Mr. Samuel Luscombe (examined by Mr. Sergt. Pell.)
You are the Surgeon of the Exeter Hospital?—Yes, Sir.
How long have you been in that situation?—For fifteen or sixteen years.
During the course of that time, you have had an opportunity of examining many bodies?—I have.
Have you heard Dr. Edwards give his evidence to-day?—I have.
From the account which he has given, what would be your judgment as to the cause of that death, it being added that the person who died had violent retchings and purgings?—I should consider that those violent retchings and purgings had exhausted her, and had caused the death.
Putting out of your view those violent affections of the stomach, could you account for the cause of the inflammation?—I could not, unless from discovering some poison in the coats of the stomach at the time.
Have you known, in the course of your practice, many instances of Cholera Morbus?—I have known a great many.
What do you consider to be the immediate cause of Cholera Morbus?—A redundancy of bile and humours upon the stomach.
If inflammation be found upon the stomach after it is opened, what appearance would it put on?—The internal coats of the stomach would be very red in various parts, and the colour very florid; but in the course of two or three days it would become more dark.
That is, it would have a stellated appearance?—I never opened the body of a person who had died of Cholera Morbus.
