Sarah Nicholson, wife of John Nicholson, deposed that deceased came to lodge at her house about six or seven weeks before her death; when she came her right breast was very large and hard. Prisoner attended her, and no one else did anything to her; I saw it on the second morning, and there appeared a place about as big as a pea, which discharged. On the third morning Chamberlain rubbed some ointment on it; I saw him open it a little with what appeared to be a small knife, he then rubbed on the ointment round the breast, and put a little powder into the wound; and this he did every day. The powder did not appear to give instant pain. The wound went on enlarging, and I saw prisoner almost every morning scrape and cut away the dead flesh, with an instrument having a turned point. Have seen him take away more than once, pieces of flesh which, put together, would be as large as my little finger. There was very little blood. The deceased had a very bad cold. Prisoner was there on Thursday morning, the day before her death, and saw him rub some ointment on the breast that morning, but did not see him cut it. Have known prisoner many years, he was a journeyman butcher five or six years ago. He was known at Hertford as a doctor.
Cross-examined – When I first saw deceased’s breast it was nearly breaking. She did not appear to be in much pain when she first came; after it was dressed she complained of pain. Prisoner was very attentive and kind, and Mrs. Chymist would never speak against him. She was taken in labour on Thursday; she had but one pain and the child was born; she had a very comfortable time; my daughter was with her and called me, but before I got upstairs the child was born. She seemed to go on very comfortably until five o’clock on Thursday, and I then sent for Mr. Woodhouse. He came about half-past five. All the previous time she was going on very comfortably. Mr. Woodhouse sent her a draft and in consequence of what he said I sent off to Cheshunt. We had given her nothing but gruel. Mr. Woodhouse came again on Friday about an hour before her death. Deceased seemed much inclined for sleep during the night. The delivery was quite complete – after-birth as well; but “Nature flew upwards and carried the inflammation to her breast.”
Elizabeth Stallibrass was called in on Thursday, the 14th October, to the deceased; she had been delivered about ten minutes before; she seemed quite comfortable; it was not a full grown child – a seven months child. In cross examination witness said deceased had a very bad cold.
Susannah Stanbridge was also called in, and she corroborated Mrs. Stallibrass. Witness stayed all night, and deceased seemed very comfortable till about five o’clock, when her breathing became hard, and she was very feverish.
Sarah Nicholson, daughter of the person with whom deceased lodged, remembered Mrs. Chymist dying. Witness went for Mr. Woodhouse about five o’clock, and he came directly. After that Chamberlain came and he went up stairs, and took off the mantel-piece some boxes containing ointment. Chamberlain stayed a few minutes, he asked Mrs. Chymist if she had taken the medicine Mr. Woodhouse sent. Witness was cross-examined on this point, because on the inquest she swore distinctly that Chamberlain went up stairs and never spoke to anybody, nor even looked at Mrs. Chymist, he was not in the room a minute.
The evidence of the Surgeons we must defer for want of time and space, we shall, however give them in our next, as we feel bound to do all in our power to protect the public, in spite of themselves, against such deplorable results as the present case presents. We must content ourselves now with giving the sentence passed on Chamberlain by the learned Judge.
The Learned JUDGE addressed the Prisoner as follows: - Prisoner at the Bar – You stand convicted of the crime of Manslaughter – you have had a long and patient trial, and the Jury have deliberated as to the verdict they should give, and that verdict has been indeed well warranted by the evidence which they have heard. It appears very clear that you are an untaught and ignorant man, conceiving yourself to be possessed of some means of treating this disease of cancer, have rashly undertaken to do that, and that you have used violent medicines and applications by means of which there can be no doubt that this poor woman’s death was greatly accelerated. It is necessary for the safety of the community that persons like you who are not to be restrained by other considerations should be so by the apprehension of punishment. It is lamentable that the gross ignorance of mankind should cause applications to be made to persons like you – that any person should imagine that the disease of Cancer which has baffled the most skilful of the medical profession, could be cured by one who has no skill whatever. Your punishment is necessary by way of example to deter others from the commission of these crimes – that they should not rashly and presumptuously make use of violent remedies for the cure of diseases, by means of which, undoubtedly, in many instances, death has been caused. It is fit that persons should know, that for this crime they are liable to very heavy punishment. I shall by no means go to the extent to which the law allows in cases of manslaughter – but it is necessary to inflict a severe punishment. The sentence of the Court is, that you be imprisoned for twelve calendar months.
