Cross-examined by the Attorney-General—I am neither a member of the College of Physicians nor of the College of Surgeons. I do not now carry on business in the medical line, but have done so in general practice for not more than two or three years. I have destroyed about fifty animals by strychnia, some within the last two months. I have never given more than a grain. In recent cases I have always administered the poison in a solid form—sometimes made into a pill with bread, and at other times put on the tongue of the animal. In one case I gave it under very disadvantageous circumstances; the dog had had a very hearty meal, and it was kneaded up into a hard mass with some bread, and it took three-quarters of an hour before the action came on. There was one other case which took about half an hour, but the poison, half a grain, was not given in sufficient quantity. We gave it another dose, which acted in about ten minutes.
Dr. Nunneley describes the symptoms—first, a desire to be still, then a difficulty in breathing, a slobbering of the mouth, twitching of the ears, trembling of the muscles, and, after that, convulsions; did you observe all these?—I cannot say all of them in that order. There is an excitement manifested in the animal, an indisposition to touch, and trembling on being touched.
I am speaking of the symptoms before the convulsions. The touching, did that occasion a tremulous action of the muscles?—Yes, I have noticed that.
Have they come on in regular order?—No, I think not. There are some little variations.
After the convulsions have once commenced, is there an interval?—Yes. A breath, a sound, or a touch will cause a recurrence of the convulsive symptoms after they have been seized. This does not apply where the animal dies in the first paroxysm, and I have known many cases where an animal has so died.
You mentioned a distinctive feature in this case of Cook. You were surprised at his manifesting so much power as to be able to sit up in bed and ring the bell. Are you aware that that was at the commencement, before any of the convulsive symptoms had set in?—Yes, I apprehend that was at the onset or beginning of the paroxysm.
Do you know that he sat up in bed and rang the bell, and it was not till Palmer had been and had gone back and brought the pills that the convulsions came on?—Yes, I do; and I have noticed in animals that the mere touch sends them into convulsions, and they show an indisposition to move.
In the case of the lady who died near Romsey, did you hear what the maid said, that she discovered, when her mistress’ bell rang violently, that she had got out of bed and was sitting on the floor?—It struck me as inconsistent with what I have seen. I have no doubt that was a death from strychnia.
If that evidence be true, and it is a fact that she got up and rang her bell, does not that shake your faith?—No, it does not. You must compare it with what I have seen. Both are irreconcilable with what I have seen.
H. Letheby