Detective and mystery stories; English fiction -- 19th century
After examination of the patient, however, and some conversation as to
the nature of the symptoms and of the remedies employed, I had some
difficulty in drawing from him (the Baron) any expression of opinion.
He appeared, however, to agree entirely in the course hitherto pursued,
and after some further conversation we separated. The consultation took
place in Mrs. Anderton's dressing-room, and in passing by the wash-hand
stand on his way out, the Baron suddenly took up a small bottle which
was standing there, and turning sharply upon me, asked "if I had
tried that?" On taking it from his hand, I found that it contained
tincture of tannin, a preparation much used for the teeth. I was
somewhat startled by the suddenness of the question, and replied in the
negative, on which the subject dropped. On my way home, however, I was
again struck by the peculiarity of the Baron's manner in putting the
question; and on thinking the matter over, the idea suddenly flashed
across me that tannic acid was the antidote to antimony, and that the
symptoms of poisoning by tartarised antimony, to which attention had
just been drawn by Professor Taylor, in the case of the Rugely murder,
closely resembled in many respects those under which Mrs. Anderton
was then suffering. At the first moment this supposition seemed to
account for all the mysterious part of the case; but on reflection the
difficulty returned, for it seemed impossible that the poison could
have been administered by any one but Mr. Anderton himself, and I
felt it still more impossible to suspect him of such an act, in face
of the evident and extreme affection existing between them. On mature
reflection, however, I determined on trying, at all events for a time,
the course suggested by the Baron, and accordingly exhibited large
doses of Peruvian bark, together with other medicines of the same kind.
My suspicions were at first increased by the improvement apparently
effected by these remedies, and I took occasion to ask Mr. Anderton,
in a casual way, in presence of the nurse and one of the servants,
whether he had any emetic tartar or antimonial wine in the house.
The manner of his reply entirely removed from my mind any idea that
either of those present at least had any knowledge of such an attempt
as seemed implied by the Baron, and on seeing that gentleman a day or
two after, I questioned him as to the true bearing of his suggestion.
He disclaimed, however, any such meaning as I had been disposed to
attribute to his words, stating, in a general way, that he had before
known great benefit to accrue from the exhibition of such medicines in
similar cases, and expressing a hope that they might be successful in
the present instance. Something, however, in his manner, and especially
the great stress laid upon careful watching of the patient's diet while
under this course of treatment, led me still to fancy that he was not
so entirely without doubt as he wished me to believe; but that, on the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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