VETERINARY JURISPRUDENCE. 
62 G 
By Mr. Chambers.—A great many sheep died in 1854, but he did not 
know what they died of. Had gone all over England and Wales with 
his master to buy cattle. Could not keep the cattle on the land more 
than six weeks, otherwise they would decrease in value. 
Mr. Chambers. —When are you going to buy more horses? 
His Lordship —Not until this case is finished, and goodness knows 
when that will be. 
William Thomas and David Williams were examined to prove the 
same as the other witnesses. The last-named witness lived near the 
Red Jacket Works, and often saw the smoke go over the Coed-yr-allt 
farm. It poisoned all the grass. 
Mr. William Henry Michael , surgeon, of Swansea, was then called. 
He deposed—The warm gas given off in copper-smelting is sulphuric 
acid. Arsenic is also given off. The smoke is very destructive to 
animal life, when the animals graze on vegetation affected by the 
smoke. The Kelvey Hills are entirely denuded of vegetation, but there 
may be an oasis in the midst of copper smoke, provided the spot is a 
sheltered one. Copper smoke produces a most peculiar effect upon the 
bones, causing swelling of the joints, &c. It also causes the animals 
to be hide-bound. It causes the teeth to become black and loosened, 
and the animals ultimately died with every appearance of starvation. 
The smoke also produced ulcers upon the jaw. The witness here gave the 
result of several experiments which he had conducted upon leaves, ferns, 
and plants. The peculiar symptoms of the effects of the smoke upon 
vegetation was to destroy a portion of the leaf completely, leaving another 
portion in full vigour. The portions destroyed would be those upon 
which the sulphurous acid became converted into sulphuric acid. The 
farm in question was particularly exposed to the smoke of the Red 
Jacket Works. Eddies of wind would bring the smoke down upon the 
farm with great force ; the effects of the copper smoke could be traced 
along the farm. The higher the chimney, the less injurious would be 
the smoke, as it would be more diluted with atmospheric air, and it 
would be carried away a greater distance. Had seen some of the dead 
horses on the farm. The bones of the cattle, now produced, were 
affected by the smoke, and assumed the peculiar appearance that is 
indicative of the disease called the copper disease. The bones of the 
animal became calcined and brittle, and they grew out of the flesh. 
W itness also produced leaves of plants grown in his own garden, which 
had been affected by copper smoke. 
Mr. Montague Chambers then addressed the jury for the defence in a 
long speech, which was interspersed with a great deal of wit and good 
humour. He commenced by assuring his lordship and the jury, that 
fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, it was his lot to have had long' 
experience in numerous compensation cases, and fortunately, or perhaps 
unfortunately, the plaintiff also appeared well up in similar practice, 
judging from the enormous and outrageous sum which he modestly 
claimed as compensation for damage sustained by the copper smoke in 
the bill which he had cooked up. When he found that £5900 odd 
had been claimed by the plaintiff, he (the learned counsel) naturally 
asked what kind of farms they would be which would warrant a man in 
making such an enormous claim for compensation. On looking at the 
rent-roll he found that the five different holdings of the plaintiff only 
produced a yearly rent of £240, whilst £5900 were demanded as com¬ 
pensation for damage done to these holdings, from the last day of 
December down to the commencement of the action. From February, 
1849, to the present time, the plaintiff had the hardihood to claim the 
