Q. What then, in your opinion, was the cause of death?
A. In my opinion death resulted from serous effusion on the brain,
commonly known as serous apoplexy.
Q. Then you found no appearances in the stomach, or elsewhere, which
would lead you to believe poison had been taken?
A. No, none.
Q. From the post-mortem examination could you say the death of the
deceased was not due to some narcotic poison?
A. No: the post-mortem appearances of the body are quite consistent
with those of poisoning by certain poisons, but there is no reason
to suppose that any poison has been administered in this case, as I,
of course, go by what I see; and the presence of poisons, especially
vegetable poisons, can only be detected by chemical analysis.
Q. Did you analyse the contents of the stomach chemically?
A. No; it was not my duty to do so; I handed over the stomach to the
police, seeing that there is suspicion of poison, and thence it will
go to the Government analyst.
Q. It is stated that the deceased had convulsions before she died--
is this not a symptom of narcotic poisoning?
A. In some cases, yes, but not commonly; aconite, for instance,
always produces convulsions in animals, seldom in man.
Q. How do you account for the congested condition of the lungs?
A. I believe the serous effusion caused death by suspended
respiration.
Q. Was there any odour perceptible?
A.
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