H. Letheby
Supposing a person had taken strychnia eight or ten days before, and that he died of strychnia poison, should you be able positively to say that you could detect it?—I do say so positively. I have never failed. In the post-mortem examinations I have always found the right side of the heart full of blood. The reason for that is that the death takes place by the fixing of the muscles of the chest in spasm. In my opinion this is invariably so. At that time the blood is unable to pass through the lungs, and the heart cannot relieve itself of the blood that is flowing into it. It therefore becomes gorged. I have also observed that the lungs are congested, filled with blood.
Do you agree in the opinion of Dr. Taylor that where strychnia is administered as a sort of pill or bolus it kills from about six to eleven minutes?—It may do so. I do not say it would always. I agree with him that the jaws are spasmodically closed, and also that the slightest noise reproduces another convulsive paroxysm. I do not agree with Dr. Taylor that the colouring tests for the discovery of strychnia are fallacious. They always succeeded with me.
Dr. Taylor has given as a reason for the non-finding of the strychnia that it is absorbed into the blood and becomes changed?—I agree with its absorption, but I do not agree with its being changed.
Have you turned your attention to the theory that strychnia is decomposed after the poisoning?—I have examined the tissues of the body and I have found it; and my opinion is that it is not changed so as not to be discoverable.
Supposing the contents were put into a jar and jumbled up with the intestines and a portion of the stomach, would that prevent the discovery of strychnia?—It would not.
Supposing that all the contents of the stomach were lost, ought the mucous membrane, in the ordinary course of things, to exhibit traces of strychnia?—I think so.
I have also studied the poison of antimony.
Supposing a quantity of antimony were placed in some brandy and water, and it was drunk off at a sudden gulp, would the immediate effect of that be to burn the throat, or anything of that kind?—No. Not in the form of tartar emetic.
H. Letheby