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62 TRIAL OF JOHN W. WEBSTER.
All the fragments, form parts of a Head, Neck, Arms and Hands,
Right Leg, (below the knee,) and Feet; and belong to portions of a.
body, of which these parts were wanting, in the remains found in the
privy and tea-chest. I found among them no duplicates of the jaw-
bones. I saw nothing inconsistent with -the idea, that they all belonged
to one and the same body.
[The witness was here asked to examine the mineral .teeth, and
see if he could detect, upon them, any indications of the presence, or
adhesion, of natural bone.]
I do detect fragments of bone, which seem like bones from the
interior of the nostril; but I cannot say, certainly, of what bone they
form a part.
There are sixteen teeth in each jaw; eight on each side of the middle
line of the face; consisting of three molar, or grinding teeth, two
bi-cuspids, the canine, or eye-tooth, and two incisors, or cutting-teeth.
The three molar teeth, occupy but little less than half the space of the
whole eight.
Some of the fragments of the bones of the skull had the appearance
of having been broken previous to calcination, or being burnt in the
fire. Calcination removes the animal matter which gives to bone its
tenacity; before this is removed, it' breaks, with sharp angles, and is
more likely to splinter. Common surgical experience shows this. After
calcination, the bone is more likely to crumble. [A piece of bone, of the
cranium, presenting sharp and well-defined angles, was here shown to
the jury, by the Professor, as an exemplification of what he conceived
to be a fracture before calcination.] I do not consider the sign as abso-
lute, but only presumptive evidence. I take this to be a bone of the
skull.
By the Chief Justice.-Does your distinction relate to fractures, as
well before, as after death?
Professor Wyman.-Before, and after calcination only. A skull,
from an anatomical museum, if fractured, would probably present
similar appearance.
Cross-examined by Mr. Sohier.-The bone, supposed to have been
broken, before calcination, appears to be less calcined than the rest;
violence in removing the bones from the furnace, may have been the
cause of the appearance in question.
I consider the nitrate of copper as effectual, in removing the micro-
scopic signs of blood, as water; perhaps not more so, unless the blood
has soaked into wood. I should think muratic acid a better means of
destroying blood-stains; though I do not profess to be informed about
it. I do not know how commonly nitrate of copper is used in labora-
tories.
The amount of blood, in the human body, is estimated at about one-
fifth of the weight of the body; the amount would be twenty-eight
pounds, in a person weighing one hundred and forty pounds; or, about
as many pints. This estimate is not much relied upon, by physiolo-
gists. No evidence of blood was found, except on the articles which
I have mentioned. I caused the bricks to be removed from the floor
of the upper laboratory, but discovered no blood between them. I saw
a hole in the left side of the thorax, and inferred, that it was ,not made
with a knife. My examination of this, however, was not so accurate,
as it would have been, if I had expected to testify, in relation to it.
The separation of the parts of the body, was made in such a manner,
as to indicate a knowledge of anatomy.
If the drops of blood had fallen, from the height of three feet, upon
the pantaloons of a person standing upright, they would have assumed
an elongated form. A few of the spots were slightly elongated.
I know of no means of determining the length of time that this
blood had been on the articles. After blood has been dried, one or two
days, it assumes a darkish brown color; after which, if kept dry, it
changes but little, even after the lapse of years. All the spots, which 'I
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