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53
lining the channel of the Sewer. To cause wounds such as
these the contact must have been violent. The flushers
must have fallen like men shot, without even extending an
arm to save themselves. The lethal effects of the poison
must have been instantaneous.
When poisoning takes place from sulphuretted hydrogen
gas, if the dose be moderate the effects are gradual and
the symptoms are characterised by headache, numbness,
and nausea. On the other hand, if the dose be large, the
effect is instantaneous, and the poison acts as would a
narcotic. The wounds on the foreheads of these men may
be regarded as an indication that the advent in the Sewer
of sulphuretted hydrogen was sudden, and that it approached
the men in overwhelming quantities.
The position of the bodies marks the order in which they
fell, and declares the direction from which the poisonous
gas was approaching them. The last thing Ryder noticed
before unconsciousness overwhelmed him was the figure of
Baker. At this moment the men were advancing in close
order. When Ryder returned to consciousness he and
Baker were lying several feet apart. Moreover, Garrod's
body was found several feet in front of that of Baker. The
relative position of the bodies indicates that Ryder went
down first, while the other two were still moving on. Then
Baker fell, and afterwards Garrod. Had they fallen in the
reverse order, Baker must have stumbled over Garrod, and
Ryder would have noticed Baker's fall. The bodies of the
men would have been found lying together and not separated
from each other as they were by many feet.
It has already been shown that when the gas reached the
men its effect upon them must have been instantaneous.
As Ryder was the first to fall and then Baker, and then
Garrod, it is sufficiently obvious that the gas must have