A brief sketch of the 'Hounslow inquest' and of the late trial 'Wakley versus Cook & Healey', in a court in Exchequer / with a few remarks by Horatio Grosvenor Day.

  • Day, Horatio Grosvenor.
Date:
1849
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A brief sketch of the 'Hounslow inquest' and of the late trial 'Wakley versus Cook & Healey', in a court in Exchequer / with a few remarks by Horatio Grosvenor Day. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    the circumstances connected with the affair as far as I was concerned, and expressed the opinions I entertained. In reply to the Attorney-General, who asked me respecting my alleged lunching with the Officers at the Barracks, I said I was much obliged to him for asking the question, as it afforded me an opportunity to explain the real facts as I have previously given them; and I added that I thought Mr. Wakley had behaved very unfairly towards me, in not informing me of the frivolous objection made by the Jury, that I might have explained the matter to them. Mr. Cam- den, of Hounslow, deposed that he had attended the inquest, and thought the summing up extremely partial: he did not believe the muscles had been ruptured ; or, if they had, that they could cause the inflammation of the heart and lungs. Mr. Hilles, lecturer on anatomy, had never heard of such a theory as that of Mr. Wilson’s ; and considered it at vari- ance with all medical authority. Mr. Bransby Cooper considered that the change in the muscles was the result of decomposition : and did not believe it possible that a muscle could be ruptured by its own spasmodic contraction; and had heard nothing to lead him to suppose the punishment was the cause of death. Mr. Guthrie declined giving an opinion upon a case he had not seen himself. Mr. Todd agreed in opinion with Mr. Bransby Cooper. Mr. Bow- man also agreed with Mr. Cooper, excepting with regard to a muscle rupturing itself, which he thought might occur. The Attorney-General then replied on the part of the plaintiff, and after going through the evidence, urged the Jury to shew their condemnation of the conduct of the de- fendants, by giving heavy damages, as unless they did so, Mr. Wakley could not continue to hold the office of coroner. The Lord Chief Baron summed up, and the jury found for the plaintiff—damages <£350. Serjeant Wilkins was unable to attend on the third day