Cook, John Parsons, -1855; Palmer, William, 1824-1856 -- Trials, litigation, etc.; Trials (Murder) -- England -- London
Having gone through this evidence, I think we have four sets of
diseases--general convulsions, arachnitis, epilepsy proper, and epilepsy
with tetanic complications. I expected that we had pretty well exhausted
the whole of those scientific theories, but we were destined to have
another that assumed the formidable name of angina pectoris. I do not
know whether it struck you as remarkable that when my learned friend
opened this case for the defence he never ventured to assert what would
be the nature of the disease to which he would endeavour to refer the
symptoms of Mr. Cook; and it must, I think, have struck you as a very
remarkable thing that no less than four or five distinct and separate
theories are set up by the witnesses who appear on the part of the
defence--general convulsions, arachnitis, epilepsy with tetanic
complications, and, lastly, angina pectoris. My learned friend had,
however, this advantage in not stating to you what was the theory that
his medical witnesses would endeavour to set up, because, one after
another, I must admit they took me entirely by surprise. The gentleman
who was called yesterday at the last moment, and who talked of angina
pectoris, would not have escaped quite so easily if I had had the books
to which he referred under my hand, and had been able to expose, as I
would have done, the ignorance or the presumption of the assertion which
he dared to make. I say ignorance or presumption, or, what is worse, an
intention to deceive. I assert it in the face of the whole medical
profession, and I am satisfied I shall have their verdict in my favour.
[Sidenote: Attorney-General]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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