no indication at all of the presence of strychnia. In the first case we had given a dose of two grains at intervals; in the second case one grain; in the other two cases one grain and half a grain. How did you account physiologically for the absence of any indication of strychnia where you know strychnia to have been given and to have caused death?--By absorption into the blood so that it is no longer in the stomach; it is in a great part too changed in the blood. In the case of the larger dose there would be a retention of some not absorbed. That would be in cases beyond what was required for the destruction of life. If the minimum of the quantity required to destroy life was given, I do not think I would find any. It would be removed by absorption, and no longer discoverable in the stomach. Are there any chemical means you are acquainted with whereby the presence of this poison can be detected in the tissues?--There are not; there is no process I am acquainted with when it is in a small quantity; so far as I know it cannot be detected. In addition to this distribution of the half grain, which you tell us is known to have destroyed human life, over the whole system, in your opinion does it undergo decomposition as it mixes itself with the animal tissues?--I believe it undergoes some change in the blood. That increases the difficulty in detecting it in the tissues. I have never heard of its being separated in a crystallised state from the tissues. [Sidenote: Alfred Taylor]