MISCELLANEA. 
535 
■her husband. A post-mortem examination of the body showed some injuries, but it was 
thought desirable that an analysis of the contents of the stomach should be made. Dr. 
Letheby, who made the analysis said, that morphia was found in large quantity, and 
other medical evidence was given to the effect that death had resulted from taking that 
drug. The husband was called, who denied ever ill-using his wife; he said, she was 
addicted to taking morphia. The verdict returned was, that deceased died from taking 
an overdose of morphia, which she was in the habit of taking to lull pain. 
Adulterated Limejuice. —On Tuesday evening, February 27, Mr. C. J. Carttar, 
coroner for Kent, resumed and concluded, at the Beehive Tavern, Bridge Street, Green¬ 
wich, an inquiry relative to the death from scurvy of Henry Griffiths, one of the crew of 
the ‘St. Andrew’s Castle.’ Samples of the limejuice supplied to the ship were handed 
round to the jury, and practical men pronounced it to be of good quality. Several of 
the crew were now examined, and they spoke well of the provisions on board, which 
were above the average quality. With respect to the limejuice, they stated it was ex¬ 
cellent, and better by far than that usually served out on board ships. Dr. Henry 
Leach, medical officer on board the ‘ Dreadnought,’ said that the cases of scurvy brought 
under his care on the 16th ult. from on board the ‘ St. Andrew’s Castle ’ were the worst 
he had ever seen. The man Griffiths died the next day. He had analysed some of 
the so-called limejuice from on board that ship. He was assisted by a chemist of high 
standing. They found that the fluid was not limejuice at all. It was either citric acid 
and water or weak lemon juice and water, but they believed that it was merely citric acid 
and water. The mixture was quite inert and useless as an anti-scorbutic. If mariners 
had good limejuice on board ship, and if it were taken regularly, 80 per cent, of the 
cases of scurvy which occurred would never take place. The jury returned a verdict— 
“That thefdeceased died from scurvy ; and the jury further say that the juice shipped 
on board the ‘ St. Andrew’s Castle ’ was a chemical decoction perfectly useless as a pre¬ 
ventive of scurvy.” The coroner said the case of this ship would be brought under the 
notice of the House of Commons. 
A Flock of Sheep Poisoned.— The ‘ South-Eastern Gazette ’ records the follow¬ 
ing case of a number of sheep being poisoned from eating a shrub known as Ancho- 
meda floribunda , brought from North America. It appears that a short time ago the 
o-ates leading into the pleasure-grounds of Mrs. Deacon, of Mapledon, were left open, 
and thirty-eight sheep, which were grazing in a meadow near, strayed into the pleasure- 
grounds, and while there ate of this shrub. Mr. Hewitt, the bailiff to Mrs. Deacon, at 
once treated the sheep, thirty-seven of which showed symptoms of poisoning, and then 
called on Dr. Gregory, and under their united treatment nineteen of them recovered. 
Alleged Death from Opium.— An inquiry has been held at South Stockton, 
before J. C. Sowerby, Esq., respecting the death of an infant, aged three months, who, 
it was said, had died from the effects of an overdose of opium. It appeared from the 
evidence that the child suffered from bronchitis, and had been attended by Mr. Laidler, 
surgeon, but subsequently had been seen by Mr. Dixon, assistant to Dr. Farquharson, 
who prescribed a mixture and some powders ; a dose of the mixture was given by the 
mother, and then one of the powders, two or three hours after which the child was con¬ 
vulsed, and died the next day. A post mortem examination was made by Mr. E H. 
Trotter, surgeon, from which it appeared that death was caused by congestion of the 
brain. The Coroner said that as no analysis of the remaining medicine and powders 
had been made, there was no evidence to show the exact quantity of opium they con¬ 
tained. The jury, after consulting together, came to the following decision r- Fhe 
jury are of opinion that deceased died by congestion of the brain, but whether it has 
been caused by bronchitis or is the result of an overdose, of opium, there is no evi- 
dence to show/’ Dr. Farquharson thanked the jury for giving Mr. Dixon the benefit 
- of the doubt. , „ 
Prohibition of the use of the Polish Language by Chemists in Russia. 
—The ‘ Invalide Russe,’ of the 21st of December, publishes a circular from General 
Bezak, the Governor-General of Kieff, to the commanders of districts, in which it is 
stated that it has come to his knowledge that in some districts in his Government the 
books and accounts of chemists are kept in the Polish language, and that physicians even 
those who are in the service of the State, use the Polish language in their prescriptions, 
for the addresses of their patients, and the directions for applying remedies, lhe cir¬ 
cular then instructs the local commanders to give notice to all chemists and dispensers of 
