282 
MISCELLANEA. 
and essential oil of almonds, professedly for a customer. The articles were placed on 
the counter to be called for, and were supposed to have been taken away by Hunt. The 
jury returned a verdict of fdo de se, by a majority of twelve to three. The body was 
accordingly buried at night, without any burial service. 
The inquest on the bodies of the woman and two children, held at the hospital before 
Dr. Lankester, was adjourned to Monday, November 16th, when the joint reports of Drs. 
Randall and Matthiessen were read. The matters subjected to analysis were contained 
in four jars, and consisted of the contents of all three stomachs, and certain other por¬ 
tions of the bodies, in all of which prussic acid was detected; from the small quan¬ 
tity of potash found in the contents of the stomachs on incineration, it appeared clear 
that cyanide of potassium had not been used. With reference to the question as to 
whether the prussic acid was given with the porter, two drachms of prussic acid of the 
pharmacopoeia strength were added to a pint of porter, and it was found that its presence 
could not be detected either by the taste or smell. The jury returned the following ver¬ 
dict—“ That Mary Ann Hunt was found dead in a cab on Saturday night, from the 
effects of prussic acid, and that the prussic acid was administered to her maliciously and 
with intent to take away her life, by Samuel William Hunt.” The same verdict was 
returned in the case of the two children. 
Accidental Poisoning by Essential Oil of Almonds.—An inquest has been 
held by Mr. William Carter, the coroner for East Surrey, at Lambeth Workhouse, on 
the body of Sarah Taylor, aged GO, a cook in the service of a Mrs. Carlin, of Grove 
Place, Brixton. From the evidence given by the coachman (Joseph Hines), it appeared 
that while removing some bottles out of the cupboard of the old house to the new one, 
the cook brought one bottle to him, and said, “ What is this in this bottle ? ” He looked 
at the bottle, upon which was pasted a large written label, “ Essential Oil of Bitter 
Almonds—Poison.” He left her, and went upstairs to assist a woman taking down 
some curtains, and upon his returning downstairs he found the cook leaning over the 
sink and vomiting. He called for assistance, and supported her in his arms, and then 
laid her on the floor. He at once sent for medical advice. Three medical men arrived 
at the same time, and after attending three or four hours, during which time she was 
insensible, they had her removed to the infirmary of the Lambeth Workhouse, where 
she was attended by Mr. Bullen, the medical officer, who did all that was possible for 
her, but she died in fifteen hours after her reception into the workhouse. 
Miss Carlin stated that on the day in question, in clearing the bottles out of a cup¬ 
board, there was found another cupboard behind, in which was a pint bottle containing 
the essential oil of almonds,* used for flavouring pastry; and judging from the quantity 
deficient in the bottle, she thought the deceased must have drank about half a cupful 
of the essence. Her opinion was that the deceased had no intention of committing 
suicide, but that having tasted it, and finding it pleasant, had swallowed enough to 
destroy life. 
The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death, from taking essential oil of bitter 
almonds without any intention of destroying life.” 
Death from Phosphorus. —On Wednesday, November 18th, an inquest was held 
by Dr. Lancaster, at the Bank of England Tavern, Cambridge Place, Paddington, rela¬ 
tive to the death of John Rogerson, aged 15. The deceased, it appeared, was errand-boy 
to a fishmonger, and on Wednesday afternoon last as he and another boy named Bernard 
■were passing through Porchester Square, opposite Mr. Ashford’s, the chemist’s, they saw 
some yellow stuff lying in the gutter: it looked like sugar-candy. The boy Bernard 
picked it up, and found it smelt like lucifers. The deceased said it was sulphur, and 
that he would have it. Bernard gave deceased a piece of paper, in which he wrapped 
the substance. He then put it into his pocket, and went into his master’s shop. Soon 
afterwards deceased went out again with the basket, and when in Westbourne Place he 
cried out, “ I am on fire.” A crossing-sweeper, hearing his cries and seeing his clothes 
smoking, ran to him, and he and another man succeeded in putting out the fire. In 
doing so, however, something flew about, a portion of which fell on the sweeper’s 
finger and blistered it. The basket was also burnt in several places. The deceased 
* Probably essence of almonds, as it is net likely that so large a quantity of the essential 
oil would be kept in a private house. , 
