In the case of the lady who died near Romsey, did you hear what the maid said, that she discovered, when her mistress’ bell rang violently, that she had got out of bed and was sitting on the floor?--It struck me as inconsistent with what I have seen. I have no doubt that was a death from strychnia. If that evidence be true, and it is a fact that she got up and rang her bell, does not that shake your faith?--No, it does not. You must compare it with what I have seen. Both are irreconcilable with what I have seen. [Sidenote: H. Letheby] Speaking of the Tuesday night, with the exception of the ringing of the bell, and that in this case it was an hour or an hour and a half after the supposed administration of the poison, can you point to anything to distinguish the symptoms and death of Mr. Cook from death by tetanus of strychnia?--No, I cannot. It is inconsistent with what I have seen, but it is not inconsistent with what I have heard in the case of Mrs. Smyth. Is not one of the symptoms hard breathing?--It is a panting respiration. It is excitement of the breathing rather than difficulty. It is in the convulsions that there is a difficulty of breathing. If a man were to breathe hardly it is a position naturally assumed for him to sit up. Until the convulsion of the muscles comes on there is nothing to prevent the patient sitting up. If I understand you, if I except the delay and the fact of his sitting up in bed and crying for help on the Tuesday, is there anything to distinguish the convulsions under which this man suffered and died from the convulsions of tetanus of strychnia?--It is not perfectly consistent with strychnia, because I say that the account which is given of Mrs. Smyth is what I cannot reconcile with what I have before observed. With regard to the abrupt termination instead of the gradual subsidence?--I have observed the gradual subsidence in man as well as in animals. In the case of the man--what dose had he taken?--Nearly a grain and a half. This is a strongish dose?--Yes. You might expect a recurrence of the paroxysm?--Certainly. The subsidence will not depend on the strength of the dose; it will depend on whether the individual is to recover or not. I have seen four or five instances of recoveries. Is it not generally known that the effect of strychnia is very varied in different individuals?--No, I do not think so. There would be a little variation in time, but in the main features of the case there is no variation. Do not you find this difference, that from the same dose in the same species you get no paroxysm, or you get a series of paroxysms ending in death?--Yes, that is true; but the attacks are the same for all that. The symptoms are the same. What do you say about the Sunday night fit?--I was disposed to think it was a fit. I cannot tell you what it was; I have formed no opinion. What do you ascribe Mr. Cook’s death to?--It is irreconcilable with everything I am acquainted with.