364 
PROFESSOR OWEN 
CH. XI. 
Owen thought ‘ of the state of her brain and mind 
under the miserable circumstances in which she 
buried her infant alive.’ 
The diary has this entry on the subject ; ‘ R. 
wrote to Sir George Grey stating his opinion that 
the poor creature was certainly not in her right 
senses, from pain, and exposure to bad weather for 
twenty hours, and that she was therefore not to 
be considered as a wilful criminal. It was a very 
strong letter. The next day R. went to the Home 
Office, where he was told that his letter had created 
a strong feeling in the mind of Sir George Grey, 
who had come to the office at 1 1 o’clock at night 
after receiving the letter, and had routed them 
up in order to get a reprieve prepared and sent 
off at once.’ 
Amongst other evils which Owen was anxious 
to abolish was the window tax, which had not yet 
been repealed. It was anticipated that considerable 
difficulty would be felt in obtaining conclusive 
evidence that light and air were essential to health, 
as the following letter from Mr. Edwin Chadwick 
will show ; — 
Edwin Chadwick to R. Owen 
‘ Dear Owen, — It is expected that there will be 
a sharp fight to retain the window tax, and I am 
asked by the Chancellor of the Exchequer for 
physiological or medical dicta as to the effects of 
the exclusion of light upon the health of the 
