The Case with Nine Solutions · Chapter
X: Information Received explained
Sir Clinton Driffield and Inspector Flamborough investigate the Hassendean murder case.
What happens
Sir Clinton Driffield and Inspector Flamborough investigate the Hassendean murder case. They visit Dr. Markfield at the Croft-Thornton Institute, where the poison is identified as hyoscine. They interview Miss Hailsham, who reveals that Avice Deepcar has been working on hyoscine under Dr. Silverdale's direction. Markfield's car number is linked to a fog incident. Later, a call from Detective-Sergeant Fossaway indicates a potential lead from a man inquiring about a reward.
Themes in this chapter
Science and Poison
The identification of hyoscine as the murder poison, with detailed discussion of dosage and chemical analysis, highlights the role of scientific expertise in the investigation.
Deception and Secrecy
Miss Hailsham's hidden knowledge about Avice Deepcar's work on hyoscine and Markfield's withheld information suggest layers of secrecy among the characters.
Fog and Uncertainty
The foggy night is referenced in connection with Markfield's car incident, adding an element of obscured vision and unreliable memory to the case.
Characters to notice
- Sir Clinton Driffield
Leads the investigation, identifies the poison as hyoscine before Markfield confirms it, and interviews Miss Hailsham.
- Inspector Flamborough
Assists Sir Clinton, follows up clues, and receives a promising lead from Fossaway.
- Dr. Trevor Markfield
Confirms the poison as hyoscine, shows the chemical store, and reveals his car number GX.9074 was involved in a fog incident.
- Miss Hailsham
Interviewed by Sir Clinton; expresses bitterness towards Hassendean and reveals Avice Deepcar's work on hyoscine.
- Detective-Sergeant Fossaway
Rings from Fountain Street about a man inquiring about a reward in the bungalow case.
Key passages
“You should never lose an opportunity of exercising your powers of inference, Inspector. I mustn't rob you of this one. Now put together two things: the episode of the mixed melting-point and the phrase about his 'triumph' that young Hassendean wrote in his journal. Add the state of the girl's pupils as a third point—and there you are!”
Sir Clinton encourages Flamborough to deduce the poison by combining the mixed melting-point clue, Hassendean's journal entry about a 'triumph', and the victim's dilated pupils.
Sir Clinton uses a Socratic method to guide the inspector toward identifying hyoscine.
“Hyoscine? Yes, Avice Deepcar's working on it just now. She's been at it for some time under Dr. Silverdale's direction.”
Miss Hailsham reveals that Avice Deepcar has been researching hyoscine under Dr. Silverdale's supervision.
This disclosure implicates Avice Deepcar and Dr. Silverdale in the poison's availability.
“I'm giving you a guess, but I think it's fairly near the mark. I wouldn't, of course, take my oath on it. But the very smallest quantity, judging from my results, would be somewhere in the neighbourhood of seven or eight milligrammes.”
Markfield estimates the minimum amount of hyoscine in the body at 7-8 milligrams, though he cautions it is not an exact figure.
The dosage far exceeds the maximum therapeutic dose, indicating deliberate poisoning.