It is your opinion that if that were of an epileptic character—then what follows?—The intermission from the Monday night would be considered important, as epilepsy seizures very often recur about the same hours, as I have seen them.
Assuming that a man was in such an excitable state of mind that he was silent for two or three minutes after his horse winning a race, that he exposed himself to cold and damp, that he excited his brain by drinking, and he was attacked by violent vomiting, and after his death gritty granules were found in the neighbourhood of his spine, could not, in the present instance, such a death as it was arise from these causes?—Any of these causes might aggravate or hurry it.
You say any one of those causes?—Might cause it.
Cross-examined by the Attorney-General—I am a general practitioner at Garnkirk, near Glasgow, general surgeon to the ironworks, and parochial medical officer. I have had personal experience of two cases of idiopathic tetanus—this one I have recorded and another.
What you have been telling us about mental excitement, sensual excitement, is not within your own observation?—This case might have arisen from those causes.
Have you any reason to think it did?—I have no reason to do so.
Then do not tell us what it might have done. Now, in the case of Catherine Wilson?—I saw her about half-past ten at night. She had been ill very nearly an hour before I saw her. She had convulsions. She had gone about her usual duties up to the evening. She felt a slight lassitude previous to that time. It was only by close pressing that she could call it to mind. The lockjaw, I think, came on in an hour or two; I could not be positive.
In the other case, of Mr. Copeland?—It was a young child between three and four months old.
Was that the person of the name of Copeland?—Yes.
What was the matter with the child?—I saw it in good health half an hour before the attack came on. It had an attack of convulsions and opisthotonos. I rode away from the house, and they supposed I had not gone a couple of miles when it died.