230 
VETERINARY JURISPRUDENCE. 
poisoning in a dog by application to the skin. I applied twice corro¬ 
sive sublimate to the spots on a mangy dog, and he died the second 
day. Four grains of corrosive sublimate will kill a dog. I left it on 
the skin. It has a horrible taste. I left the dog to lick his sores. I 
don’t think he would lick them. I rubbed it on. I have poisoned dogs 
by prussic acid, by giving it through the mouth. I don’t know that 
mineral poisons are more difficult to absorb than volatile vegetable 
poisons. I believe arsenic and corrosive sublimate are more easily 
absorbed than vegetable poisons. If there was a very large surface, 
when there was absorption I would expect the quantity absorbed to be 
large. I have had no case of poisoning by arsenic except this. 
Matthew Spence , a drainer, and William Mark , another drainer, gave 
evidence corroborative of the shepherd’s testimony. 
Thomas Hunt —I farm between 700 and 800 acres at Thornington. 
Last August we dipped 1083 sheep in a day. None died. 
Cross-examined—The wash is known as poison. 
Michael Fellon, John Miller , and James Mason, described the dipping. 
Frank Ormston —I deal in skins. On Wednesday, the 18th August, 
saw Mr. Elliott at Burton, and agreed to give 2s. a piece for each skin. 
I could not get the skins off all. 
Cross-examined—I went to pay for the skins, and Mr. Elliott would 
not take it. I have it yet. Neither Mr. Black nor his shepherd would 
have it. Elliott asked me, in the presence of Tate and Black, 
“ What will you give for the skins.” I said 1 s. 8 d. He did not say if it 
was proved his powders had killed the sheep he would do his best. 
Mr. Elliott was very much troubled. 
Alexander Davison , shepherd to Mr. Turnbull, of Budale—I saw this 
dipping going on. They were very careful. I would not have taken 
so much pains as they did with the dipping. The dipping-machine 
was a very good one. Sheep are very nice in their feeding, if this 
mixture were on the grass they would not eat it. I have lost sheep. 1 
did not blame these powders. I have had them dead in the field next 
morning. 
Re-examined—I have used Wilson’s (Coldstream) powders for the 
last three years. 
Mr. Lewis George Broadbent —I am a member of the Royal College 
of Surgeons, and practice at Bamburgh, about a mile and a half from 
Burton. On 23d August I was called in to see Robert Tate, the head 
shepherd. I found on his finger and thumb the cuticle from advanced 
inflammation separated : they were almost black, livid, and the cuticle 
separated from the true skin. There was slough, which came away 
with the nails. I called in on the 25th to attend Matthew Spence; his 
right arm was in an advanced state of inflammation. The cuticle was 
raised from the true skin; there was a large blue patch about the size 
of half-a-crown just above the wrist. There was another large patch 
about the size of your hand in front of the elbow. It also was dead and 
gradually sloughed off. The symptoms were consistent with arsenical 
poisoning. 
Cross-examined—If a healthy human skin were exposed for twelve 
hours to the liquid, or for six hours, absorption of the arsenic would 
take place. I have not known such an absorption. 
Mrs. Brown , the daughter of plaintiff, having been examined, the 
Court adjourned till Monday morning. 
Monday, Feb. 28. 
The Court re assembled this morning, his Lordship taking his seat on 
the Bench at ten o’clock. 
