lost nothing of their colour, glimmer, or firmness. The inflamed spots on the stomach had not disappeared, and the small intestines showed in some places the inflammatory redness unchanged. Warden's case, p. 258.-Body buried three weeks. Mucous coat of the stomach, except its mere surface, very firm, and all the morbid appearances quite distinct. Three weeks after disinterment the vascularity had disappeared; but the membranes, and the appearances in them, remained in the same state. Metzger's case.--An old man died after six hours illness. Three drachms of arsenic were found in his stomach. "The body was kept ten days before burial. Eight days afterward it was disinterred. No sign of putrefaction anywhere.'

Dr. Woolper says, "bodies poisoned by arsenic resist putrefaction;" and it is well known that it is used in stuffing birds and beasts for preservation from decay.

Dr. Borges relates a case, in which, fourteen weeks after death, the stomach and intestines were found firm, of a grayish white, containing crumbs of bread. The other organs were pulpy, and the internal parts were cheesy. The Chennitz case, in page 25 of Christison." In 1726, five weeks after burial, the skin everywhere was putrid-the stomach and intestines perfectly fresh."

:

In the Warden case, appearances were precisely the same. "Three weeks after burial, external parts much decayed: three weeks later, the stomach and intestines were found by Christison in a state of almost perfect preservation." Dr. Borges killed a rabbit in less than a day with ten grains of arsenic, buried it thirteen months under the eaves of a house. When dug up, the skin, muscles, ligaments, and all the organs except the stomach and intestines, had disappeared, not leaving a trace. The alimentary canal, from the throat to the anus, with the hair, and bare bones, quite entire. When the arsenic is all discharged suddenly by vomiting, the stomach and body may decay suddenly. Mitchell lived seven days in great distress-vomited much," the stomach was removed for minute examination. It decayed rapidly, and in twenty-four hours its examination was impracticable, while the body resisted putrefaction." Harles says, "This singular property of arsenic is now no longer doubtful. Certain circumstances will limit it or impair it, while others will favour or increase it either by the soil of the burying-ground or the

air of the vault. These affect the decomposition of all bodies indiscriminately, and will therefore affect the antiseptic properties of arsenic. It would be absurd to ascribe to arse nic the power of preventing putrefaction in all cases. Those who use it for preserving skins, know well it does not pos sess it under all circumstances-nor does any other antiseptic-not even alcohol."

Page 261. "In many instances of poisoning with arsenic, the body has been found long after death in so perfect a state of preservation, as to admit of an accurate medicinal inspection and successful chymical analysis."

The

The proofs are numerous and strong, of the power of arsenic to resist putrefaction and preserve animal substances from decay; and the high state of preservation in which Mr. Pierson's internal parts were found, seven months after death, affords strong ground of suspicion of its use in his case. cases recorded both in Christison and in Orfila, giving in detail the morbid appearances of the stomach of persons killed by arsenic, corresponding precisely with those found in Pierson's stomach, are amply sufficient to justify the written opinion expressed by the four examining physicians, that the presumption was strong, that Pierson came to his death by violent means-that he died not of natural disease. They all looked upon arsenic as the probable cause of his death, although they found no positive proof.

Pierson died alone. No physician saw him. No account could he had of his symptoms, except that he manifested great distress by his groans, and died in convulsions-spasms following each other in quick and rapid succession for thirtysix or forty-eight hours or more, with a paralytic affection of the limbs of one side. He had been subject to epilepsy in a mild form, one spasm perhaps in ten days or two weeks, lasting from five to ten minutes, and then leaving him with a perfect recollection and remembrance of all that had passed in his presence during the paroxysm. The arsenic (if given) produced high irritation and extreme distress of the stomach; and nothing would more readily produce convulsions ending in death, in an epileptic patient, than an irritated state of the stomach.

If the symptoms could have been known, and had corroborated the evidence which the stomach itself so plainly showed after death-if to the symptoms, and to the morbid state of

the stomach, be added the sound condition-the unputrefied state of the œsophagus and intestines, seven months and a half after death, there probably would have been found few persons, either on the bench, at the bar, or in the jury-box, who could resist the conclusion that arsenic was the cause of his death,-by whom administered, is a question for others than medical men to try and determine.

G.

[When the present work was projected, about the close of the month of April, a letter was addressed by Dr. A. W. Ives, in behalf of the writer, to the Rev. Mr. Kirk of Albany, for such information as he might be able to furnish respecting the commencement of the prophetical career of Matthews in Albany. Mr. Kirk replied very promptly, but the letter was nearly a month in reaching its destination; and the work was more than half through the press when it was received. It is now inserted in this place.]

DR. A. W. IVES;

Albany, May 2, 1835.

DEAR SIR,-Your communication came to me in the pressure of business. I would not add to the obloquy already resting on the wicked man to whom you refer. But if I can state any facts which may help to guard others against his vile impositions, I will cheerfully contribute them. He called upon me about the time when the church under my care was organized, which was in February, 1829. In our first interview, his conversation was sensible, scriptural, and in the highest tone of the reforming spirit. But there was nothing very remarkable to make a favourable or unfavourable impression. He subscribed a small sum towards the erection of our church edifice. It was remarked at the time by some of whom he had purchased lumber, "He is a lazy, thriftless, dishonest fellow; and will never pay it." Whether the declaration was true or not, the prophecy was. He applied for admission to our church, and at the same time made severe

and unfounded charges against two of its most respectable members. Every inquiry we made satisfied us that we should bring a firebrand into our society if he were admitted. We accordingly rejected his application. But finding his family in want of suitable clothing, we provided for them, that they might attend the services of public worship. This was objected to by many of our church, because he was a very ingenious, skilful carpenter, who could command the highest wages; and therefore, by our charity, we were said to be sustaining him in idleness. And this proved to be true. He would neither work nor let others work. He was an incessant talker. And being a stanch advocate for temperance, he would go to workshops, and irritate the men by his dogmatic and injudicious mode of urging that important cause. was frequently said, at that time, that he would stay in grocery stores at night, proclaiming the doctrines of temperance, until he was turned out. I saw but little of him from the time of his rejection by our session. But the more I saw, the more I suspected the purity of his zeal, and the more manifest it was, that his disposition was exceedingly unlovely and unchristian.

It

The next peculiar information I had concerning him, was by a note sent to my pulpit one Sabbath morning from the mayor of the city, calling on the citizens to turn out and search for Matthews, who had gone off in a strange manner with his children, and left his wife in great distress and alone. Search was accordingly made; he was found thirty miles from the city. His account of the matter was, that Albany was Sodom, and to be immediately destroyed; and he had fled with his children for safety. I believe he was imprisoned a little while as an insane man. I saw him soon after with a long beard, haranguing in the street; and was convinced that he meant to take advantage of his notoriety, and by imposing on the credulous, find an easier way to get food and raiment than by the exercise of his mechanical skill and industry. I then lost sight and sound of him for some time, until the name of Matthias the Prophet was reported from New-York. A little inquiry developed the fact that this was the very Robert Matthews who had proved himself here either insane or an impostor. From that time you can trace him. I may mention one other circumstance upon which I have recently obtained light. I saw Mr. Folger after Matthias's

arrest, and asked him how he could be deluded by so bad a man. He told me it was solely by his entire confidence in Mr. Pierson; and that Matthews had told him I agreed entirely in doctrine with him (M.). Now the fact which this explains is, that Mr. Pierson called and introduced himself to me, perhaps two years ago, and talked on the subject of religion in a way which I did not then understand. But I now see that the poor fellow came to have the assertion of Matthews confirmed. This deliberate lie, when mentioned by Mr. Folger, convinced me he was not crazy. And yet I consider this whole affair as affording a melancholy confirmation of this truth-When a man begins to do wrong, he knows not where he will end. "Is thy servant a dog," &c., I have thought again and again, while reading the horrible detail of this man's career since I first saw him. You may use my name or communication in any way.

E. N. KIRK.

H.

It was not, however, until Deslon, a French physician of some eminence, had announced himself a convert and joined Mesmer in the practice of magnetism, that it acquired much renown. Their method of operating was as follows:—

In the centre of the room was placed a vessel of an oval or circular shape, about four feet in diameter and one foot deep. In this were laid a number of bottles, disposed in radii, with their necks directed outward, well corked and filled with magnetized water. Water was then poured into the vessel so as to cover the bottles, and occasionally pounded glass or filings of iron were added to the water. This vessel was termed the baquet. From its cover, which was pierced with many holes, issued long, thin, moveable rods of iron, which could be applied by the patients to the affected part. Besides, to the ring of the cover was attached a cord which, when the patients were seated in a circle, was carried round them all so as to form a chain of connexion; a second chain was formed by the union of their hands, and it was recommended that they should sit so close that those adjoining should touch by their knees and feet, which was supposed wonderfully to facilitate the passage of the magnetic fluid. In addition to this, the magnet