HALLER also seems to regard fulness of vessels as a proof of inflammation; for he states, that he has so often, in his dissections, seen inflammation of the intestines present, as to consider such an affection as almost constant in every kind of fever, and frequent in every other complaint.* Numerous examples of the same opinion are to be found in other respectable authors.

The importance of distinguishing between darkness of colour, and proper inflammation, or its effects, was noticed at a a very early period by HABICOT, a French surgeon of eminence in his time, who states, that persons are often deceived into a belief, that the dark colour produced by the gastro epiploic vein, in the greater curvature of the stomach, is the effect of poison.t

• HALLER'S Elementa Physiologiæ, tom. 7. p. 43.

Most of the cases of inflamed stomach noticed by LIEUTAUD are taken from other authors. One of them (Historia Anatomica Medica, tom. i. p. 26. obs. 68.) is abridged from HALLER'S Opera Minora, tom. 3. p. 295, and seems to me to shew how loosely inflammation of the stomach has been put down among diseased appearances. It is the case of a person, in whom, though there had been no affection of the stomach during life, that organ was found, on examination, to be universally inflamed, and blood effused into some parts of its cellular substance. The patient was a man of 50, who had recovered from an attack of pleurisy, but remained very liable to pectoral complaints. From exposure to cold, he was seized with a violent fever, with pain and oppression in the chest, which were followed by hiccup, delirium on the 8th day, and death on the 12th.-See some judicious observations on the differences between inflammation and vascular fulness in membranes, in HUNTER on the Blood, p. 281.

"La partie interieure d'iceluy vētricule estāt nettoyée demostrerez, tant la tunique interne qui est veloutee, et comme l'aboutissemēt qui se faict des vaisseaux provenās de la vene gastre epiploïque en la partie gibbe dudict ventricule, le rend de couleur noirastre, qui a faict croire à beaucoup d'inexpers, en la medicine et chirurgie, aux maladies violentes y avoir eu poison ou venosité en leur mort."-HABICOT NICOLAS, Semaine ou Practique Anatomique, p. 48, leçon 3, Paris, 1610.

BOYER makes nearly a similar remark: "Le grand nombre de vaisseaux qui se distribuent dans cette tunique (la veloutée) lui donne souvent une couleur pourpre obscur; c'est a quoi il faut faire la plus grande attention

The means of forming a satisfactory conclusion in cases of suspected poison, obviously connect themselves with the proofs, which dissection is capable of affording, of the existence of inflammation in the stomach during life. There are no circumstances under which medical men have a more serious and anxious responsibility, than in the examinations which they are called upon to make in such description of cases; for while, on the one hand, public justice demands from them an unequivocal avowal of the results of their judgment and experience, for the conviction of guilt; it is equally required, that their opinions should be founded on an accurate knowledge of what are the effects of natural causes on the human body, and what the consequences of deleterious operation. The most able and experienced men have found difficulties in making up their minds as to the necessary effects of poisons; and it would be highly important, both for the interests of the public, and the credit of the profession, that the means should be afforded of directing the judgment, in those delicate and difficult problems, on which medical testimony is occasionally required in courts of justice.*

Authors on Forensic medicine have been too apt to generalize, without having had the benefit of studying, sufficiently, individual cases; and hence the effects of putrefaction, and the spontaneous changes which the loss of vitality produces on the human body, have, in descriptions, it is to be feared, been sometimes misunderstood, and sometimes confounded with the proper and necessary operation of poisons.

lorsqu'on est chargé de faire l'examen des corps de personnes que l'on soupçonne mortes de poison."-Traité complet d'anatomie, tom. 4, p. 337.

I allude more particularly to the hesitation which Mr. HUNTER had, in the celebrated trial of CAPT. DONNELLAN, in distinguishing between the effects of poison and the effects of putrefaction.

A report of this important trial was published by Mr. Gurney, at length, from the account taken by him in short hand. A full abstract is to be found in the Gentleman's Magazine for 1781, and in the London Chronicle for March

of that year.

Some of the most respectable writers on this subject, have represented the effects produced by poisons on the stomach, œsophagus and intestines, to consist in diminished cohesion, inflammation, mortification, erosion, and perforation of those organs:* but later and more particular observation seems to evince, that the only morbid change which may be invariably expected, is inflammation; for the others are either occasional only in their occurrence, or equivocal in their nature; as in the case of mortification, or gangrene, which may be assumed to exist, from mere darkness of colour. Mortification and gangrene, are rare occurrences in either the stomach or the bowels; and they are not noticed by Dr. Baillie, in his Morbid Anatomy, as belonging to the usual effects of mineral poisons, nor by Mr. Brodie,† nor Dr. Jaegar,‡ both of whom have attended very much to the operation of those substances.

I may add, that in a case of poison by arsenic, which I saw some years ago, there was no diminution of natural tenacity, which is the only certain test of a part being mortified; and no

Mais ce qu'il y a de constant dans les cadavres des personnes qui ont péri d'un poison àcre ou caustique, c'est de trouver l'œsophage, l'estomac et les intestins grêles atténués, enflammés, gangrenés, rongés et souvent percés. MAHON'S Medicine Legale, tom. ii. p. 308.

PLENCK, in his Toxicologia, page 13, says that we may distinguish when a person has been destroyed by poison, "si in tali cadavere ventriculus inflatus vel spasmodicè contractus, aut inflammatus, vel gangrænosus, vel saltem, maculatus inveniatur, absque alia prægressi prius morbi causa."

Dr. PARR states, that when" stimulant poisons have been the cause of death, the abdomen is greatly inflated, becomes rapidly putrid, dark spots appear on the body, erosion, inflammation and gangrene are found in the fauces and stomach, the blood is black, and collected in the veins; above all, the villous coat of the stomach is destroyed."

Medical Dictionary, art. Medicina Forensis et Politica. Further experiments and observations on the action of poisons on the animal system.

Philosophical Transactions for 1812, part ii. p. 210. Dissertatio Inauguralis de effectibus arsenici in varios organismos, necnon de indiciis quibusdam veneficii ab arsenico illati.

Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal, Jan. 1811, vol. vii.

circumstance from which gangrene could be inferred, but the very insufficient one of darkness of colour.*

Neither is the disposition to putrefy, in such cases, materially different, (as is generally imagined) from what it is in ordinary circumstances: and that erosions very rarely happen, and are sometimes liable to be suspected, when they do not exist, is rendered probable, by the consideration of the facts brought forward by the two last named gentlemen.

But if it be admitted, that the only constant and necessary primary effect of mineral poisons on the human stomach, is the production of inflammation, it is important to inquire, whether such appearances of inflammation are so distinctly and unequivocally marked, as to be readily distinguishable from mere vascular fulness, or slight extravasation, as described in this paper?

To this question, I fear, that an answer, which is completely satisfactory, cannot at present be given.

Dr. BAILLIE states, that in inflammation of the stomach, that organ is "a little thicker at the inflamed part, the inner membrane is very red, from the number of small florid vessels, and there are frequent spots of extravasated blood, which appearances are more intense, when arsenic has been swallowed." With this account, Mr. BRODIE's observations, in considerable measure agree.

In a dog which had taken several grains of corrosive sublimate, and which was destroyed a few hours afterwards, for the purpose of observing what might be regarded as appearances of recent inflammation in its stomach, the following were the principal circumstances remarked.†

* Case published in the Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal for October, 1809. It is remarkable, that in this case, there was reason to suppose, that the patient had suffered little or no pain,-and in the only example which Dr. JAEGAR Saw of death by arsenic, in the human subject, there was no complaint of pain, even when the patient was asked about it.

† This dog I examined with Mr. Lawrence, Assistant Surgeon to St. Bartholomew's Hospital. The dog had vomited considerably. He was di

That part of the stomach which extended from the cardia, about an inch and a half along the lesser curvature, and about three parts of an inch in every other direction, together with a few other portions of a very small extent, possessed a pretty deep crimson hue; while the pyloric portion was of a light straw colour, and the other parts of a greyish pink. The crimson colour, though deeper, had, in other respects, very much the character of what was mentioned in the note to page 16; but it was mixed with darker coloured patches, which seemed, on inspection, to consist of coagulated effusion, or coloured coagulum, in the substance of the villous coat, very similar to that which is sometimes found in an inflamed serous membrane, on which coagulable lymph had been very recently deposited. The plicæ were numerous and firm; there was little external vascularity; and below the villous coat, there were some minute veins perceptible, (particularly where the coat was reddest) which could not however be traced into its sub

stance.

Immersion in water removed part of the general redness; but that of the dark patches remained, with little change, till putrefaction commenced.

The villous coat of the intestines had occasional patches of fight crimson efflorescence.

It is highly important that appearances of inflammation in the stomach should be correctly distinguishable, after death, from those of mere vascular turgescence; but it does not appear to me, that the discrimination can at present be made with sufficient precision. The following observations, I take the liberty to offer, as suggestions relative to this subject.

When the stomach is inflamed, coagulable lymph is occasionally thrown out in the substance of the villous coat, or upon its surface; and this, when it occurs, (which I believe to be

rected to be destroyed by a blow on the head, instead of by suspension, which would have affected the appearances, by producing unusual accumuation in the veins.