Are you enabled to state from the recorded cases the course of the symptoms of the disease?--No.
Do not you know it to be a disease of considerable duration?--The cases have varied in duration; commonly days at the shortest. Arachnitis is accompanied with paralysis if they live.
Would it, considering the connection that there is between the spinal cord and the brain, affect the brain by sympathy, or otherwise, prior to death?--No.
In these cases, where granules have produced arachnitis, do you happen to know whether the granules have been considerable in point of size?--It has varied in different cases.
Suppose them to be very small and minute?--I should think there would be less likelihood of their producing inflammation.
Suppose an examination at a longer interval than nine days after death failed to detect the inflammation of the arachnoid, that the spinal cord and its integuments had not undergone any decomposition, and that the appearance was perfectly healthy, should you be warranted in inferring there was inflammation?--I should not conclude there was inflammation. Prior to decomposition I should not.
The examination was made by four medical men; are you of opinion that they would be competent judges as to decomposition?--[The question was objected to.]
Does arachnitis not sometimes extend to a matter of months, even where it extends to death?--It might go on for months.
Does it not affect the patient by a series of convulsions at recurring intervals?--That varies.
Did you ever know, or hear of, or read of a case in which the patient died after a single convulsion of arachnitis?--Not a single one.
What would be the concomitant symptoms; would it affect the rest of the patient or affect the general health?--I cannot say.
Do you believe that a man could have twenty-four hours of complete repose?--No.
In the interval between the convulsions could he be quite well?--No; he would have pain and uneasiness according to the situation of the muscles convulsed, the back usually.
You have heard the symptoms, and I presume you have heard from the midnight of Monday till Tuesday Mr. Cook had complete repose. I now ask you if, in the face of the Court and of the profession, you will undertake to say that Mr. Cook’s death proceeded from arachnitis?--I should think not. The majority of the symptoms do not show arachnitis.