From the Court Records of the
Willful Murder Trial of Anne Donovan,
State of Louisiana v. Jonathon Thiroux
January 13, 1850
Attorney for the defense, Mr. Swift, questioning
Dr. Stephens.

MR. SWIFT: Dr. Stephens, can you explain to us what absinthism is?

DR. STEPHENS: Certainly. Absinthism is a syndrome that chronic ingestors of absinthe eventually incur. It is characterized by addiction, seizures, delirium, and hallucinations.

MR. SWIFT: What precisely do you mean by addiction?

DR. STEPHENS: Addiction is a physical dependence on the intoxicant itself. In this case, absinthe.

MR. SWIFT: And you say this absinthism results in seizures, delirium, and hallucinations?

DR. STEPHENS: That is correct.

MR. SWIFT: Could a person suffering from this unfortunate syndrome lose their faculties during one of these seizures, states of delirium, or hallucinations?

DR. STEPHENS: Absolutely. That’s the nature of the beast.

MR. SWIFT: So they could come to after one of these episodes and have no memory of what had occurred in the interim?

DR. STEPHENS: Certainly. They very easily could have memory gaps as a result of these brain traumas.

MR. SWIFT: Would you say that someone who has consumed absinthe every day for a period of at least eighteen months is at risk for absinthism, resulting in these seizures, states of delirium, and hallucinations?

DR. STEPHENS: Absinthe every day for eighteen months? Good God, I would say most assuredly a person ingesting that level of drink would be suffering from absinthism. Without a doubt, in my mind.

MR. SWIFT: Thank you, Dr. Stephens. I have no further questions.

From the Court Records of
the Willful Murder Trial of Anne Donovan,
State of Louisiana v. Jonathon Thiroux
January 14, 1850

PROSECUTOR: Dr. Raphael, in your medical opinion, would the wounds inflicted upon Anne Donovan be easy to create using a bowie knife?

DR. RAPHAEL: I am not certain what you’re asking.

PROSECUTOR: I apologize. Let me rephrase the question. We have heard testimony as to the severe damage a bowie knife can do to an individual. It is inarguably a most vicious weapon. Would you say that anyone, whether they are of great strength or not, could have inflicted these wounds upon Anne Donovan?

DR. RAPHAEL: I wouldn’t say that. The depth of the wounds, the violence of the attack, and the damage to both organs and bone indicate to me that the killer was a man of size and strength.

PROSECUTOR: Even though the bowie knife is used by sportsmen to easily gut fish and skin animals?

DR. RAPHAEL: I am not an expert in knives. I can merely tell you that bone was penetrated in a multitude of places, and as a medical expert, I do not believe that a person who was intoxicated to the point of unconsciousness could have inflicted wounds with this type of severity. I don’t believe a woman could have done this. I believe only a very strong man, in full command of his faculties, could have done this kind of damage.