78 
TRIAL OF OR. PRITCHARD. 
tained by evaporation, to his tongue, when it produced the tingling and benumbing 
sensation characteristic of aconite. A further portion was treated with ammonia and 
diluted hydrochloric acid, on the evaporation of which it produced the same sensations 
strongly and distinctly. He bad added 10 per cent, of Fleming’s tincture of aconite to 
Battley’s solution, which produced the same sensations very much stronger. He con¬ 
cluded that the solution given to him for examination contained more than 5 and less 
than 10 per cent, of tincture of aconite. Witness then described a series of experiments 
made by him on rabbits with Battley’s solution, as purchased by him in various places 
in Glasgow and London, with the solution with tincture of aconite added by himself, 
and with the mixture under investigation. The various preparations had been injected 
under the skin of the back of the rabbits, between the skin and the muscles. With 
the genuine Battley the rabbits assumed a prone position, resting on the belly and 
chest, and the head invariably resting on the ground. The fore legs were either 
sprawling or gathered under the body, the hind legs lying extended sideways; 
the eyes remained open, and the pupils were natural and not contracted. The breath¬ 
ing was invariably gentle; no cries were uttered; no convulsions or spasms of the 
body were apparent. There was a complete condition of inanity, and with the excep¬ 
tion of the open state of the eyes, the animals seemed to be in a state of perfect sleep. 
In this state the animals remained for several hours, and then gradually recovered. The 
effects produced upon the animals by Battley’s solution containing aconite presented a 
striking contrast to the syunptoms resulting from pure Battley. Soon after the injection 
the animal became restless and uneasy, and then began to crouch, resting on its flank, 
the hind legs extended laterally, and keeping its head erect. It next assumed the sitting 
posture in an attitude of watchful expectancy, and commenced to twitch its lips and 
move its jaws as if chewing. Suddenly it staggered and reeled over, quickly regaining 
its feet; saliva began to flow from the mouth, and soon after piteous and peculiar 
choking cries were emitted. The head was retracted, and the breathing was painfully 
laborious. Convulsions now set in, followed by intervals during which the limbs were 
quite relaxed, and the animal lay helpless on its side. Frantic leaps were now fre¬ 
quently taken. A state of utter prostration then occurred, variable in duration, and 
then a strong convulsion came on, during which, or immediately after, the animal ex¬ 
pired, the limbs becoming instantly relaxed. The results produced by this bottle cor¬ 
responded in every respect with the effects produced by the above mixture, and were so 
closely similar that it was impossible to detect any essential diflerence in them. In the 
case of the small rabbits the experiments were made at the same time, and without 
knowing beforehand it would not have been possible to distinguish the animal under the 
influence of this Battley from the one under the influence of the mixture of Battley and 
the aconite. These results left no doubt in his mind, joined with the sensations, that 
that bottle contained aconite. All the other experiments, which were numerous and 
varied, confirmed these results. 
In cross- examination Dr. Penny stated that results similar to that produced by anti¬ 
mony under Reinsch’s process might be produced by oily matters, but that he would 
never be satisfied to stop short with that process. In re-examination, he stated that the 
experiments with the rabbits had been repeated in Edinburgh, in presence of Drs. Mac- 
lagan and Littlejohn, with precisely similar results. So far as he could say, the mixture 
under examination differed only from the genuine Battley in the presence of antimony 
and aconite. 
At this stage, the scientific witnesses, who had been present to hear the circumstantial 
evidence and the medical reports, were requested to leave the court, as those witnesses 
were now to be examined on matters of opinion. 
Dr. Penny’s examination was then resumed.—He stated that the symptoms described 
as shown by Mrs. Taylor corresponded with the action of tartarized antimony as known 
to him from study. The powders stated by Dr. Paterson as prescribed by him, and 
which con ained calomel, accounted for the traces of mercury found in the analysis. 
I he symptoms shown by Mrs. Pritchard also corresponded with those arising from 
antimony. 
Dr. Douglas Maclagan recalled, and shown his chemical report on Mrs. Pritchard’s 
case, said his better acquaintance with the case confirmed the conclusions there stated. 
I he symptoms suggested the administration of antimony at an early period of the ill¬ 
ness. Most probably the administration of antimony had been going on the whole time 
