Dr. Vaughan Under Fire

Siinday'a Free Press contains the followiiig, that will be of interest to our readers : Muskegon Mich., June 8.- (Special.) -The star witness, Prof. Yictor C. Vaughan, of Ann Arbor, oi the prosecution in the Hughson murder trial, was on the stand to-dny, subject to a direct cross-examination by Mr. Sessions lasting until nearly 3 o'clock and a crossexamination by Mr. Cook until nearly 4 o'clock, at which time the inquiry was suspended until Monday morning. Prof. Vaughan received a telegram tbat bis little boy was ïll with eitner dipbtlieria or tonsilitis, and be thought tbat it was necessary for bim to go. He will return Monday morning. He testified tbat he was professor of hygiëne and pbysiological cbemistry in tbe university and dean of the medical faculty. He said he bad been a teacher tbere for nineteen years and had practiced medicine for seventeen years. He described the details of the work of the class in toxicology. Eacb student was required to experiment as to tbe operation of poison upon at least twelve animáis. He bad had experience with tbe subject of diffusion poisous and bad examined the organs of persons where arsenic liad been administereü uuung life. He had made such examinations for the pui-pose of testifying in criminal trials in at least sixteen cases. The cases were not all of arsenical poisoning, and in some lie had not found poison. Ahout halE were cases of alleged arsenical poisoning. Previous to testifying he had made experiments upon which to base his testimony, and in conuection with the examination of the human body. In teaching his class in toxicology he had made extensive experiments with bodies of animáis he had poisoued, generally with arsenic. In these experi" ments he gave arsenic in all its forms, which he described. AVhite arsenic, or oxide of arsenic is a white powder sparingly soluble in water. Arsenic in solution is arsenic dissolved, the ing liquid being colorless. In suspension white araenic ives the fluid a milky appearance. Witnesa identifled the lox contnining portions of Douglas' body brought to him By Messrs. Engle and Nelson. He gave a receipt for the box and locked it up in a cupboard in his office until the next day, March 29, when be took it to liis laboratory he found it contained three sealed j'ars in which were some of the organs of a human body. The jars produced in court were in the same condition as when he resealed them and he explained to the jury the contenta of each bottle, handling them with all the familiarity of one used to such terrible subjects. As lie did so women in the audience averted their heads and raised their chiefs to their noses. In the lirain he found an unweighable quantity of arsenic, "a trace" as he called it. He described the tests in detail and exhibited the results, porcelain cups showing the arsenic extracted from the bram and other organs. He extracted the entire contents of the heart and appendages, finding nearly a quarter of a grain, describing it as white arsenic. One of the test tubes introduced contained a portion of the mucous membrane of the stouiach, whieh showed a yellow spot. "What do 5'ouinean by dift'usion?" was queried. "I mean," he replied, "if you take arsenic and place iton apiece of flesh after a while it would spread through the whole assaltwill strike through a ham." Time, he said, was one of the principal factors in diffusion. Heat is also an element. Arsenic to diffuse must be in solution, that is, dissolved. Ask if arsenic in any form were taken before death if he -would expect to find any in the brain after death, he replied sometimes. It did not necessarily follow that it would be so found. As to arsenic in solution placed upon the head, eyes and mouth closed after a long interval it mierht or it might not penétrate to the braiu by diffusion. He said that in the case at the bar the arsenic came into the stomach in soluble form or iu suspension. IL it had come into the stomach insoluble it would have spread evenly over the surface, hut found in spots as it was, it must have come in suspension in a form similar to white arsenic. In bis opinión the .arsenic in Douglas' stomach could not have gotten thera by diffusion froin the ontside of the body, as claimed by the defense. IL the arsenic had diffused through it would have been found evenly distributed. The arsenic which he found was placed there before death and not afterwards. If placed there as a solution it would not have been found as it was, 110 matter whether put there before or after death. A solution would not have deposi'ted arsenic in chuuks or spots as he found to be the case with Douglas' stomach. Death follows more quickly in acute tlian sub-acute or chronical arsenical poisoning. In acute form diffusion ensues in from two to twentyfour hours. In sub-acute it may be several days or weeks, depending upon the person. The blood and lymph carries the poison through the body to its various parts. A characteristic of arsenic is to adhere to the walls of the stomach, which presents the form of folds or ridges in which arsenic, if given in suspension, falla and remains. By experiment he had demonstrated this tendency on the part of arsenic in suspension to adhere to the mucous surface. He had injected arsenic into a dead body, the arsenic beiug held in suspension. When injected it was milky. After awhile some of the fluid ran out and the milky appearance had gone, showing the arsenic had adhered to the walls of the intestines. He had taken a cadáver, placed it in the position that Douglas' body occupied on the cooling board and attempted to pump fluid into the stomach through the mouth with a syringe. It required considerable forcé and tlie fluid liad a tendency to escape tbrough the nostrils, which liad to be held. IE arsenic had been put into the body this way it would have diffused as though applied to the body externally. He was unable to teil froin the condition of the heart of Douglas whether death had been caused from valvular obstruction. At this point were put the vital questions which, unless the professor has made a mistake, show to a certainty that Nathan Douglasdied from arsenical poisoning. A hypothetical question of great length rehearsing the liabits of life and health of Douglas from July 13 to 20 inclusive, 1892, which was the duration of his last sickness, giving in detail his syinptoms, was put. Th defense objected, claiming tliat the symptonis were uot stated correctly, but the objection was overruled. Witnese replied that he would conclude that death was caused by some poison of gastro-irritant nature. Another hypothetical question relating to the history of the care of Douglas' body after death; its washing, sponging with embalming fluid, etc., its remaining in the grave nearly three years, disinterment, examination of organs, find ing of arsenic in them, brought the answer that Douglas came to liis death f rom arsenic. Witness' examination of Douglas' vitáis had revealed enough arsenic if taken during life to have caused death. The minimum fatal dose for an adult is two grains, while ten times Unit mucli was discovered. Arsenic taken into the body before death and after death is not found distributed in the organs alike. More is found distributed in the liver than any other place. On cross-examination witness' means of education, his career through various institutions, the last the University of Berliu, was touched upou. He said that the theory of difusión flrst began to obtain importance in connection with poisoning cases wheu undevtakers began to use arseuical embalming fluid as a matter of general practice. Up to the time of the Millard trial in 1874 he had never thought much of the theöry of difl'usion. He gave a list of the mnrder cases in which he had testifled. In diffusion the arsenic is taken up by the blood of the body and carried through as kerosene is taken by a wiek. In a healthy human body there is no arsenic unless it bas been administ.ered. For bis testimony herehe was to receive $200. For analysis $100 a day for eacb day he was obliged to be away trom home. At this point court adjourned. „-___