74 
TRIAL OF DR. PRITCHARD, 
oovery of antimony, I requested Dr. Gamgee, in conjunction with Dr. Littlejohn, to cany 
on the following preliminary process in my absence. The whole contents of the mtes 
tines were evaporated to dryness on a water bath, so as to obtain a solid residue ; one- 
half of this residue was digested with water acidulated with tartaric acid, and filtered, oy 
which a solution measuring two ounces and five drachms was obtained, in which any an¬ 
timony present in the intestines would be found. One ounce of this fluid was subjected 
to a stream of sulphuretted hydrogen gas. and the orange-yellow precipitate which formed 
-was collected on a filter and washed. This precipitate, and the remainder of the tartaric 
acid solution, were reserved for my examination on my return to Edinburgh on the 
March. I then subjected these materials to the following examination, i lie orange- 
yellow precipitate was boiled in a tube witbrpure hydrochloric acid, and the solution thus, 
obtained was mixed with water, when a white precipitate formed. 4 he fluid containing 
this precipitate -was again subjected to a stream of sulphuretted hydrogen gas, and again 
gave a deposit of an orange-yellow colour. One fluid drachm of the tartaric acid solu¬ 
tion was treated by Reinsch’s method, and another fluid drachm was treated by Marsh s 
process. By each of these well-known methods, and thus operating upon a quantity ot 
fluid corresponding to a forty-second part of the contents of the intestines,. I obtained 
unequivocal evidence of the presence of antimony. By digesting a small quantity of the 
dried residue of the intestinal contents with distilled water, filtering and subjecting ne 
filtrate to Reinsch’s process, I readily ascertained that the antimony was here present in 
the form of a compound soluble in water. There are only two preparations of antimony 
occurring in commerce which are soluble in water; the one of these, the chloride, is a 
strongly acid, dark brown, corrosive fluid, totally unsuited for internal administration; 
the other is what is known scientifically as tartarized antimony, and popularly as tartar 
emetic, a colourless substance, possessed of comparatively little taste, and in daily use as 
a medicinal agent. I have no doubt, and shall assume in the following statements, that 
the antimony found in Mrs. Pritchard’s body was taken in this form. Ihe remainder ot 
the acid solution, amounting to one ounce and three drachms, was subjected to a process 
intended to determine the quantity of antimony present in the contents of the intestines ; 
but though the presence of this metal was determined with the greatest facility, 1 found 
that the amount yielded by the materials which I used was too small to enable me to 
weigh it with sufficient accuracy. I also made an experiment with the contents of the 
intestines, directed towards the discovery of vegetable poisons. It is sufficient on tins 
subject to say, that the result was entirely negative. I then subjected to analysis the 
following fliuds and solids removed from the body of Mrs. Pritchard. 
“ 1. Contents of the Stomach .—These amounted to little more than half an ounce, and 
were free from all odour of any poisonous drug. They were subjected, in the first place, 
to what is known as ‘Stas’s process,’ for the separation of vegetaole poisons, but not a 
trace of any of these was detected. The whole residues of this operation weie presei\ec. 
and-subiected to examination for antimony, but none was found. 
“ 2. The Urine .—The presence of antimony having been already ascertained in this se¬ 
cretion, the remainder, amounting to soven ounces, was employed to determine its quan¬ 
tity. The process followed here was a well-known one, by which the antimony is ob¬ 
tained in the form of sulphuret, after destroying the organic matter by me^ns of hydro¬ 
chloric acid and chlorate of potash. The quantity of sulphuret was readily weighed and 
found to be rather more than one-tenth of a grain (0T078 grain). Phis corresponds uo 
nearly one-fourth of a grain ( - 218 grain) of tartar emetic. , 
« 3. The Bile .—A little more than half an ounce of this fluid was obtained troni the 
gall-bladder. By Reinsch’s process fifty minims readily gave an antimonial deposit. The 
remainder of the bile, amounting to four drachms, was used to determine the amount of 
antimony in it, and it yielded sulphuret of antimony, corresponding to more than one- 
tenth of a grain (0T21 grain) of tartar emetic. 
4 . The Blood.— The total quantity was six and a half ounces. One ounce was sub¬ 
jected to Reinsch’s process, and readily gave evidence of the presence of antimony. 
« 5. The Liver .—The weight of this organ was found to be thirty-six ounces, a portion 
weighing less than four ounces (14G0 grains) was subjected to Reinsch s piocess, and a 
sufficient amount of antimony was found to coat rather more than four squat e inches of 
copper foil. Although the existence in the liver of an abundance of antimony was to my 
mind satisfactorily established by the appearance of the coated coppei foil, I deemed it 
right to employ a portion of the product thus obtained for confirming, by another test, 
