624 
VETERINARY JURISPRUDENCE. 
a gas passes over it. The process of copper-smelting would diffuse 
sulphurous acid and chloride of copper around. I have specimens 
with me of the leaves which I took from Coed-yr-allt. There are 
spots on it, which were caused by the sulphurous acid. The por¬ 
tions that are not acted upon still retain a green tint, whilst those 
which are acted upon are yellow and faded. I also produce specimens 
of grass which are affected by the sulphurous acid and chloride of 
copper dissolved and precipitated. I produce the sulphate of copper 
which I have extracted from four ounces and a half of the grass which 
was sent me, and represented to have been picked from the farm. In 
my judgment a copper was deposited which I presume is chloride of 
copper. Being volatile, it could be diffused in the process of copper 
smelting, and stop vegetation. Any other acid, whether chloride or 
sulphuric, would produce similar results when passing through the 
atmosphere. The particles would be diffused more during showers of 
rain, or wet, or sea fogs. When sulphurous acid is deposited some 
time it becomes sulphuric acid, and when deposited on grass would 
make it sour to the animal’s taste. I now speak as a toxicologist, as 
well as anatomist and chemist. It would certainly act as an irritant 
poison on man and beast on being absorbed into the system. I do not 
know whether the poison would make the joints large, except from the 
result of my observation. I have been shown some horses hide-bound 
and large-jointed at Court-y-Bettws. I produce various specimens of 
copper which I have extracted from the vegetation. I had two 
specimens of grass taken from the farm near a limekiln. The grass 
growing on the side of the limekiln facing the works was far more 
strongly impregnated with copper than the grass taken from the side 
furthest from the copper works, which was but very slightly impreg¬ 
nated. The plaintiff did not appear to be aware of the cause of the 
death of the horses, until I drew his attention to the fact after examining 
their remains. Numerous specimens of the vegetation in the Court-y- 
Bettws Farm were produced. Did not bring with him to-day specimens 
of herbage from Court-yr-Allt Farm, as he did not anticipate that they 
would be wanted this time. 
Cross-examined by Mr. Chambers.—Before visiting the farms in 
question, I had not paid special attention to the effect of copper works 
on a district. I have studied the effect of copper, as well as other 
metals generally, such as tin, lead, &c. 1 produce a vial containing- a 
minute portion of copper dissolved in ammonia. It is tinged blue by 
the nitrate of copper, which I converted by manipulation. A grain of 
copper would give a blue tint to a gallon of ammonia. With reference 
to the viscera of the horses, I found inflammation in the intestinal 
canals. If I search for a volatile poison, I examine the lungs as well 
as the hebdominal intestines and viscera. On May the 7th I received a 
head of a horse. 1 am not a medical man, but toxicology is a branch 
of medical jurisprudence. I am a recognised lecturer on toxicology. 
I see more dead bodies than probably any other analytical chemist in 
the kingdom. I tried the liver of the horse, as being the most likely 
place to find traces of the poison. I found that the charcoal from the 
lungs was burnt by acid. Found a button of copper. Could not speak 
as to the quantities of copper in the animal without having been sup¬ 
plied with the whole animal. No chemist in the world could do so. 
If he pretended to do so he would deceive himself and others. There 
are two hundred poisons, and I do not search for each poison if I find 
enough of one kind to account for death. I have never found copper 
in vegetable manures. I do not believe that there is any arsenic in 
