Cook, John Parsons, -1855; Palmer, William, 1824-1856 -- Trials, litigation, etc.; Trials (Murder) -- England -- London
I have heard it said in this case that this may have been something
arising from a syphilitic affection?--Idiopathic or traumatic tetanus
was mentioned. I do not think it was a case of tetanus in any sense of
the word.
Why not?--I have given the description. Because it differed from the
course of tetanus from strychnia in the particulars I have already
described.
Repeat them once more?--The very sudden acquisition of the convulsions
after the first rousing of Mr. Jones; his power of talking.
Did you not know that Mrs. Smyth begged to have water thrown upon her,
and talked throughout?--It did not occur to me.
Are you judging of the one incidental case, and coming here with
conclusions founded on that?--I think it is an element, the time.
Then let me add the element, that the lady continues to the last
conscious, and asks to have her legs stretched just before she died;
does that shake your faith?--Yes.
Do you not know in that case her last words were to turn her over?--Not
at the last moment. I do not dispute it if it is said so.
[Sidenote: T. Nunneley]
Were there not here the premonitory symptoms; the animals are affected
about the jaws and the ears, and Mr. Cook has stiffness in his neck, and
asks to have it rubbed?--It is a premonitory symptom.
Was it not a symptom of the convulsions, which are not distinguishable
from tetanus?--I have said so. I have stated here that I believe in
cases of poison from strychnia it is first developed in the legs and
feet.
You have told us the animals began to feel twitching in the ears. This
gentleman had, before the convulsions came on, stiffness in the muscles
of the neck and jaw, and begged to have them rubbed?--That might be if
it were anything else.
I ask you now, is not the difficulty of breathing one of the premonitory
symptoms? He sat up in bed and complained of feeling suffocated?--Yes.
And felt a stiffness about the neck and asked to have it rubbed, and, as
far as we know, this was the case in all the animals, though they could
not ask to be rubbed. I ask you what were these but premonitory
symptoms?--In no one single instance could the animal bear to be
touched, and it evidently was most painful to it to be touched. I know
that Mrs. Smyth asked to have her legs and arms straightened.
Let me ask you this, have you not often found that it was prior to the
occurrence of the paroxysm, and not after the paroxysm?--No, I have seen
a paroxysm brought on by it.
In all cases?--No, not in all cases. But in the other case, for two
hours before she died, when she could speak, she begged them not to
touch her.
Did she not ask to have her legs rubbed?--That was when the attack was
slight, not during the fatal attack.
After the paroxysms had set in, did she not request to be rubbed?--She
did before the convulsions came on; she liked to have her feet and legs
rubbed.
Afterwards she could not bear it, because it caused a recurrence?--Yes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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