Coroner's inquest in re: Death of Jane L. Stanford (photocopy), 1905

Report of Chemists -In re Jane Lathrop Stanford Matter To High Sheriff William Henry

Honolulu, Hawaii, March 14, 1905.

Wm. Henry, Esq., High Sheriff, Territory of Hawaii, Honolulu.

Sir:

With regard to the examination of the organs of Mrs. Jane L. Stanford, together with a bottle of bbicarbonate of soda and a bottle of capsules: we beg to report as follows as to the methods pursued and results obtained.

Our work together began on the afternoon of March 1st the articles to be examined being at that time in a locked and sealed room adjoining the laboratory of Mr. Duncan. After noting the number and condition of the articles, the room was locked and sealed again, and some necessary preparations for the work made; the actual work being begun after dinner on the same day. From this time, 6:30P.M. March 1st until 7P.M. March 4th when the examination of the organs and bicarbonate was completed, the articles under examination were constantly in the possession of at least one of us, in the laboratory. With the exception of the police officer on duty, the only persons inthe room during this time were your self, the Deputy High Sheriff, Mr. Hackfold and Judge Stanley. No one but ourselves handled any of the material or approached near the work tables.

Bicarbonate of Soda. Previous to the beginning of our joint work one of us (Duncan) had weighed out 10 grams from the bottle labeled "Bicarbonate of soda" placed this amount in a beaker and added about 10 c.c. of water. At this point this material was taken up by us together. The solution of bicarbonate was heated some time on the waterbath. After this heating there remained on the bottom of the beaker a few insoluble particles having the appearance of broken crystals. The solution was allowed to cool, and stand some time, and on the assumption that any strychnine present would be insoluble or precipitated in the bicarbonate solution; the solution was passed through a hardened filter, the same washed with cold water , and the insoluble portion detached and weighed: the weight being 0.07 grains. The residue was determined to be pure strychnine by the following tests. It was completely soluble in chloroform; was extremely bitter; gave the fading purple color with sulphuric acid and potassic bichromate; gave a precipitate with potassic bichromate consisting when obtained under proper conditions almost together of the characteristic octahedral crystals. This preciptate when filtered off and washed gave the fading purple color with sulphuric acid. The characteristic crystallne precipitates with platinum chloride and potassium ferricyanide were also obtained. At this stage the remaining bicarbonate was weighed and found to be 33 grams making the total amount 43 grams or 668 grains. Another portion of 10 grams was now weighed out, water and excess of acetic acid added and heated on the waterbath until a clear solution was obtained; cooled, made slightly alkaline

with caustic potash, and shaken out with chloroform; four separate portions being used. The chloroform solution was evaporated to dryness, taken up with fresh chloroform, filtered, evaporated to dryness, washed with a few drops of cold water, dried again and weighed. The weight obtained was 0.13 grains. The remaining portion of bicarbonate was now thoroughly ground and mixed in a mortar, and a third portion of 10 grams treated in the same manner as the second portion, the washing with cold water being omotted; the weight obtained being 0.14 grains. These two portions of 0.13 and 0.14 grainswere determined to be strychnine by the same tests used on the first portion. Calculating the strychnine in the remaining portion at 0.14 grains per 10 grams, the total amount in the 662 grains would be 0.52 grains. On shaking teh bicarbonate dry with chloroform, using two grams of bicarbonate, the proportionate amount of strychnine was obtained, showing that the strychnine was present as the alkaloid and not as a salt. Small separate portions of the bicarbonate and the solutions, after extraction with chloroform, were examined for other alkaloids and poisons, with negative results.

ORGANS OF THE BODY. The organs and other material from the body examined were as follows: 1 oz. of vomit or sputum; 1.7 oz. of urine; 31 oz. contents of stomach; 27.5 oz. contents of intestines; both kidneys and the liver. The whole of the vomit and urine, one kidney, and portions of the content of the stomach and intestines, were examined separately for strychnine, with negative results, except that in the final residue from the contents of the intestines, a well marked fading purple color with sulphuric acid and potassium bichromate characteristic of strychnine was obtained. The residue even after several attempts to purify evidently contained other bodies than strychnine, if strychnine was present; there was no crystalline appearance under the microscope, and no other reactions for strychnine could be obtained. All the material then remaining about four pounds was examined in a combined extract and the final residue gave exactly the same result as had been obtained from the contents of the intestines . The method of obtaining an extract from these organs and otehr material was the same throughout, with the exception of slight modifications made necessary by difference in material. Water was added to the material, finely divided if necessary, made acid with acetic acid heated on the waterbath one hour; then evaporated to small volume and four volumes of alcohol added; filtered; the alcohol evaporated off; water added with a little more acid; filtered made alkaline and shaken out with chloroform. In some cases the precipitation with alcohol was repeated several times and where much fat was present the acid solution before making alkaline was shaken out with chloroform or benzol. The chloroform extract from the alkaline solution was evaporated to dryness taken up with acid and water filtered made alkaline and shaken out with chloroform again. Where a colorless residue was not obtained in this way it was heated on the waterbath for two hours with a few drops of strong sulphuric acid, taken up with water filtered made alkaline and shaken out with chloroform; this being repeated in some cases two or three times. A portion at least of the final residue tested for strychnine was always heated on the waterbath for two hours with concentrated sulphuric acid to eliminate other bodies than strychnine, which might give a color resembling that given with sulphuric acid, bichromate and strychnine. The conclusion reached by us in this matter is that stated at the inquest, vis: that in the final residue from an extract of the contents of the intestines, we obtained a color reaction characteristic of strychnine; that, in our opinion, this color would not be obtained under

the conditions under which we obtained it in this case, except strychnine were present; but we are not willing to state that we found strychnine where we could obtain no crystalline residue, or any other reaction for strychnine.

CAPSULES. We found to average weight of the contents of five capsules to be 3.6 grains. The contents of five were digested with acetic acid and water, filtered, made alkaline and shaken out with chloroform; the chloroform evaporated, and the process repeated. The reside, mostly crystalline, weighed 0.067 grains per capsule. The presence of both brucine and strychnine was established in this residue by the usual tests; and we assumed that extract of nux vomica was a component of the capsules. In this extract brucine and strychnine occur in approximately equal amounts, and on this assumption the amount of strychnine in each capsule would be 0.033 grains, or approximately one-thirtieth of a grain.

DOSE. We found one half teaspoonful of bicarbonate to weigh about 3.5 grams; which at 0.14 grains of strychnine per ten grams, would contain 0.040 grains of strychnine per ten grams, would contain 0.040 grains or one-twentieth; so that one half teaspoonful of bicarbonate, and one capsule would contain one-twelfth of a grain of strychnine.

In our opinion any bearing which the color that obtained from the contents of the intestines might have on poisoning from strychnine in the bicarbonate is eliminated if a capsule were taken at or about the same time. In other words, if a capsule were taken alone and the person died shortly after from some other cause the same color reaction would probably have been obtained.

Respectfully,

[R.A. Duncan, signature] Food Commissioner.

[Edmund Shorey] Chemist Hawaii Experiment, Station U.S. Department of Agriculture

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Coroner's Inquest

In re Death of Jane Lathrop Stanford District of Honolulu Island of Oahu February 28, 1905

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