He turned to Leslie. "It was no ordinary asphyxiation, Doctor," he
said quickly.
Leslie nodded. "I could see that," he admitted.
"We have to deal in this case," continued Kennedy, his will-power
overcoming his weakness, "with a poison which is apparently among
the most subtle known. A particle of matter so minute as to be
hardly distinguishable by the naked eye, on the point of a lancet
or needle, a prick of the skin not anything like that wound of
Mendoza's, were necessary. But, fortunately, more of the poison
was used, making it just that much easier to trace, though for the
time the wound, which might itself easily have been fatal, threw
us off the scent. But given these things, not all the power in the
world--unless one was fully prepared--could save the life of the
person in whose flesh the wound was made."
Craig paused a moment, and we listened breathlessly.
"This poison, I find, acts on the so-called endplates of the
muscles and nerves. It produces complete paralysis, but not loss
of consciousness, sensation, circulation, or respiration until the
end approaches. It seems to be one of the most powerful agents of
which I have ever heard. When introduced in even a minute quantity
it produces death finally by asphyxiation--by paralyzing the
muscles of respiration.
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