The fourth day's proceedings in the trial of Mrs. Carew commenced at 10.15 on Friday, the 8th inst, Dr. Divers was further cross-examined—Mr. Lowder—Are you able to form an opinion as to whether the sugar of lead was exhibited in repeated and increasing doses?~I should form an opinion as to its being exhibited in repeated doses, but. I have nothing before me to guide me as to increasing doses.
In repeated but not increasing doses, that is your opinion?—I don't know anything about it. I can't testify as to when ther it was exhibited in increasing doses or not.
Can you form an opinion as to whether it was taken by the patient or administered to the patient—No, not a scientific opinion, Ithink, upon that point. That is, from the scientific side of the question I don't think so.
Could two or three drachms have been administered to the patient without his tasting it Yes, and no, I must explain that question. Without his recognising it, yes it can, Without his tasting it, probably no. The patient is a patient. ' He is ill, A sick man who is taking medicines with a strong flavour like chloral, which has a strong taste, and all those other medicines that have been mentioned, would hardly detect it unless the quantity was large. His dry throat he was complaining of would mask the effects of such a small dose, and would naturally mask the taste.
Mr. Lowder—You have said arsenic is tasteless. Don't eminent authorities differ on that question?—Not differ in a way that would effect my judgment. Persons who have examined into the question and recorded the results in books have differed it. lam giving my own opinion. You will find it stated that it gives a burning taste in the throat. I say directly, without any authorities, that it is not true that arsenic has a taste. It has a barely imperceptible taste, as common water has a taste, but I will say, in the sense you mean, it has no taste, whatever eminent authorities say to the contrary.
Mr. Wilkinson re-examined—In reply to my learned friend you state that your opinion as to arsenic having been exhibited in Zep tsted and increasing doses was a scientific opinion, based on the medical evidence and on your own evidence. Are you prepared to give your reasons for that?—Yes, Will you state your reasons?—As to the yptoms I heard described by the medical attendant there was a gradual development of the symptoms, and the course was marked by some intermission and the severity with which the symptoms developed themselves on the last day from the night before. The last day the medical attendant found the patient very much worse, after he had left the patient on Wednesday evening somewhat better. From such a record of the symptoms they seemed to me to point to repeated and increasing doses. If the poison was administered in the form of white arsenic shortly before death, or the day before, one would have expected to find more in the stomach and bowels than I did find.
Suppose that sugar of lead had been exhibited in coffee or tea, would the tient be likely to recognise its presence mistake it for anything else If you say mistake it for anything else you will
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