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"Why?"

"Simply because strychnine has an unusually bitter taste It can be detected in a solution of 1 in 70,000, and can only be disguised by soly flavoured substance Coco would be quite powerless to mask it"

One of the jury wanted to know if the same objection applied to coffee

"No Coffee has a bitter taste of its ohich would probably cover the taste of strychnine"

"Then you consider itwas administered in the coffee, but that for some unknown reason its action was delayed"

"Yes, but, the cup being co its contents"

This concluded Dr Bauerstein's evidence Dr Wilkins corroborated it on all points Sounded as to the possibility of suicide, he repudiated it utterly The deceased, he said, suffered from a weak heart, but otherwise enjoyed perfect health, and was of a cheerful and well-balanced disposition She would be one of the last people to take her own life

Lawrence Cavendish was next called His evidence was quite uni a mere repetition of that of his brother Just as he was about to step down, he paused, and said rather hesitatingly: "I should like to ly at the Coroner, who replied briskly: "Certainly, Mr Cavendish, we are here to arrive at the truth of thisthat may lead to further elucidation"

"It is just an idea of , but it still seeht be accounted for by natural means"

"How do you make that out, Mr Cavendish?"

"My mother, at the ti a tonic containing strychnine"

"Ah!" said the Coroner

The jury looked up, interested

"I believe," continued Lawrence, "that there have been cases where the cu, ad death Also, is it not possible that she may have taken an overdose of her medicine by accident?"

"This is the first we have heard of the deceased taking strychnine at the tied to you, Mr Cavendish"

Dr Wilkins was recalled and ridiculed the idea

"What Mr Cavendish suggests is quite impossible Any doctor would tell you the same Strychnine is, in a certain sense, a cumulative poison, but it would be quite impossible for it to result in sudden death in this way There would have to be a long period of chronic symptoms which would at once have attractedis absurd"