Introduction and my musings on JTR and the Torso mysteries

[Anna Morris]

I was going to be a smart aleck and quote from my "Merck Index" on Condy's Fluid. (Pre-internet and always starved for learning, I used to read this for fun.) Condy's Fluid isn't in it under any heading, so on to good old Wiki. The whole entry is so interesting I think I can attach it here.

Yikes! It looks like you could do anything with this stuff! I bet they used it for abortions as well. The permanganate would give the purplish/brownish color. That really stains. I'd also bet the formula varied from batch to batch.

[Jerry Dunlop]

Thanks Anna,

It sounds like it could be used for just about anything!! Your Wiki list cover a lot of uses.

Here are some institutions that were using it.

Charity Record
Thursday, July 18, 1889, London, Middlesex

[Danni]

Danni,

Regarding the Whitehall Torso, it was said (I believe by a journalist; so maybe reliable, maybe not) that it was Condy's Fluid that was believed to have been possibly administered to the torso. Not Quick lime. From my understanding, Condy's Fluid acts much like Chloride of Lime and the opposite of Quick lime. It acts as a disinfectant (smell) and a preservative. It also leaves a purple/brown discoloration on skin which is why I believe it was noted as a possibility in the Whitehall case.

Wow! Thanks for that information JerryD! That's an awesome find and I hadn't heard of it or read about it on the threads! Although I admit could have forgotten since I've been reading so much! And such a preservative would account for the skin being in a good condition and as Anna points out, some staining! It would also somewhat account for the doctor being able to actually examine and judge the condition of the organs which remained in the torso.

Thank you both for providing me with such clear and concise information and for being so patient with me! Hopefully I will be add to contribute something of value at some point to the ongoing research!