February last, at the request of Mr. Armstrong, to make an analysis in this and in another case. On the following day, the 8th, I went with Mr. Armstrong to the residence of the Coroner, Dr. Turcotte, there I heard some of the evidence taken at the inquest. I then went to the residence of Dr. Provost, and found him, in company with Dr. Mignault, making an analysis of a portion of the viscera, which they informed me had been taken from the deceased, F. X. Joutras. I asked them what process they had adopted; Dr. Provost replied that he was employing the process of Staas; he gave me the stomach after having first emptied its contents. I cut it into pieces with the assistance of Drs. Migneault and Provost, placed it in a new capsule, and covered it with dilute hydrochloric acid. I applied heat by means of a water-bath, and kept up the heat till the whole stomach was dissolved. This was then put aside to cool, and then passed through a wet filter. I agitated the clear filtered liquid with sulphate of magnesia and ammonia, and again filtered the solution. To this solution I added about one cunce of chloroform and shook them well up in a bottle, I separated a portion of the chloroform and evaporated it to dryness on a clean porcelain capsule. This residue I tested for strychnine, and I was convinced of its presence, nevertheless there still remained some organic matter. I then removed the rest of the chloroform from the mixture, and evaporated it to dryness. To the residue obtained after the evaporation of the chloroform, I added sulphuric acid and applied heat for some time so as to destroy all trace of organic matter, this was filtered after being diluted with water, so as to separate the carbon. The clear filtered fluid was neutralized with ammonia and again agitated with chloroform. This chloroform was evaporated and on being tested yielded strychnine in abundance. Dr. Provost gave me also a gall bladder which he said belonged to the body of François Xavier Joutras. The gall bladder was tied with pack thread and contained a smal! quantity of bile. There was less than one ounce in weight and it was treated by the same process just described as with regard to the stomach. I again proved the presence of strychnine, I called Drs. Provost and Migneault to witness the test for strychnine in both cases, I also saw the proof of the presence of strychnine in the contents of the stomach which was treated by Dr. Provost. Dr. Provost gave me a white powder which he had proved to be sulphate of magnesia. I also examined this and proved it to be sulphate of magnesia, he also gave me another powder which he stated, he had proved to be arsenic. I also examined it and corroborated his statement. Dr Provost afterwards gave me a small ball of grease covered on the outside with dust, this was cut into two by Dr. Migneault, and contained a white powder which was proved to be strychnine. From these analyses, I concluded that the deceased swallowed strychnine before his death and lived long enough afterwards to allow the strychnine to be absorbed into the blood, and to circulate in the system, and to be carried to the liver and excreted in the bile, these are my conclusions.

Cross-questioned.I have not the sample of strychnine here that was found in the pellet of grease. The small glass capsule here produced appears to be the same that I used, but as I have not had charge of it I can not swear it is the The analyses were conducted with new apparatus brought from Montreal by me. The analysis of Mrs. Dove's body was not made in my presence. I proceeded at once to the analysis after receiving the viscera from Dr. Provost,

same.

the process was continued without interruption to the end, it was about half past ten a.m., when I commenced and I finished before sun down. I speak about my process on the stomach, I think I examined the gall bladder the following day. I left everything with Dr. Provost except my apparatus. I did not make any physiological test of the contents of the stomach, except by tasting it, and I then found it bitter. I would have done so, but at this season of the year it is impossible to obtain a frog. The yellow substance on the glass capsule produced is organic matter. It takes about twenty seconds to pass strychnine from the stomach to the urine and I think about the same time to absorb and carry it to the gall bladder. I have never seen a case of idiopathic tetanus, but I have seen several cases of traumatic tetanus. Whilst the trial of Palmer was going on, Mr. Rodgers and myself had not yet completed the process which we discovered for the detection of strychnine, it was only completed by us after he had given his evidence at that trial. It is the series of colours, blue, violet, purple, and red, which prove the presence of strychnine. I have examined more than 200 human bodies and never before met with the same series of colours. I have often obtained strychnine from the bodies of animals, but have never before had the opportunity in the human subject. I have discovered it in the urine of persons taking it medicinally, I have in these cases found the same series of colours. In the trial of Palmer, Dr. Taylor asserted that the presence of strychnine could not assuredly be detected. It was in consequence of this statement that Mr. Rodgers and myself set to work to discover a process by which it could always be detected, and the result of these experiments was the discovery of the process, I have described. Although there are persons who deny that the colour test will prove the presence of strychnine, there are none who deny, that when the series of colours are produced under these circumstances, that they are not evidence of strychnine. I consider that it is a point undisputed in medicine, that this series of colours thus produced is a certain indication of the presence of strychnine. Where arsenic has been absorbed in the body you may discover all that has not been eliminated, arsenic is eliminated like strychnine. As a general rule nature tries to get rid of poisons as soon as possible.

Re-examined :-When Dr. Taylor at the trial of Palmer, said that other substances could produce the same colours, it only showed that he did not know what he was talking about, as these colours are not produced by other substances under the same circumstances.

This closed the case for the crown.

Note.--We will give the medieal testimony taken on the defence in the next number of the journal.

It is with sincere pleasure we announce that our worthy old friend and fellow-student, George Duncan Gibb, A.M., M.D., L.L.D., has succeeded to the baronetcy of Gibb, of Falkland Fife. Sir George D. Gibb is at present physician to the Westminster Hospital, and lecturer on Forensic Medicine. There has just issued from the London press a second edition of his work on the Laryngoscope.

CANADA

MEDICAL JOURNAL.

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.

Lectures on Joint Diseases.-By LOUIS BAUER, M.D., M.R.C.S., England.

III.

CLINICAL CHARACTER OF JOINT DISEASES.

(Continuation from page 440.)

The division of joint diseases into acute and chronic forms, is rather inappropriate, because artificial. It is apt to confound the character of the affection, and has no practical value in any respect. Whether the duration of the malady, or the violence of the symptoms is the principle of division we shall find neither to be tenable.

Almost every joint disease assumes a protracted course, and is thus essentially chronic. But few exceptions can be adduced to this rule. Rheumatic synovitis may be of short duration, and characterized by violent symptoms, but joints thus affected will require months to recover their normal status. On the other hand, we observe periods of acuity, in the most chronic and protracted joint diseases, which may challenge the most acute forms known.

I suggest, therefore to drop a clinical dogmatism, worthless to the experienced surgeon, and confusing to the novice.

The symptoms by which synovitis is characterized, materially vary, both, in duration and intensity. We need scarcely adduce the general symptoms of this disease, having already alluded to them on a prior occasion.

The chief, and pathognomonic phenomenon, is effusion within the articular cavity, and rapid change in the contours of the joint. From the physiological character of the structure, effusion, should, a priori, be expected, as clinical observation substantiates it.

To speak of a dry joint in these affections is an absurdity. The most insignificant irritation of the synovial lining, is attended with copious secretion of a fluid, with the peculiarities of synovia. The higher grades may not exhibit the same quantity of morbid secretion, but enough to give definite fluctuation. The liquid is of a more plastic nature, contains blood corpuscles, flakes of fibrin, fat globules and epithelium and becomes early contaminated by the organized elements of pus. To a certain extent the composition of the synovial fluid may still be recognized by the abundance of alkalies and the soapy feel.'

In the highest grade of synovitis, the synovial lining, is as you are aware, converted into a pyogenic membrane, and presents the structure of granulations, as stated in the preceding section of our discourse. Under all these conditions, there is more or less morbid effusion.

The dryness of articulations cannot be denied, but it is noticed in conditions of a different character, and independent of inflammatory affections of the synovial lining. Thus, for instance, it complicates progressive deformative arthritis, which originates in the articular faces of the bones and though the synovial membrane may gradually be compromised, it is affected in such a manner as to destroy its character as a secreting structure.

In white swelling, the synovial membrane sometimes presents the peculiarity of dryness, but from anatomical changes of a pulpy character, not the result of direct inflammation.

In pure synovitis we never observe consecutive intumescence, infiltration, or hardening of the surrounding tissues, and never to such an extent as we find it in diseases of the periosteum, and the osseous strncture, unless indeed the latter have become involved.

In the more active forms, there is intense pain within the whole joint, with consecutive febrile excitement; but reflex pains are moderate, and the spastic oscillations never very intense. In the lower grades of synovitis (Hydrarthrosis), these symptoms are entirely wanting, and the patient suffers scarcely any other inconvenience, than the effusion within the joint would naturally occasion.

The affections of the periosteum and of the epiphyses, are attended by a widely different group of symptoms. The beginning of these diseases is very insidious, and their development so slow as to require months to assume a noticeable form. But little pain attends the initiatory period. The whole trouble marks itself as weakness of the limb, dryness and stiffness of the joint, with inability to use the extremity in the morning. For a time the contours of the joint suffer no change; and if there be any fulness at all, it is more generally diffused, and extends beyond the

limits of the articulation. There is no discoloration of the integuments, though there is frequently that waxy whiteness, the result of oedema; whence the term "white swelling." The latter is often the first symptom which attracts attention. Though the patient may have the sensation of heat in the affected parts, it is not objective either to the hand or thermometer. The patient may gradually experience some difficulty in using the articulation to the fullest extent, feel induced to spare the extremity in locomotion, and thus favor certain positions as a source of greater comfort; malposition is superadded only at a later period.

The advance of the disease is marked by progressive swelling of the periarticular structures: the contours of the joint disappear, not from effusion within the articular cavity, but from infiltration of the surroundings and therefore no fluctuation can be discerned.

Contemporaneous with the enlargement of the articulation, the originål feeling of soreness, increases to aching pain, being augmented by pressure and locomotion; the rest becomes disturbed by reflex pains, and the limb forced into a position over which the patient loses all control. Every attempt to alter the same is attended with aggravated suffering.

When the swelling and firmness of the soft parts still more increase, then the pain assumes a torturing character. The limb attenuates and becomes cooler, whilst the swelling shows but a moderate addition of temperature.

In viewing the affected extremity, the contrast between the waste of the limb, and the general enlargement of the articulation, with its numerous distended veins, is strongly marked, and it is this form of articular disease, which in times past was designated as fungus articulorum, tumor albus, and white swelling. It was thought to be of malignant growth, and amputation its only remedy.

Thanks to the progress of pathological anatomy and the material aid of the microscope, this error of our ancestors has been effectually dispelled.

Now-a-days, white swelling has been recognised as an affection of the articular ends of bones, and their respective periosteum; with subsequent periarticular infiltrations of seroplastic material, with its attending organization into fibroplastic cells, fibrous structure, fat, &c. And surgery offers the means of relief as long as the pathological changes are susceptible of reduction.

The knee joint is most frequently visited with this disease, and it is there one can best study its different phases.

On a former occasion I have assigned the reasons why this malady