The Chemical Evidence at the Trial of Mary North.

Abstract

CHEMICAL TESTIMONY IN COURTS OF LAW. arrangement the saving of time will be immense, the amount I of comfort indescribable, and the general advantage not easily to be appreciated. In fact, the bait of CHEAPNESS" is a species of allurement which every intelligent student must reject with deserved contempt. THE CHEMICAL EVIDENCE AT THE TRIAL OF MARY NORTH. LETTER FROM MR. ALFRED S. TAYLOR. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,—I beg to forward you the copy of a letter to Mr. Harrington, in reply to his communication in your last number, with some remarks upon one of the most flagrant instances of the perversion of chemical evidence in a court of law which I have ever met with. Copy of a letter addressed to Mr. John J. Harrington. " SIR,—I beg to call your attention to a most serious misstatement in a letter written by you to the editor of THE LANCET, and published in that journal of Saturday last, (Sept. 12th,) page 304. "In reference to Mary North's case, you say-' the prisoner's defence rested entirely upon this question, whether sulphuric acid, sugar, and water, mixed together in certain proportions, and aniseed, sugar, and water, mixed together in like proportions, would, in point of colour, a few minutes afterwards, produce a similar or a somewhat similar appearance. The girl's life undoubtedly hung upon the result.'