In his cross-examination, the earlier portion of which was occupied with questions to test the accuracy of the notes of his report, the witness explained that the hardness of the liver, which he observed, was not a stage of Cirrhosis, as he had at first written in his memoranda, “but a normal hardness, nothing extraordinary;” that the use of the term “hard” did not imply that the liver was diseased, but that the term “fatty” does.
Sergeant Ballantine.—“I think I understood you to convey that there were no signs of disease about the liver, except this fattiness?”
Witness.—“No signs at all except that. That is not a disease of a nature to affect the cæcum and the intestines in any way.”
By the Court.—“Is it in any way connected with diarrhœa and vomiting?”
Witness.—“No.”
Dr. Samuel Wilks, who had subsequently examined the intestines with Mr. Barwell, confirmed his statements as to their condition and that of the liver, and “should think Miss Bankes’ death was most probably to be attributed to an irritant.”
On cross-examination, he allowed that “severe dysentery produces great inflammation of the intestines, particularly of the larger; that inflammation, if continued, results in ulceration and destruction of the tissues; that the cæcum and rectum would be affected in that way by dysentery, and that dark spots of effused blood are also a consequence of severe dysentery.” His admission, however, rested on his reading, and not from his experience of cases of acute dysentery, as he had seen only “two cases, which they were obliged to call by that name, not being able to arrive at any other conclusion as to the cause of death.”
MEDICAL EXPERTS FOR THE PROSECUTION.
Dr. Todd, Physician to King’s College Hospital, was then called.
“Dr. Julius,” he said, “told him the nature of the case before he saw the deceased, but not his suspicions. When he saw her he noticed a peculiar expression of countenance—an expression of terror, as though she were under the influence of some one, and that was not in accordance with the appearance of a patient suffering under an ordinary disease. The abdomen was very hard—an indication of extensive inflammation in the stomach—and he was at once under the impression that she was suffering from some irritant poison. By witness’s desire an evacuation was obtained, and he directed Dr. Julius to make up the sulphate of copper and opium pills to allay irritation. He had never known any bad effect produced by these medicines, and did not think it could produce a burning sensation in the throat and stomach. If the disease had been diarrhœa, the medicines administered by Dr. Julius were the proper ones.”