417
Neither did the examination of the contents of the stomach, lead to the least suspicion that there was any poison mixed with them. In fact, the stomach merely contained some gruel, with which were mixed portions of black grit, which had probably been taken with the gruel, as it is very common for oatmeal to contain such matter. The most careful examination failed in enabling us to discover any of the powder of cantharides, which, when present, is so easily detected by its resplendent green colour. It may be said, indeed, in answer to this remark, that, after continued vomiting for three days, it was not at all likely that any remains of the poison should be found in the stomach; but, at any rate, the absence of poison, taken in connexion with other circumstances, deserves attention.
Then, also, in coming to our conclusion, we could not fairly exclude from our consideration certain moral circumstances, which in this, as in most cases of poisoning, were interwoven with the medical testimony.
If Miss A. B. were poisoned, she had either committed suicide, or the poison had been given to her by another person, for base purposes. Now there was not a tittle of evidence which threw the least probability on the opinion that suicide had been committed; and it is particularly worthy of notice, that the state of the hymen and of the uterus, and its appendages, proved that sexual intercourse had never taken place; and, consequently, that she was not urged on by any of those feelings of remorse, which so often drive young women to the fatal act of self-destruction.
