Don't state the reasons why you did not. Then you never did open any body that had died of Cholera Morbus?—Never.
You have opened bodies after death?—Yes, Sir, a great many.
In cases of mere accident, where death has been produced by violent injury arising from accident, have you ever had occasion to ascertain the state of such a body as that?—I have.
How long ago?—Eight or nine years ago.
What was the accident that occasioned the death?—A fractured skull.
How long after the death was the body opened?—It was either upon the second or the third day.
What was the state of the stomach of that person?—Highly vascular, which would lead any one unaccustomed to the complaint, to mistake it as arising from inflammation.
Now explain what you mean by the terms 'highly vascular'?—The congestion of numerous blood-vessels.
Is there any thing as to the state of the hardness or softness of the coats of the stomach, upon which any judgment can rest?—I should suspect that as it is inflamed, the coats of the stomach would be thickened and soft; for as the inflammation takes place, the parts increase in size.
Have you examined the bodies of soldiers, or of any description of persons, who have died of that complaint?—Yes, I have.
What would be the state, with respect to inflammatory appearances in the stomach, of those subjects?—We generally find the coats of the stomach red and thick; we very often, but not always, find it where there is no reason whatever to suspect inflammation.
Have you applied yourself to the study of chemistry very much?—Not very much; but I have attended chemical lectures.
Do you happen to know whether the chemical test through the medium of nitrate of silver, or lunar caustic, is an in-
