430 
A SUSPICIOUS CASE OF SUDDEN DEATH. 
brain, all tended to confirm my supposition, especially when #e 
consider that the animal had been in a state of rest, and lived on 
low diet for nearly a month previously. With this impression 
l brought with me a portion of the stomach and intestines, and 
with the assistance of an intimate friend (who is a medical man) 
I tested the contents of both. 
After numerous experiments, we obtained the apparent pre- 
cipitates of arsenic ; but, from our imperfect chemical apparatus, 
not being able to extract all the vegetable matter from the solu- 
tion, it appeared probable that this was the cause of the preci- 
pitates which we obtained, and not the presence of arsenic. 
For our better satisfaction, a portion of the solution was sent to 
Professor Cooper, who carefully analysed it, and assured us that 
it contained no mineral poison. An acid was found in the solu- 
tion, but it proved to be a compound of the muriatic and acetic 
acids, the former always existing in the stomach and intestines, 
and the latter arising from the vegetable matter. 
The subject of poisons being so little known, and the dif- 
ficulty of analysing the contents correctly, owing to the presence 
of the vegetable matter in our patients, causes me to lay before 
you the above remarks, trusting that your opinion will more 
clearly prove the fact, as to the true cause of death. 
[That this animal died of poison, in our opinion scarcely admits 
of doubt, but the nature of the poison does not appear. • There is a 
great deal of diabolical work going forward in the stables of the 
farmer, and the gentleman too : perhaps not wilful destruction 
of life, but the determined exhibition of vegetable substances and 
mineral acids, for some absurd purpose connected with condition 
or the expulsion of worms. Several of our readers, in country 
places, connect the general sale of drugs with their veterinary 
practice ; and we happen to know of four or five, who are retail 
chemists, without much pretension to veterinary science, and they 
take The Veterinarian to glean from it a little useful know- 
ledge. If they would favour us with a sketch of the proceed- 
ings of grooms, and of carters more than grooms, in the wanton 
yet unintentional poisoning of their masters’ cattle, they would 
confer on us, and on the public, much obligation. We have 
been much misinformed, if a case would not be made out that 
would imperatively call for legislative interference. Their names, 
if they wished it, should never be disclosed, although to us their 
