HORSES POISONED BY ARSENIC. 
89 
appearance of the carcases led to this belief. Some other 
sheep having, however, since died, as well as several pigs, and 
many others suffered in a most extraordinary manner, Mr. 
Singlehurst was led to believe that death had not been caused, 
as was at first supposed, by electricity ; and an investigation 
which has fully demonstrated the accuracy of this view was 
made. The whole number has been proved beyond doubt to 
have died from poison, but how administered is unknown. 
It has been stated in another journal that Mr. Singlehurst 
recently received from Liverpool, a quantity of broken rape 
cake for manure, and by some oversight or neglect this rape- 
cake, which is impregnated with mineral poison, had been 
mixed with the food given to the sheep and beasts upon the 
farm; but this is quite incorrect, the cake having been pur¬ 
chased by Mr. Singlehurst’s son, in Liverpool, and no poison 
having been in the same warehouse. The case, therefore, is 
involved in impenetrable mystery. Mr. Singlehurst has 
received a letter, bearing the London post-mark, expressing 
the writer’s joy at the loss, and wishing it may be doubled; 
but who the writer is, or what has prompted to this diabolical 
malice, is beyond all conception by the sufferer. 
HORSES POISONED BY ARSENIC. 
Mr. Taylor Pateman, farmer, of Uffington, near 
Stamford, has sustained a serious loss. His team of six 
horses has been invariably admired. To keep them in con¬ 
dition alterative powders were given from time to time. A 
mash containing, as was thought, the usual quantity of 
powder, was given to the working horses on Thursday night, 
the 29th ult.; but on the contents of the bucket being again 
offered to them the next morning, they refused to partake of 
what had been prepared for them: and it soon became 
apparent that they were suffering from illness. An investi¬ 
gation proved that arsenic by mistake had been given in the 
mash instead of the alterative powder. Mr. Swan, veterinary 
surgeon, w r as sent for, and he applied the necessary remedies; 
but it is feared that not one of the six team and three 
young horses that partook of the poison w ill recover from its 
effects : two died on Monday, one on Tuesday, and another 
on Wednesday. The mash offered on Friday, and not eaten 
by the horses, was thrown away; some of this was partaken 
of by a beast, which is also suffering from its effects. Not 
one of the working horses was worth less than £45. 
xxxin. 12 
