Sir R Ghristison. 269 



Professor Christisou took a deep interest in poisons, as 

 shown in his published volume, and he made many 

 experiments on their action and preparation. He some- 

 times went too far in making experiments on himself, of 

 which the following occurrence, in reference to tlie Cala- 

 bar bean {Physostigma) , furnishes a remarkable instance. 

 In the course of some experiments which he was making 

 on this bean, not at that time ascertained to be poisonous, 

 he brought home with him a piece of a bean, and finding 

 it to be neither bitter nor acrid, he chewed a considerable 

 portion. Soon, however, symptoms of poisoning came on, 

 he immediately emptied his stomach by swallowing his 

 shaving water, and he was only with difficulty saved by 

 remedies applied by his friends Professors Simpson and 

 Maclagan. 



He was summoned as a scientific witness in the trials 

 of Burke and Hare in Edinburgh, in that of Palmer in 

 London, and, indeed, for many years in all important 

 criminal cases of poisonmg. In referring to such trials, 

 the Lord Justice-General stated that Dr Ghristison was, 

 perhaps, the only man he had ever met with in open court 

 who refused to be brow-beaten by counsel endeavouring to 

 undermine his evidence. 



In 1861 Ghristison was elected Gaptain of the Uni- 

 versity Volunteer Corps. At the celebration of his 

 professorial jubilee in 1872, his corps presented their 

 chief with a valuable sword, at the same time em- 

 phasising the watchful care with which he had discharged 

 his regimental duties, and his constant supervision of the 

 drill. 



Sir Eobert was fond of music, and Sir Herbert Oakeley 

 has well shown the opinion he entertained of Christison's 

 musical tastes, in publicly speaking of the great loss 

 which his decease had caused to Edinburgh, and especially 

 to its University Musical Society. 



As for myself, I cannot speak sufficiently of the happy 

 days I have spent with him in the Botanic Garden. I 

 have lost one who was also a kind physician to me during 

 illness. Eeqidescat in pace. 



Within little more than twelve months we have had 

 to lament the loss of three important medical men in 



