Cook, John Parsons, -1855; Palmer, William, 1824-1856 -- Trials, litigation, etc.; Trials (Murder) -- England -- London
Re-examined by Mr. GRAY--I think you told my friend that, with regard to
the convulsions which end in death, you thought they arose from some
irritation set up in the spinal cord?--I did, from that and other
causes.
May the causes of such irritation be very various in different cases?
May the cause of the irritation in the spinal cord which would end in
tetaniform be very various?--I think so.
Suppose in one you have a death accompanied with tetaniform symptoms and
opisthotonos, and the various symptoms of a tetanic character; in the
absence of any knowledge of the case--of the cause you state, probably
the irritation of the spinal cord--do you think it is possible to
ascribe them to any particular cause?--I think it would be extremely
difficult to do so.
Will you give me the proposition you lay down?--In the event of a given
set of symptoms, tetanic symptoms I should say, being proposed, it would
be extremely difficult, if not impossible, without some other evidence,
or collateral evidence, to assign it to any given disease.
LORD CAMPBELL--Or cause?--Or cause.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: W. M‘Donnell]
Dr. WILLIAM M‘DONNELL, examined by Mr. KENEALY--I am a licentiate of the
College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, and have been in practice for about
eight years. I have had practical as well as theoretical knowledge of
idiopathic and traumatic tetanus. Tetanus will proceed from very slight
causes. Almost any internal disorder or alteration of the internal
secretions will produce idiopathic tetanus. Exposure to cold or damp
would produce it. Mental excitement would be a probable cause.
By LORD CAMPBELL--Mental excitement would be the proximate cause of
tetanus. The presence of gritty particles or granules in any part
connected with the nervous structure, in either the spine or the brain,
might produce tetanic convulsions. I have seen small deposits or
tubercles in the brain, the only assignable cause for death terminating
in convulsions.
[Sidenote: W. M‘Donnell]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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