Dr. Kilburn also admitted that the medication prescribed was a formidable poison in their own rights, but that his and Dr. Chalmers doses were correctly administered. He admitted that if the doses were too large then he would expect the patient to suffer from vomiting and purging and great pain, however he refused to believe that the medication was excessive and not administered correctly.

To my untrained medical mind, we can see that Charles Edward Cotton was medicated four times in three days, and that although the medication is varied, Prussic acid & Bismuth are the predominant medications, and that Kilburn admits by themselves they are strong irritant poisons (but in medicinal doses quite safe). I have no doubt as to his medical mind, but I do wonder as to the quantity of the medications ingested, surely a case for assuming that the quantity and combined effects of these medications could be classed as being dangerous and an excessive dose? Kilburn as I have stated did agree that an excessive dose would bring the patient to a severe illness of vomiting and purging and that morphia can cause fits in such cases. The symptoms too which Charles Edward Cotton was presenting!

©. 2000 2023.  Ian Smyth Herdman.