The Trial of Hawley Harvey Crippen by Filson Young

Author:Filson Young
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 1950-03-14T16:00:00+00:00

Dr. GILBERT MAITLAND TURNBULL, examined by Mr. TOBIN—I am director of the Pathological Institute at the London Hospital. The conducting of post-mortem examinations falls to my department. I am Master of Arts, a Doctor of Medicine, a Bachelor of Surgery of the University of Oxford, a member of the Royal College of Physicians, and I am also a member of the Pathological Society of Great Britain, which is the largest pathological institute in the United Kingdom. In 1907, 1908, and 1909 the average number of post-mortem examinations made under my supervision was 1251 each year. Complete microscopic investigations are carried out under my supervision. I devote the whole of my time to that and to the microscopio examination of similar material that is sent down by the surgeons. I have on three occasions—9th September, 15th and 17th October—seen the piece of skin and flesh that is now shown to me. On 9th September a slice about 4½ inches long was made across that piece of skin by Mr. Pepper. That slice goes across the right hand of what has been called the horse-shoe depression as the skin lies on the tray. The cut does not go across the folded side of the so-called horse shoe which Mr. Pepper thinks is a scar—it goes across and beyond on each side of the so-called scar. There is another cut through this other limb of the depression which was made by Dr. Spilsbury; I think it is said that Dr. Spilsbury made it the same day. That cut goes beyond the fold on either side, and goes outside it on each side. I have examined the portions removed by this cut and a third cut that was made. First of all, one single long cut was made at our request. There was a piece removed, up by the fold, and then a second piece from the so-called scar, and then a third piece from the edge, completely outside the scar. I have examined those three bits with the microscope.

Does your microscopical examination enable you to say whether that is a scar in fact, or which one of those bits was cut?—It enables me to say that it cannot possibly be a scar. I have formed that opinion because of certain structures which are found in this area which is described as a soar, and which have never been found in a scar before. First of all, there are two groups of hair follicles. In one group there are three hair follicles, and in the other there are two hair follicles. A hair follicle is the sheath round the hair. In these follicles or sheaths the hairs are also to be seen cut in cross-sections. In addition to that, one finds in two of the sections in relation to these hairs, as one would expect, a large piece of sebaceous gland, and then another large piece in another section of the same sebaceous or fatty gland.

By the LORD CHIEF JUSTICE—In all that I am

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