[2] For instance, strychnia or strychnine, morphia or morphine, aconitia or aconitine, are the same substances.
[3] 39 & 40 Vict. cap. 77, sec. 12.
[4] Potassio-mercuric iodide, made by dissolving 50 grammes of potassium iodide and 13·5 grammes of mercuric chloride, in a litre of distilled water. The reagent is added till no further precipitate is produced, which is known by filtering a small portion at intervals and testing with the potassio-mercuric iodide to see if finished. The strength of the solution must be, as nearly as possible, 1 part of the alkaloid in 200, so that an approximate idea must first be obtained by weighing or otherwise. As the quantity is in poison cases generally too small to weigh, the approximate idea must be gathered by comparing the intensity of the tests with those furnished by known amounts of the alkaloid. Each cubic centimetre of Mayer’s solution precipitates ·02 gramme of morphia, ·0268 of aconitia, and ·0167 of strychnia. For further details see Blyth’s Practical Chemistry, 1879, p. 289.
[5] Rennard (Chem. Centr. 1876, 456) asserts that acetic ether is preferable to amylic alcohol, as the latter dissolves more colouring matter.
[6] To recover the alkaloid, dissolve the precipitate in sufficient sulphurous acid solution, and evaporate: the sulphate is left (Wagner).
[7] If the picrate precipitate be dissolved in dilute potash, and the solution shaken with ether-chloroform, the latter, on evaporation, leaves the alkaloid again in a free state.
[8] At the inquest this witness said that she rinsed out one of the glasses on the table to give the deceased the water.
[9] Evidence of Katherine White, barmaid; W. Marton, gardener; J. Kendal, waiter at the Jerusalem Coffee-house; H. Crapp, clerk G. W. Railway, Slough; G. Lewis, postboy at Salthill; R. Roberts, innkeeper, Slough; C. Wibberts, guard of G. W. R.; Weymouth, a plumber; E. J. Howell, superintendent of Slough station; Rev. E. T. Champneys T. Holman, constable, of Farnham-Royal.
[10] At the inquest, this witness, speaking of the results of the chemical analysis, said:—“It may not have been prussic acid, but in conjunction with some salt nearly allied to it. I do not think it was administered by itself but in some liquid. The salts of prussic acid have not the same pungent peculiar odour as prussic acid itself. They would produce death, but he could not say how quickly.” Mr. Norblad, on the same occasion, suggested that one of the salts into the composition of which prussic acid enters, might have been given; “that cyanide of potassium, the salt to which he referred, would cause death in from two seconds to a quarter of an hour, according to the amount given.” At the time of the inquest it was not known that the prisoner had bought of Thomas, Scheele’s solution of prussic acid. On the properties of the various kinds of these salts, see Mr. Stewart’s remarks, pp. 73-77.
[11] Doubtful. C. G. S.