"
It was difficult to sit unmoved at the thought that before us, in
only a few grains of the stuff, was enough to kill us all if it
were introduced into a scratch of our skin.
"Until recently chemistry was powerless to solve the enigma, the
microscope to detect its presence, or pathology to explain the
reason for its deadly effect. And even now, about all we know is
that autopsical research reveals absolutely nothing but the
general disorganisation of the blood corpuscles. In fact, such
poisoning is best known by the peculiar symptoms--the vertigo,
weak legs, and falling jaw. The victim is unable to speak or
swallow, but is fully sensible. He has nausea, paralysis, an
accelerated pulse at first followed rapidly by a weakening, with
breath slow and laboured. The pupils are contracted, but react to
the last, and he dies in convulsions like asphyxia. It is both a
blood and a nerve poison."
As Kennedy proceeded, Mrs. Maitland never took her large eyes from
his face.
Kennedy now drew from a large envelope in which he protected it,
the typewritten note which had been found on Maitland.
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