upon the character of those persons who had been near the deceased previously to the attack, that I am induced to enter, rather at length, into an account of the steps of the investigation, by which we arrived at our opinion as to the non-existence of poisoning by cantharides.

It seems worthy of remark, in the first place, that the deceased had been ill for some time, and had been complaining of symptoms which, in some degree, resembled those which, in their intense form, destroyed the patient. It appeared, in evidence, that for three weeks previous to the severe attack, there had been sickness in a morning, and that Miss A. B. had been so unwell about a fortnight before, as to go to a medical man and complain much of dyspeptic symptoms, for which he prescribed some simple medicines; so that, taking this view of the case, the sudden attack might be regarded as the last stage in the natural progress of a lingering disease.

Then, again, the time at which the acute symptoms commenced, was unfavourable to the opinion that they were produced by poisoning; for, generally speaking, where poison is administered, the symptoms make their appearance soon after a meal; whereas, in this case, the evidence went to prove, very satisfactorily, that the disease shewed itself, in a severe form, immediately after getting out of bed in the morning, before any food had been taken; so that any poison, had it been administered, must have been given before bed-time; and it was not at all probable that any poison, capable of producing such very severe symptoms, would have taken so long a time in operating.

We may next notice that the symptoms, though, in several respects, resembling those produced by cantharides, failed, in other particulars, to present that resemblance. There was vomiting, with great thirst, pain in the back, strangury, and bloody urine; but there was not the anguish in swallowing liquids, which all relate to follow the exhibition of cantharides; neither was there bloody vomiting, nor discharge of blood from the anus; indeed, there had only been one alvine evacuation during the progress of the illness.

Again, symptoms denoting injury of the nervous system, are very uncertain in their appearance after swallowing cantharides: but some symptoms of that kind have generally been remarked in such cases. They were, however, wholly absent in this case. The manner of the deceased was calm and collected. The breathing, also, was not laborious.

With regard to the morbid appearances, they, also, do not wholly accord with what is stated to arise when cantharides have been taken. Dr. Christison says, "the only precise account I have hitherto seen of the morbid appearances caused by cantharides, is contained in the history of the case from the Gazette de Santé. The brain was gorged with blood. The omentum, peritoneum, gullet, stomach, intestines, kidneys, ureters, and internal parts of generation, were inflamed; and the mouth and tongue were stripped of their lining membrane." In the case of Miss A. B. the inflammation did not extend to so many organs as in the above instance, for the inflammatory appearances were confined to the stomach, kidneys, ureters, and internal parts of generation.

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.

Nor was there the least suspicion of any person having administered the poison to the deceased. Cantharides had not been seen in the house; and there was not an individual on whom any just imputation could fall.

In the absence, then, of any positive evidence, to shew that poison had been administered, the fair inference was, that the state of inflammation which was observed in the stomach, kidneys, uterus, bladder, and internal parts of generation, together with the congestion of the brain and lungs, was the effect of natural disease.

There was nothing in the rapidity of the progress of the symptoms, which was very peculiar. Cholera carries off its victim with far greater speed. In common inflammation, too, of the stomach and bowels, death often occurs at an earlier period. It also happens, in the more severe forms of fever, that patients are hurried to their grave in a shorter time; and I have seen some rapid cases of fever, in which the mucous membranes were as extensively inflamed as in this instance. Such things do not very commonly occur in the fevers of this climate, but they occasionally do happen.

Biography.

BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR

OF THE LATE

DR. JOSEPH THACKERAY,

OF

BEDFORD.

FEW

Ew species of literary composition excite so deep or so general an interest as biography. It is not difficult to trace to its source this prevalent feeling. The interest felt in any literary work must depend on the nature and number of the mental faculties to which it is addressed, and to the gratification of which it ministers. Now biography, being the record of human life in its ordinary and entire course, necessarily exhibits all the mental powers, whether intellectual, moral, or animal, in their combined activity and natural results. It is the nature of all the higher faculties of the mind, that each sympathises with its like; and barren of incident, indeed, must that life be, the memorial of which does not find, in every reader, some kindred feeling or talent which it can pleasurably affect.

If this view be correct, it follows that, though a biographical memoir may gratify many, it is not exactly the same pleasure which it yields to all.