ng coma.' That is to say, a slow
sinking into unconsciousness. Or I might say, dying slowly. Is a slow
death of this kind only possible where opium poisoning has occurred?"

"No."

"Lastly we have the contracted pupils. That is your best diagnostic
symptom, is it not, Doctor?"

"Yes. It is a plain indication of opium."

"Now then, Doctor, admitting that the contracted pupils are a sign of
morphine, how did you determine, in that darkened room, that there was
a contraction of the pupils?"

"I passed a candle before her eyes, and they gave no response, whilst
the pupils were contracted minutely."

"How small?"

"As small as a pin's point."

"Now then, Doctor, you answered a lengthy question for Mr. Munson and
you told us that these symptoms, that is, all of them occurring
together, would not be found in any other condition than that which in
your opinion would be the result of opium poisoning. Please listen to
this question and give me an answer. Suppose that a patient were
suffering with diphtheria, and were about to die of that disease, and
that some time before she died morphine were administered in a
moderate, medicinal dose, would it not be possible to have the
contracted pupils such as you have described as a result of the
morphine, whilst death were really caused by diphtheria?"

"I object!" cried Mr. Munson, quick to see the ingenuity of this
question, which if answered affirmatively by the witness would leave
the inference that Miss Sloane might have taken a non-poisonous dose
of morphine and still have died of diphtheria.

"The question seems to me to be a proper one," said the Recorder.

"Your Honor," said Mr. Munson, "this witness is here to testify to
facts. He is not here as an expert. That is a hypothetical question
and does not relate to the facts in this case."

"It is no more a hypothetical question than one which the prosecution
asked, your Honor. He asked if the described symptoms could occur in
any other disease. The witness was allowed to answer that."

"Yes," said the Recorder, "but you made no objection. Had you done so,
and claimed that this witness could not give expert testimony, I would
perhaps have sustained you. I think you may leave your question until
the experts are called, Mr. Bliss."

"Oh! Very well, your Honor. I should prefer to have an expert opinion
upon it. If this witness is not an expert, of course his opinion would
be of no value to us."

This was a rather nea