PART II. 
I.—Definition of Poison. 
§ 14. The term 44 Poison ” may be considered first in its legal, as 
distinct from its scientific, aspect. 
The legal definition of 114 poison ” is to be gathered from the various 
statute-books of civilised nations. 
The English law enacts that : “ Whoever shall administer, or cause to 
be administered to, or taken by any person, any poison or other destruc¬ 
tive thing, with intent to commit murder, shall be guilty of felony.” 
Further, by the Criminal Consolidation Act, 1861 : “ Whosoever 
shall, by any other means other than those specified in any of the pre¬ 
ceding sections of this Act, attempt to commit murder, shall be guilty 
of felony.” 
It is therefore evident that, by implication, the English law defines 
a poison to be a destructive thing administered to, or taken by, a person, 
and it must necessarily include, not only poisons which act on account 
of their inherent chemical and other properties after absorption into the 
blood, but mechanical irritants, and also specifically tainted fluids. 
Should, for example, a person give to another milk, or other fluid, 
knowing, at the same time, that such fluid is contaminated by the 
specific poison of scarlet fever, typhoid, or any serious malady capable 
of being thus conveyed, we believe that such an offence could be brought 
under the first of the sections quoted. In fine, the words 44 destructive 
thing ” are widely applicable, and may be extended to any substance, 
gaseous, liquid, or solid, living or dead, which, if capable at all of being 
taken within the body, may injure or destroy life. According to this 
view, the legal idea of “ poison ” would include such matters as boiling 
water, molten lead, specifically infected fluids, the flesh of animals dying 
of diseases which may be communicable to man, powdered glass, diamond 
dust, etc. Evidence must, however, be given of guilty intent. 
The words, 44 administered to or taken by,” imply obviously that the 
framers of the older statute considered the mouth as the only portal of 
entrance for criminal poisoning, but the present law effectually guards 
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