Re-examined.—“In making reports on cases such as that referred to (Leeds) we state ordinary appearances as well as extraordinary—facts without anything more.”
Mr. William Herapath, examined by Mr. Grove, Q. C.—“I am a professor of chemistry and toxicology at the Bristol Medical School—have studied chemistry for more than forty years—toxicology for thirty. Have experimented on strychnia; have seen no case of a human subject during life, but have examined a human body after death. In one case I examined the contents of the stomach, and found strychnia three days after death. I obtained evidence of strychnia by the colour tests in that case. I have experimented on animals for strychnia in eight or nine cases, and analysed the bodies in two cases where I destroyed the animals myself—both cats. I gave the first one grain of strychnia in a solid form. The animal took the poison at night, and I found it dead in the morning. It was dreadfully contorted and rigid, the limbs extended, the head turned round—not to the back, to the side—the eyes protruding and staring, the iris expanded so as to be almost invisible. I found strychnia in the urine which had been ejected, and also in the stomach, by the test I mentioned. I administered the same quantity of strychnia in a solid form to another cat. It remained very quiet for fifteen or twenty minutes, but seemed a little restless in the eyes and its breathing. In thirty-five minutes it had a terrible spasm, the extremities and the head being drawn together and the feet extended. I watched it for three hours. The first spasm lasted a minute or two. The saliva dropped from its mouth, and it forcibly ejected its urine. It had a second spasm a few minutes afterwards. It soon recovered and remained still, with the exception of a trembling all over. It continued in that state three hours. During two hours and a half it was in a very peculiar state. It appeared to be electrified all through; blowing upon it or touching the basket in which it was placed produced a kind of electric jump like a galvanic shock. I left it in three hours, thinking it would recover, but in the morning I found it dead, in the same indurated and contorted condition as the former animal. I examined the body thirty-six hours after death and found strychnia in the urine, in the stomach and in the upper intestine, in the liver, and in the blood of the heart. I have discovered strychnia in all other cases by the same tests, but I took extraordinary means to get rid of organic matter. In all cases in which strychnia has been given I have been able to find it, but not only strychnia, but the nux vomica from which it is taken. I have found nux vomica in a fox and other animals. The detection of nux vomica is more complicated than that of strychnia. In one case the animal had been buried two months. I have experimented with strychnia mixed purposely with organic putrefying matter. I have found it in all cases, whatever was the state of decomposition of the matter.”
Question.—“Are you of opinion that where strychnia has been taken in a sufficient dose to poison it can and ought to be discovered?”
Answer.—“Yes; unless the body has been completely decomposed—that is, unless decomposition had reduced it to a dry powder. I am of opinion, from the accounts given by Dr. Taylor and the other witnesses, that if it had existed in the body of Cook it ought to have been discovered. I am aware of no cause of error in the analysis, if the organic matter had been properly got rid of. The experiments I made were in Bristol. I have made experiments in London, and found strychnia in the stomach, liver, and blood of an animal.”
Cross-examined by the Attorney-General.—“I don’t profess to be a toxicologist. I have principally experimented on the stomach till lately. I tried my chemical process on the 8th of this month with a view to the present case. The experiment here was on a dog. I experimented on the tissues of a cat at Bristol, and a dog in London. I found strychnia in the blood, the heart, and the urine of the cat, besides the stomach. One grain was given to the dog. It was a large dog. I have seen a cat killed with a quarter of a grain.”
Question.—“Have you not said, that you had no doubt strychnia had been taken, but that Dr. Taylor had not gone the right way to find it?”
Answer.—“No; certainly not.”
Question.—“Have you not said it to the present Mayor of Bristol?”
Answer.—“I have said, if it was there Dr. Taylor ought to have found it.”