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GLEANINGS — TOXICOLOGICAL. 
GLEANINGS. — TOXICOLOGICAL. 
Death  by  Laudanum. — At  Stalybridge,  Eng.,  a  druggist 
named  John  Lees,  was  brought  before  a  coroner's  jury  for 
causing  the  death  of  a  girl  of  15  years  old,  by  selling  laudanum 
for  tincture  of  rhubarb  in  a  cup  without  a  label.  The  jury  gave 
a  verdict  in  accordance  with  the  facts  without  indicting  the 
druggist. — Pharm.  Journ.  Sept.,  1856. 
Poisoning  by  Arsenic  with  intent  to  hill. — At  the  South 
Lancashire  (Eng.)  Assizes,  Aug.  19,  1856,  Jane  Newton  was 
tried  for  administering  half  an  ounce  of  arsenic  to  her  husband. 
The  arsenic  was  obtained  on  the  plea  of  use  for  vermin.  The 
arsenic  was  obtained  of  an  apothecary  whose  assistant  testified 
that  "  he  remembered  three  females  coming  in  for  mercury  to 
kill  vermin  ;"  he  said,  «  I  supplied  them  with  arsenic — arsenic 
and  mercury  are  the  same — Mr.  Waterhouse  was  there,  he  re- 
ceived the  money.  He  did  not  know  who  it  was  that  came  in 
for  arsenic."  In  answer  to  the  judge  he  said  "  a  tea-spoonful  of 
arsenic  will  kill  a  person."  The  medical  evidence  was  conclu- 
sive as  to  the  arsenic  being  taken  by  the  husband.  The  jury 
rendered  a  verdict  of  "  not  guilty." — Pharm.  Journ.  Sept., 
1856. 
Poisoning  by  Antimony. — Betsy  McMullen  was  tried  at  Liver- 
pool, Aug.  22d,  before  Justice  Willes,  for  the  murder  of  her 
husband  at  Bolton,  on  the  2d  of  July  last,  by  repeated  small 
doses  of  antimony.  It  appears  from  the  evidence  that  the 
husband  was  in  the  habit  of  excessive  drinking,  and  that  the 
wife  administered  the  tartar  emetic  to  him  ostensibly  for  the 
purpose  of  correcting  this  habit.  The  medical  evidence  proved 
beyond  doubt  that  death  was  caused  by  that  substance.  A  ser- 
vant testified  to  the  frequent  clandestine  administration  of  a 
white  powder,  a  part  of  which  she  obtained  and  sent  to  the  family 
physician.  The  following  testimony  of  the  druggist  shows  the 
source  of  the  poison.  "  J.  Rowland  Simpson,  druggist,  said  he 
was  in  the  habit  of  selling  emetic  powders  composed  of  tartarized 
.antimony  and  cream  of  tartar.  The  powders  were  sold  at  one 
penny  each,  and  he  usually  cautioned  the  purchaser  to  be  care- 
ful with  it,  and  to  divide  each  powder  into  four  doses.  They 
are  called  <  quietners.'    He  did  not  remember  that  men  ever 
