“Rectum, antimony in less quantity than the liver, and no indications of mercury.”
In the case of Mrs. Taylor, Dr. Penny reported:—
“That all the articles submitted to him (liver, stomach, heart, kidney, rectum, blood, and dried contents of intestines), and subjected to analysis, contained antimony; (2), that the contents of the intestines contained the largest proportion of antimony (0.583 parts in 1,000 parts); next, the liver and stomach (0.047 of a grain in 1,000 grains in each); then the blood, and, in less quantity, the heart, kidney, and rectum; (3), that part of the antimony in the contents of the intestines was in a form soluble in water; (4), that the kidney was the only article in which mercury was detected; (5), that neither the stomach, nor the contents of the intestines, contained aconite or morphia in quantity sufficient to be detected by known chemical processes; (6), that the articles subjected to analysis contained no other metallic poison than antimony and mercury as reported above.”
Dr. Penny also handed in his reports of the examination of the contents of the cupboards in Dr. Pritchard’s consulting room, the substance of which has already been given. In the first of these reports, that of the 17th of May, Dr. Penny had stated that he was at present engaged in testing the bottle of Battley’s solution (in which he had discovered antimony) for other substances, the result of which inquiry he now detailed:—
“I looked for mercury and other metals. I searched for aconite, and also for conium. I found aconite. This is tested chiefly by the taste of the abstract obtained by evaporation, and by its physiological action upon small animals. A portion of the fluid was evaporated to dryness, and the extract thus obtained was very carefully tasted, or its effects upon the tongue and on the lips ascertained by applying them to it. The effects were a tingling and benumbing sensation—characteristic of aconite. To another portion of the extract, dissolved in water, ammonia was added, and a precipitate was separated and examined in the same way, after being dissolved in diluted hydrochloric acid. The benumbing and tingling sensation produced by that precipitate was very slight. But the ammoniacal liquid, after the separation of the precipitate, was treated with hydrochloric acid, and evaporated, and the sensation produced by this residue was very strong.
“With a view to ascertain the character of aconite when mixed with Battley’s solution, I mixed known quantities of tincture of aconite with Battley’s solution, treating the mixtures in the same way. I took Fleming’s tincture and the results were precisely similar; but when the proportion of aconite was equal to 5 per cent., the sensation was by no means strong; but when it was in the proportion of 10 per cent., it gave a sensation, though the same, much stronger than that of the liquid in the bottle. I draw the conclusion, therefore, that in this solution the proportion was between 5 and 10 per cent. I purchased genuine Battley’s solution at several establishments in Glasgow, including that of ‘Murdoch Brothers,’ and was satisfied that none of them contained either antimony or aconite.”
Dr. Penny then detailed his experiments with pure and impure Battley’s solution on rabbits. Genuine Battley, when injected under the skin, did not kill; 40 grain drops from the bottle found in Mrs. Taylor’s dress did.
“I made in all about ten experiments with the genuine Battley’s mixed with Fleming’s aconite. I will tell you the result of two experiments. In one set I injected a mixture of Battley into three young rabbits, and in a third into full grown rabbits. In the first set with young rabbits I injected 10 grains of genuine Battley’s solution. In the second experiment with a young rabbit I injected 10 grains of this Battley’s (that found in the prisoner’s cupboard); in the third, I injected a mixture of 9 grains of genuine Battley, and 1 grain of Fleming’s tincture of aconite. In the cases of the old rabbits I proceeded in a similar way, only increasing the dose to 40 grains. The symptoms manifested by the rabbits, old and young, subjected to the action of genuine Battley, were simple in character and few in number, and were not materially altered by the variation of the dose. The animal soon assumed a prone position, resting on the belly and chest, and the head invariably resting on the ground. The forelegs were either sprawling or gathered under the body, the hind legs always extended sideways; the eyes remained open, and the pupils were natural and not contracted; the breathing was invariably gentle; no cries were uttered, and no convulsions or spasms of the body were apparent. There was a complete condition of inanity, and, with the exception of the open state of the eyes, the animal seemed to be in a state of profound sleep. There was no indication of spasmodic movement, and, when aroused and urged to motion, the movements were always performed in a crawling, tortoise-like manner. In this state the animal remained for several hours, and then gradually recovered.
“The effects produced by the mixture of genuine Battley with aconite presented a striking contrast to those resulting from pure Battley. Very soon after the injection the animal became restless and uneasy, and then began to crouch, resting on its flank, with the hind legs extending laterally, and the head erect. It next assumed a sitting posture, in an attitude of watchful expectancy, and commenced to twitch its lips and move its jaws as if chewing. Suddenly it staggers, rolls over, and quickly regains its feet. Saliva begins to flow from the mouth, and soon after piteous and peculiar choking cries are emitted. Its head is retracted, and the breathing is painfully laborious. Convulsions now set in, followed by intervals in which the limbs are quite relaxed, and the animal lies helpless on its side. Frantic leaps are now frequently taken, accompanied by movements of a paralytic character. A state of utter prostration also occurs, variable in duration, and then a strong convulsion comes on, during which, or immediately after which, the animal expires, the limbs becoming instantly relaxed.