219 
Veterinary Jurisprudence. 
POISONING HORSES BY A FARM SERVANT THROUGH 
IGNORANCE. 
At the Court House, Driffield, on Thursday, Feb. 5th, before Mr. 
Reynard (Chairman) and Major Brooksbank, Charles Pyke, a farm 
servant, in the employ of Mr. William T. Hornby, farmer, of Middleton, 
was charged with having administered poison to his master’s horses. 
Prosecutor stated that on the 27th ult. he had some horses taken ill, 
of three of which the defendant had charge. He called in Mr. F. Danby, 
veterinary surgeon, and, after a good deal of evasion, defendant admitted 
having given the animals a little “ markary ,” which he said he had had a 
length of time. 
Mr. Danby said he was called in on the 27th ult., and one of the horses 
died about ten minutes after he had seen it. Another died the next 
morning, and a third the morning after. From the symptoms he at once 
suspected foul play, and as the defendant denied giving the horses any¬ 
thing, he called in Mr. Bowman, and on Wednesday they made a post¬ 
mortem examination of the horse which had died on the previous day, 
when they found that it had been poisoned with arsenic. After the third 
horse had died, and they ascertained that they had all been poisoned, the 
defendant admitted having given the animals a little c ‘ markary,” which 
was the name by which farm servants called arsenic. Another horse to 
which poison had been given had got better ; and another had died that 
morning, making four deaths. 
Mr. Bowman , veterinary surgeon, Croome, corroborated. 
Mr. James Asher , chemist, Driffield, deposed to the defendant purchasing 
lib. of arsenic at his shop on the 20th ult., when he said it was for his 
master to dress wheat with. He was then cautioned as to the dangerous 
nature of the drug, and was told that he was not to give it to any person 
or animal. 
The Chairman stated that the case was the worst of the kind which 
had come before the Bench for years, and defendant would have to go 
to prison for one month—the longest term which he could give him. He 
also suggested that druggists should not supply servants with such drugs 
without a written order from the master. It was stated that the four 
horses which had died were worth £200. 
CONVICTION FOR SELLING THE FLESH OF ROTTEN 
SHEEP. 
Southwark Police Court, Feb. 2 \st. 
George Godbold and Charles Betts , butchers, were placed at the bar 
before Mr. Bridge, on remand, charged with having in their possession 
and exposing for sale at 117, Lower Marsh, Lambeth, 70 carcases, 31 
hind-quarters, 24 fore-quarters, 18 shoulders, and 40 lbs. of chops, 
weighing 13 cwt. 2 qr. 24 lbs. of diseased mutton, totally unfit for 
human food. , T i ,, 
Mr. Thompson, instructed by Mr. Roffey, Vestry Clerk of Lambeth, 
prosecuted, and Mr. Wright appeared for the defendants. 
On Saturday, the 7th, Messrs. Coxhead and Bott, Sanitary Inspectors 
in the service of the Lambeth Vestry, had their attention called to 117, 
