Kidd V. Royal Agricultural Society of England. 611 
Q. If half-a-dozen cows went into a clover-field at a time, would you expect 
ithem all to suffer more or less according to the quantity they took? — A. Cer- 
tainly I should. 
Q. We have heard of the condition of the cattle at Airmyn Pastures, and of 
;he cattle which took 3 lbs. only at Sancton, not showing any signs of dis- 
;ase? — A. Yes. 
Q. Does that tend to confirm your opinion ? — A. It does. 
|, Q. 'You do not agree, then, of course, as I take it, with the suggested theory 
Sf there being any vegetable poison in the cake? — A. Most certainly not. 
Q. Have you anything to add upon this subject as to the reason for not 
iccepting the theory of the poisoning? — A. I think I see sufficient cause 
■rom what I have named. 1 think it is easily accounted for. It is well 
>cnown in the country that it matters not scarcely what kind of food you give 
'hem ; but cattle are subject to this distension when tresh food is given to them. 
If it is not given with the precaution of using small quantities at first. 
Q. We have heard of the cow in this case dyin<i in about three-quarters of 
a hour from the time that she took the food. Has that any importance in 
■our mind upon the question of whether she died from poisoning or from 
ympauitis produced by the cause you assign? — A. My imjjression is that the 
';ow died entirely from giving her the oil that we heard of. I firmly believe — 
t is my opinion — that that cow, when the oil was given to her, was not in a 
it state to receive anything of the sort. We hear that her tongue was very 
nuch protruded, and that she was swollen iip as far as possible ; it was 
•mpossible for her under these circumstances to receive this oil. I consider 
hat the oil went down the windpipe and caused the death of the animal — 
hat is my impression. 
Q. Your treatment would have been an instrument V — A. Immediately ; it 
vould have been the last thing I should have thought of to give anything in 
'he form of medicine in such a state of circumstances. 
' Q. Suppose a poison to be taken into the system of a cow, what time do you 
hink it would take to produce any results ? 
Mr. Justice Blackbukx : I do not think it was suggested that this was a 
ase of poisoning in that way, by taking it into the system. What was sug- 
■;ested on the part of the Defendants by Mr. Simonds was that something — he 
oes not pretend to say what — that something in ^he cake acted as a poison 
a .the nerves, paralysing temporarily the action of the stomach. That is 
•ery different from being taken into the system. 
^ Mr. Seymour : Well, I am glad, if your Lordship takes that view, to bo 
eUeved from combating that hypothesis. 
Mr. Justice Blackburn : You are attacking a thing that has not been set 
!.p : it has not been said that there was poison taken into the system — that 
as not been suggested. 
' Mr. Seymour : Not by Professor Simonds, but I certainly understood my 
-•iend to suggest it. However, I will not argue further with your Lordship 
Spon it. I am glad to be relieved from having to meet that theory. (To the 
'Vitness.) Now we will come to the other. Do you think that dodder or 
arnel, which we have heard of as being discovered under the microscope, could 
^isturb the action of the rumen so as to stop its peristaltic motion ? — A. My 
jnowledge is so slight on the subject I should not lilce to venture to give an 
pinion. I only know that dodder is used extensively as a food for the human 
abject. 
I' Q. You do know as a fact that it is used extensively as food ? — A. So I am 
bid. 
Q. Do you agree with Mr. Simonds in what he said, or is there, in your 
pinion, any foundation for attributing the death to any foreign cause other 
lau that you have mentioned? — A. I scarcely know how to answer tliat 
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