42 Report of the Chemical Examiner to Government. 



poisons have been more resorted to, from its being known to Ha- 

 keems and native druggists, that while minute traces of any mineral 

 poison can be unerringly discovered, the greater number of vegetable 

 substances defy analysis and identification after administration, in the 

 present state of chemical science. Some check might nevertheless 

 be put to the amount of murder committed in this way, unknown 

 and unrecorded, by a legislative enactment punishing all venders of 

 drugs, in whose possession well-known and deadly poisons are found ; 

 for although they are occasionally used in the native treatment of 

 disease, the greater quantity is purchased by dacoits and vagabonds 

 of all kinds, upon the persons of many of whom they are frequently 

 discovered when apprehended and brought to trial. 



This subject is therefore prominently noticed, from a conviction that 

 much good would result, and the class of professional poisoners be 

 discovered and punished, if the possession of poisons and open sale 

 of them were interdicted, and rendered the offenders liable to fine or 

 imprisonment. 



Case 1st. — A case in which death occurred from the administra- 

 tion of arsenic, — sent for examination by Mr. Wheatly, 1st Junior 

 Assistant, Seoni Office. The poison was present in large quantity, 

 and the death certified to have been produced by its exhibition. 



Case 2nd. — A case which occurred at Gya, — forwarded by Mr. E. 

 Drummond. The stomach and intestines were examined and found 

 to contain a quantity of the yellow sulphuret of arsenic, more than 

 sufficient to have caused death. 



Case 3rd. — A bottle of brandy, in which, a resident of Calcutta 

 imagined some poison had been introduced. None was discovered, 

 nor was there reason to believe, that any thing, but stimulating aro- 

 matic substances were present. 



Case 4th. — A portion of a stomach and its contents, — sent from 

 Ghazeepore, in which death had resulted from some substance mixed 

 with suttoo, which had been eaten by the deceased. It was found 

 to contain arsenious acid. 



