The body was very plump, and filled out with adipose deposit. There were no evidences of congestion of the brain, nor of effusion; the membranes were natural. The ventricles contained no fluid. The structure of the brain was normal, except, perhaps, that the thalami optici were slightly softer and more red than is common: there was a difference of opinion on this point; the medulla, the pons Varolii, and the cerebellum, were all quite healthy.

In the sinuses were found separations of fibrine. There was a small separation in the straight sinus; and the lateral sinuses, filled in their posterior third with fluid blood, contained in their remaining course fibrinous casts.

There was no evidence of thoracic effusion; but the pericardial cavity contained half an ounce of serum, which on exposure to the air did not coagulate. The pericardial membrane itself was quite healthy. The heart was pale, with a greenish tinge derived from commencing decomposition; on its outer surface it was largely loaded with fat; there was no congestion of the external vessels; the right cavities contained very frothy fluid blood. In the right auricle there was a dark gelatinous clot, which, extending into the ventricle, sent prolongations into the pulmonary artery; this clot was soft, and, when it was cut into, serum exuded from it. The walls of the right ventricle were attenuated to the last degree; they were not thicker in parts than cartridge-paper, and, when held up to the light, showed points where a faint transparence was discernible; the structures

throughout were deeply stained with blood; the ventricular and semilunar valves were quite natural. The walls of the left ventricle were thin and pale; the surface cut greasily; there was in the left cavities a little fluid blood: the mitral valve was abnormal; its segments were charged with prominent points, indicating the deposit of atheromatous matter, and between the layers of endocardium the aortic valves were thickened at their bases, and were large and loose. The aorta, free from atheroma, was deeply blood-stained.

The right lung was greatly congested at its inferior part; its upper lobe was dark and very soft, almost pulpy in structure. The structure of the left lung was partly softened, partly solidified; the lower lobe was condensed, and gave out on incision an exudative fluid, unmixed with air; the upper lobe was softened, almost pulpy, and stained with dark blood. There were no pleuritic adhesions.

The liver was generally enlarged, and pale; some bands of softened fibrine connected the organ with the diaphragm by loose adhesions. The tissue was greasy, and so light that it floated in water; microscopically, it proved to have undergone general fatty destruction. The gall-bladder was empty; the duct was free. The peritoneal membrane showed no mark of inflammatory lesion, past or recent. The mucous membrane of the alimentary canal was examined from the mouth to the anus. The gums were of a dead leaden colour and spongy, and the teeth were dark (we attributed these changes to recent

mercurialism); the tongue was white and soft. From the pharynx, the mucous membrane was pale throughout, and showed no mark of vascularity, nor of abrasion. The mucous membrane of the cæcum was darker in shade than the other portions of the tract; but, on inquiry, this was found to depend on submucous pigmentary deposit. The stomach was empty; the remainder of the intestinal mucous surface was lined with a thin mucus; the canal contained scarcely any fæcal matter.

The spleen, which had a broad adhesion to the diaphragm, was soft to absolute pulpiness. The kidneys were large, flabby, pale, speckled, soft, and greasy. The uterus was adherent to the rectum; the os was ulcerated. The bladder was empty and contracted; its mucous surface was tinged red, but there was no sign of abrasion.

After the autopsy there were submitted to me for analysis the following:

Two bottles supplied by the druggist, one purporting to be a mixture containing quinine, the other a draught containing ipecacuan. I had, further, from the deceased woman's body a portion of the liver, one kidney, a portion of the heart, one ounce of blood, and three drachms of the mucus collected from the alimentary canal.

It is sufficient for me to say, in regard to all these substances, that the most careful analysis did not even supply a suspicion of the presence of any mineral poison, nor of opium, nor of hydrocyanic acid, nor of strychnia. Even mercury, which we assumed from

the state of the mouth had been recently taken, did not show itself. It is but fair to say, however, that I could gain no direct information on the question whether the assumption of a recent mercurial course was founded on fact.

From the evidence gathered from all the above inquiries, my colleagues and myself found an unanimous opinion that the deceased woman had had no poison administered to her; but that with a heart nearly worn out, diseased kidneys, such as we had seen, and suppression of urine for a long time before death, she had sunk under typhoid uræmia. I gave evidence to this effect at the inquest, and the jury returned a verdict in accordance with the evidence.*

A gentleman, sixty-three years old, was driving in

* I cannot avoid noticing that, in this painful case, all confliction of medical witnesses was removed by the mode in which the post mortem inquiry was conducted. The anatomical part was ably carried out by Mr. Miles; the judicial by Mr. Callender and myself, Mr. Marshall aiding with his opinion. We agreed, before any step was taken, to take notes on the state of every organ, and, as each organ was exposed, to determine amongst ourselves its exact condition. Practically, we found this the easiest thing in the world; and, had the case gone on to an assize trial, and had Mr. Callender been called to the defence, he could not on matter of fact have given evidence differing from mine, nor I from that given by him.

I was never more relieved than in feeling that the suspected druggist had (as every suspected man ought to have, by right rather than by courtesy) the benefit of an able observer on his side from the commencement of the inquiry; and I have since made it a rule never to conduct a post mortem examination in a doubtful case, without the presence of another professional man, who should be claimed by the opposite side. If this plan were universally adopted, there would be no more unseemly exhibitions of professional disputes in our courts of law.

an open chaise through the village of Mortlake, in 1853; he was observed by his servant, who was by his side, to be constantly drowsy; at last he suddenly seemed to fall into a helpless state, and dropped from the chaise. He was conveyed into a house, and I was summoned. I found him suffering from all the signs of a narcotic poison; the pupils were fixed and slightly dilated. I did not see danger of instant death, and therefore sent for a conveyance that would hold a mattress. I laid the patient down in this, and myself took him to his home, two miles distant, placed him in bed, and watched and treated him until his own medical man, whom I at once sent for, arrived. I suspected this case to be one of uræmic poisoning; and from what I learned from the friends, I became better advised in the same view; but to satisfy myself I drew off some urine from the bladder and tested it it was largely charged with albumen. Having resigned the care of the patient after a few hours to the medical attendant of the family, I had no personal opportunity of tracing its progress; but I learned that the patient recovered from the attack, which had commenced as above narrated; that three weeks later he suffered again in a similar manner, and died with typhoid coma, the urine being altogether suppressed for many hours before death, and having throughout the whole of the illness been albuminous.

In 1847 I was assisting a country medical friend, for a few months. One morning I went to see