have been supplied, through the kindness of Dr. Mackinlay, with the means of completing a fact, closely touching a ground of defence, which, at the time it was brought forward, I regarded as hypothetical and baseless, and which may be made much of again, were it allowed to stand, as it has hitherto done, I have thought it my duty to make the true state of the question known.”