DICINE NATIONAl LIBRARY OF MEDICINE N A T I O N A I I I B R A R Y O F M E D I C I N E
I J*\/ s
OI1VN 3NIDI03W JO A * V « a I 1 IVNOIIVN 3NIDIQ3W JO ASVItll IVNOUVN
\^y \  \^j
>UVN JNO.03W JO AlViail TVNOI1VN 3 N I 3 I Q 3 V* J O A » V « a I 1 1 V N O U V N »0
UVN INIJIfl^* -0»,|„, IVNOUVN J N I 3 , 0 3 W J O A » V . . < 1 T V N O U V N »l,l
 z
C.NI NATIONAL II BRARY OF MEDICINE N A T I O N A I l.l B R A R Y O F M E D I C I N E M"
 
NAl LIBRARY OF MEDICINE   NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE NATIONAL LIBRARY
?M  /j
I3W JO ABViall IVNOUVN   3NI3IQ3W JO A «V II8 I 1 IVNOUVN 3NI3IQ3W JO A » V H
                                          1 i

      *            5.            *      ^"   1            J
NAl LIBRARY OF MEDICINE   NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE NATIONAL LIBRARY



%
':iw jo Anvaan ivnouvn  3n i 3iq 3w jo a av aa i i  ivnouvn  iNOiaiw jo abv «
V   1
NAl LIBRARY OF MEDICINE   NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE NATIONAL LIBRARY
8C\
]!W JO AIVIII1 IVNOUVN   3NI3I03W JO AIYDIl IVNOUVN 3NI3IQ3W JO A II V 1
3W JO ABVIiail IVNOUVN   3NIDI03W JO A * V D a I 1 IVNOUVN  ] N I 3 I 0 3 W JO A B V II
 
 
r
:V

,  .•*!
,  , V <'
t'  J§F?£Jar
     '   h .
'.    /^v^,^'-'-' 
/'l//      £.■<* <*<
/
*~

 ^  1,
,5 ~C/t
f* A  ' < >


'    f

r<..  fife  >  -.    -"-r *■ v   . ^
✓».■  .-^/r*  ✓? /
/.-> ■   ,v.<
/.
  .                                       S^  *  .            '  .- ■•  «^ ■''  **'






/.■.,.               vfAi-t  -t     '
♦*""
-  ,   /^
^*
V   /J/
J
/•  7
^
A
/t.i.y,«'.  < 
   tf




<  .-.-■■-    -V -'- <-A-r ■*-
>  /;.cV  <f ^<--v
iZe * i
c^fV


/'
^Xc
/

/h^-- >; . '*</?*/' .k

/
,/'A

r7
/ r;i
U//^r^

Ace,  3<?>o*>~*> *'"'  At/  ^;/

t<V v / ✓ '>';,  i. '✓/< — «<■'-
✓
<f&^(?±
:<j c
■-7

it +.
1 
/£** -

I (II f
 


 
 
SYLLABUS
        LECTURES OJY






MEDICAL  JURISPRUDENCE





              AND ON





       THE TREATMENT OF
POISONING & SUSPENDED ANIMATION,






          DELIVERED IN THE
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA,
s.  \
BY PROFESSOR DUNGLISON.
«?
 PRINTED FOR THE USE OF THE STUDENTS.







  UNIVERSITY OP VIRGINIA:




PRINTED BY CLEMENT P. M'KENNIL\
X
x^*B*^^
 
v-l
(oOO


 \<o?~r\ 
CONTENTS.
	PAGE,
Apparent Death,	3
Sudden Death,	- 9
Poisoning, -	- 17
Suffocation, -	- - 71
Wounds and Bruises, -	- 82
Suicide, -----	91
Prolicide, - - -	- 93
Surgical Operations, -	- 117
Corporeal Punishments, -	- 117
Rape,.....	- 119
Sodomy, -	122
Insanity, -	- 122
the Deaf and Dumb,	129
Morbid Disqualifications in Civil	and
Criminal cases, -	- 130
Disqualifications for Military Service - 131	
Warranty, -	- 132
Disqualifications for Matrimony, -	- 132
Pretended Disqualifications, -	135
Legitimacy, &c. - -	- 137
Sexual Ambiguity,	139
Personal Identity,	- 140
Survivorship,	141
Insurance of Lives, -	- 141
Hereditary Peculiarities,	142
Medical Evidence, -	- 142
 
 
SYLLABUS, &c.
   1. Forensic, legal, judiciary or juridical
 Medicine understood to imply the use made of
 medical knowledge in Courts of Justice:
   2. Introductory observations—Works  on this
 subject recommended—Smith, Beck, Cooper,
 Fodere,  Orfila, &c.  &c.—Remarks—Smith's
 arrangement followed—Remarks.

  QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE EXTINCTION OF
                    LIFE.
          Of death in the healthy state.
   3. Sudden death occurring Avithout any precur-
 sory signs of a deviation from the healthy state.
             1.  Of apparent death.
   4. Numerous stories of this kind on record and
 fearful consequences reported to  have ensued.
 These consequences; first, the cessation of the
 proper aids and attentions required by the sub-
jects of debilitating maladies.  Secondly, the pre-
 cipitate application of the  scalpel.  Thirdly, the
 interment of a person yet alive.
   5. With respect to the first of these, but little
 cause for apprehension—semblance  of  death 
                      4
sometimes strong and yet  recovery has subse-
quently taken place—Cases related.
  6. Second  consequence  to be  dreaded—the
precipitate application of the scalpel; 1. for the
purpose of extracting a  child from the uterus of
its supposed dead mother:  2. of ascertaining the
cause of the death of  the patient: 3. for the pur-
noses of the anatomical school—cases  related.
  7. The third consequence or premature inter*
ment—much pains taken to throw this occur-
rence into discredit—cases have nevertheless oc-
curred—practice in this respect amongst various
nations.

    Of the signs and discrimination  of  Death.
  8. Manifestations of the existence of vitality—
temporary intermission  of  activity to be distin-
guished from its total extinction—importance of
knowing  n hen this extinction has taken place—
generally not very  difficult.  Life  may  exist
without the actual exertion of all the functions—
the natural functions may be long inactive Avith-
out destroying life—the animal functions regu-
larly interrupted during sleep and frequently  de-
ranged by disease whilst life goes on  Avith  little
or no declension of vigour—Avhen the  vital func-
tions cease,  life is extinct.   Respiration and cir-
culation—the interruption  of one promptly fol-
loAved by that of the other, death being the spee-
dy consequence.  During life the functions kept 
5
up by certain impulses—after death decomposi-
tion takes place and no part of the original body
remains.  When putrefaction occurs no chance of
reanimation—other signs, hoAvever, short of pu-
trefaction satisfactory proofs of death.
  9. Dead body characterised by want of voluntary
and involuntary motion—insensibility to stimuli:
coldness—paleness—fixed  state  of the  eye—
contraction of the features—rigidity of the limbs
__relaxation  of the  sphincter  muscles,  &c.
These  various signs  canvassed—most of these
phenomena may be combined  and the subject
be still living.
  10. Means employed to test the reality of death:
Light flocculent bodies placed at the nostrils or
on the lips—a candle  applied to  the  outlets of
the breath—a vessel containing Avater placed on
the breast, the agitation  of which has been es-
teemed a mark of the  existence of respiration—
all these  tests to be rejected—surgical tests re-
commended—as pricking  the skin—blistering—
the  actual   cautery,  moxa,  &c.—sanctionable
where deceit may  be suspected, but otherwise
unwarrantable—Making  an  incision  between
tAVO ribs in the left  side and passing the finger to
the heart in search  of  pulsation ! recommended
by M. M. Foubert and  Fodere—Dr. Paris's
opinion that respiration, hoAvever slow and feeble
it may have become by disease, must always be
perceptible provided the  naked breast and belly 
6
 be exposed,  considered  too sanguine—Facies
 Hippocratica  an  equivocal  sign—opinions  of
 Louis and others on this  subject quoted.   Last
 resource  in these  investigations the manifesta-
 tion of the putrefactive process—important how-
 ever to avoid  the experiment—the delay not u-
 sually necessary—effect produced  on the  con-
 tractility  of the muscular fibre by Galvanism—
 Its effect on  man and  animals—case of Clydes-
 dale as related by Dr. Ure—mere muscular con-
 traction on the application of certain agents by
 no means an evidence that resuscitation is always
 practicable.

 Of states of the living body that may resemble death.
   11. Asphyxia  or suspended animation,  most
 closely allied  to death—probability of resuscita-
 tion determined upon simple grounds—general-
 ly easy to learn cither by the circumstances in
 Avhich the body has been found or the history of
 the event to what  noxious cause it has been ex-
 posed : whether to  an  irrespirable  atmosphere,
 to Avater,  to  mechanical  pressure on the Avind-
 pipe, &c.—important  also to know how long it
 has remained under the influence of these  cau-
 ses.   Real nature of the case, hoAvever, to be at-
tempted to be discovered  in  the body  itself, in
the absence of casual assistance.
   12. No satisfactory account of symptoms,  gen-
erally applicable, can be given :  The following 
7
may be  met Avith—surface of  the  body  cold,
warm, pallid, or not—countenance unusually li-
vid, or red, or pale, according to circumstances—
tongue frequently  pushed out—eyes often pro-
truded in strangulation and suffused with blood-
pupils  commonly  dilated, insensible  to  the
strongest light—hands clenched—excretory eva-
cuations—the ratio moriendi considered in another
place.
  13. Unless from the extent of violence or the
presence of putrefaction, the lapse of hours since
exposure  to  noxious influence  not sufficient to
bar the resuscitating process—Avant of immedi-
ate success not  to Avarrant its discontinuance.
  14. The only satisfactory means of discriminat-
ing betAveen  Asphyxia and absolute death is the
result  of the proper application of approved
means of recovery.
  15. Instances of apparent death sometimes in
the sick  chamber Avhere  the  difficulty of dis-
crimination is consequently increased—cases re-
lated.
  16. Syncope or fainting—characterised by pale-
ness and insensibility Avith impeded circulation
and respiration  -frequently persisting for a con-
siderable time  notwithstanding  the diligent ap-
plication of remedies—remarks—exciting causes
very numerous and resident in the nervous sys-
tem, acted upon through the mind.-  remarks on
syncope: previous state of the  individual to be 
8
 enquired into—whether he laboured  under any
 organic  affection  or  had been  subject to faint-
 ing, &c.
   17.  Apoplexy,  Catalepsy, Hysteria,  fyc. some-
 times  mistaken  for death—proper examination
 sufficient to decide whether  the vital principle
 be extinct.
   18.  In some diseases attended  Avith great ex-
 haustion, there  is often great difficulty in dis-
 criminating ; hence in times  of public sickness
 the living have been  mingled Avith the  dead—
 these mistakes more likely to occur in warm cli-
 mates  where speedy  interment is necessarv—
 cases of  precipitate interment alluded to.
   19.  Trance—popular notions  on this  subject
 very extravagant—remarks.
   20.  Simulation  of death by the administration
 of drugs a mere romance.
   21.  Case of the Honorable Colonel Toavns-
 hend related—remarks.
   22. Forensic enquiry may be called  for should
 any of the three consequences, above mentioned,
 take place-a practitioner may be indicted for
 neglecting a sick patient prematurely—but little
 difference between withholding remedies where
 there is  a chance  of success and administering
 what is hurtful-the second and third consequent
 ces in this point of view require no comment.
  23. Reality of death sometimes matter of legal
enquiry-in questions of survivorship for exam- 
9
pie—cases of imposture also  frequent—remarks.
  24. The duty of the practitioner  is simple—to
carefully examine the supposed corpse and ac-
quire all possible knoAvledge of the event and
circumstances connected Avith it—not to be guid-
ed by clamour, but to examine carefully and de-
cide judiciously.

Of  sudden  death  without  question   of  criminal
                   agency.
  25. Remarks—of sudden death from intrinsic
or morbid causes.
  26. Remarks—necessity  of  an  acquaintance
Avith physiological as well as pathological anato-
my to giAre a correct opinion of the cause of death.
  27. Dissection should be made in every case
of sudden death—remarks.
  28. Observations on  the immediate  cause of
death—on certain questions that may arise as to
the cause of death.
  29. Jlpoplexy characterised by mental and cor-
poreal torpitude  with  stertorous  sleep—where
the attack  is perceived, justiciary  interference
scarcely ever necessary—may hoAvever  termi-
nate fatally in situations Avhere the event has
not been observed—rationale of the  disease—on
dissection a  turgid  state  of the vessels of the
brain to be expected,  or extravasations into its
cavities or substance—causes  of this formidable
disease  to be borne in mind—the make of the 
                      10
 body—known habits  of the individual, &c.   In
 those of  the  apoplectic  make certain  things
 known to be dangerous, which, in others, might
 not even be inconvenient—to Avit, postures Avith
 the head low—tight clothes, especially about the
 neck—excess in eating or drinking—danger of
 which is increased by the recumbent posture, &c.
   30.  Epilepsy  or the falling  sickness—charac-
 terised by general  muscular agitation, Avithout
 sensation or consciousness and recurring at irreg-
 ular periods—remarks—leads to sudden death by
 injury done to some  important  organ or by  ex-
 posing the body, Avhilst in the paroxysm, to fatal
 agency.
   31. Sudden death occasioned  by  a variety of
 other causes, some of  Avhich altogether unappre-
 ciable by any signs or symptoms during life—of
 these some are of a chronic, others  of an acute
 nature.
   32. Aneurism of the heart,  or aorta, or ossifi-
 cation of these or other vessels—rupture  of the
 heart-softening  of the  heart-inflammation of
 the heart, stomach or brain, especially of a rheu-
 matic or gouty character—violent emotions of the
 mind, as  excessive joy,  fear or grief, &c__re-
marks on these, as causes of sudden death—cases
related.

     Of sudden death  by external influence,
  33. This division includes death by the inter- 
11
ference of agents still unconnected with crime-
as by lightning—exposure to noxious gases—to
cold and hunger—the immoderate use of spiritu-
ous liquors—the imprudent  swallowing of cold
water—a coup de soleil, &c—remarks.
  34. Danger from lightning heightened hy ta-
king shelter under  a tree—cases however of
death by lightning at a distance from elevated
objects.
  35. Danger of burning charcoal where venti-
lation  is impeded--of sleeping on lime-kilns—
going  rashly  into mines, cellars, wells, brew-
ers' Aressels, &c.
  36. Danger from exposure to  cold,  generally
owing  to  misfortune and connected  with ex-
haustion from hunger and fatigue—cases related.
  37. Death from drinking cold water  when the
system is  under  great excitement from exer-
cise—remarks—some  probability that  death has
as much reference to the quantity as to the tem-
perature of the Avater taken—cases related.
  38. Death from intoxication—remdLrks.   The
appearances in the  body—the history of the
case—and the presence of the fluid  sufficient to
guard against erroneous conclusions.
  39.  Spontaneous combustion of  the human bo-
dy—cases   related—remarks—reported  to  have
chiefly occurred in those who had been addicted
to  drinking spirituous liquors  who  were old
and fat, and, generally  of the female  sex—the 
                      12
 occurrence  perhaps doubtful; but assuming it
 for a fact, it may be  important to establish it in
 a court of justice - there have been cases of mur-
 der in which attempts were subsequently made
 to burn the body to escape detection—(case  re-
 lated)  and where such an accusation is  made it
 might  be urged that the body Avas burnt in man-
 ner unknown.
  40.  Forensic application-—on the formalities of
 courts  of inquiry—Coroner's inquest.
  41.  Points of duty devolving on the medical
 practitioner—necessity for his proceeding with
 caution and  intelligence,  as he may inculpate
 the  innocent,  prevent justice—injure  his OAvn
 reputation, &c.
  42. When called to a person found lying dead—
 if the body  cannot conveniently remain Avhere
 discovered until an inquest can be held,  an ac-
 curate  examination  to  be made into every  ap-
 pearance connected  with it on discovery.   It
 will be important to mark the  spot  of ground3
 the situation of objects and  the posture of  the
body when found—to examine the Avhole surface
of the corpse as well to discover Avounds or brui-
 ses  as to detect improper tightness,  pressure or
other impediment to  the circulation—-Avounds
 must be  carefully  and anatomically traced—if
bruises or marks of violence exist, the parts be-
neath must be  dissected   all the cavities of the
body  must be  then examined—remarks—if, on 
13
opening the head,  turgescence be found in the
vessels—haemorrhage accompanying the knife-
blood extravasated -adhesion jpstween the mem-
branes-great  vascularity  in them,  &c—death
may be presumed to have arisen from apoplexy;
a presumption which Avill be corroborated if in
the stomach signs  of repletion be observed, or
if the deceased  be of a make favourable to de-
termination of blood to the head—a person may
be seized with apoplexy in a place where there
are hard or sharp objects on which he falls, and
extensive wounds, with loss  of blood, may be
the consequence-dissection will shew that death
has  not  been the consequence of external vio-
lence—or, he may  fall in the apoplectic state in-
to water and be taken  out dead—in  such a case
the signs of apoplexy  Avill probably be mani-
fest-the nature of the  place where found, the
appearance of the ground--previous  state of the
deceased's mind, health, &c. to be also taken in-
to  account-A person  again  may fall from  a
height in an apoplectic fit and fracture his scull-
three questions may here  arise :  1. Has the de-
ceased  accidentally come by  his death in this
way ? 2.  Has he sought it  of his own accord 1
3.  Has he been precipitated  by other agency 1
Previous history, appearances on dissection, &c.
must here be considered.
   43. When the cause  of death is seated in the
 heart or great vessels, the appearances generally 
14
very satisfactory—were the heart more frequent-
ly examined a satisfactory cause of sudden death
would probably tate more frequently discovered-
cases  related.
  44.  Where death has occurred from sudden af-
fection of the stomach, the appearances may or
may not be  satisfactory—perforation, as well as
great  vascularity, of the  stomach sometimes oc-
casioned by the gastric juice after death—cases
and experiments related.
  45.  In death by lightning clothes sometimes
consumed and metallic substances melted.  Ap-
pearances on dissection by no  means satisfacto-
ry—cases related—history of the event  to be
generally presumed from the situation in which
the body is found,  and  the knowledge  that  a
thunder storm has taken place.
  46.  In cases of the non-respirable gases, Avhen
the body is  found, the circumstances as to nox-
ious influence may be wholly changed,  as the
gas may  have escaped—evidence of Avhat has
occurred to  be perhaps  sufficiently  discovered
from the state in Avhich  objects are  found—re-
marks—eyes of those who have  died in this
manner generally found wide open and  protru-
ded—tongue thrust out at one side of the mouth-
jaw clenched—face  livid, &c—on  dissection,
congestion of blood  in  the  right side  of  the
heart  and in the veins leading to those cavities—
where no other cause of suffocation  demonstra- 
15
ble there is perhaps proof sufficient, when add-
ed to the history of the event,  to decide on the
mode of death.
  47. The investigation of cases of death  from
cold and hunger depends more  upon their histo-
ry than on the appearances to  be met with on
dissection—it  should, hoAvever, be ascertained
whether any deleterious ingesta have been made
use of, as well as whether there be any traces of
organic derangement and of morbid  action—if
none be found the probability of the cause men-
tioned will be strengthened.  They who perish
in this manner generally belong to the Avretched
classes of society—marks of privation may there-
fore be looked for in the exhausted state of the
stomach and intestines, as Avell  as in the general
emaciation of the  body  and miserable state of
the  clothes—remarks.  Persons who die  from
exposure to cold in the open air not unfrequent-
ly  brought to it  by  excessive  drinking—re-
marks—discovery in such cases of a quantity of
spirituous fluid in the  viscera,  recognisable by
the smell, will account for death—remarks.
  48. In death from the ingestion of cold ivater
when heated  no morbid appearances to be ex-
pected on dissection—the sole  evidence will be
the history of the case—remarks.
  49. Detection of  intoxication as a  cause of
death, but rarely difficult—in most cases the in-
dividual carried off by apoplexy—in others no 
16
 external  derangement perceptible—remarks—
 these fatal events frequently take place in the
 presence of others—in whatever way the indi-
 vidual may die great light thrown upon the case
 by the presence of liquor in the stomach and in-
 testines—generally, however, death occurs when
 the individual is alone, from his falling asleep in
 dangerous situations or in the cold—remarks.
   60. With regard to the  detection of sponta-
 neous combustion, from the cases on record,  the
 great means will be the relative position of  the
 deceased  to the  combustible  substance; (the
 parts farthest from this substance being perhaps
 unconsumed)—the habits of the individual, Sec-
 concluding remarks.

 Of death where there is question of personal agency.
   51.  Under this  head a number  of questions
 present themselves—importance  of the medical
 practitioner's being acquainted with certain dis-
 tinctions of homicide established in the Courts
 of Justice
   52. Of Homicide—felonious homicide—culpable
homicide—Manslaughter—justifiable homicide___
 Chance medley,  fyc.
   53. Remarks—under this  head the following
questions  important  to be carefully considered :
 1.  Are there no fatal diseases that have appear-
ances similar to those found in the  body on the
present occasion ?  2. Could  the person have in 
17
flicted this injury upon himself?  3.  Has not a
fatal result,  in this instance, taken place from a
cause that in another person would have been of
little or no consequence 1  Was every thing done
for the recovery of the deceased ?  Or, might he
not have  recovered had proper treatment been
pursued ?  And in certain cases,  as in hanging
and droAvning, it may be asked—was the  person
killed in the manner alleged, or first deprived
of life and then  placed in  that situation in order
to baffle suspicion ?—remarks and examples.

                Of Poisoning.
  54. Remarks.
  55. Secret poisoning—cases related.
  56. Definition of poisons—difficulty of defin-
ing them—may be administered  with criminal
intent on the part  of others or may be had re-
course to by individuals for the purpose  of tak-
ing away their own lives—frequently taken by
mistake, and sold through  ignorance—necessity
for the practitioner to be acquainted with  the
various poisonous  substances—noxious substan-
ces rendered inert by habit—cases related—pe-
culiarities of constitution render some  things
poisonous  which are not so to mankind in gene-
ral—remarks—although all  poisons may termi-
nate fatally  great  difference in their modus ope-
randi—remarks.
  57. Classification according as they  belong to 
18
the mineral, vegetable or animal  kingdom,  and
according to  their action on the living frame as
Corrosive,  Astringent, Narcotic,  fyc. the  most
convenient.
  58.  The majority of deaths by poison occasion-
ed by  those of the mineral kingdom—chemistry
affords sure  means of detecting many of these
when really present—remarks.
  59.  OrfikCs and Fodere's classification recom-
mended, viz:  Corrosive, or Escharotic—astrin-
gents—acrid narcotic or stupifying  narcotic-acrid
—and septic or putrefying—remarks.
  60.  Corrosive or Escharotic poisons  destroy
the texture of the parts to  which they are ap-
plied.
  61. Symptoms—violent pain  and sense of heat
in the stomach and intestines—constriction of the
mouth and fauces—frequent vomiting, often of
blood—bloody diarrhoea—some times hiccup and
tenesmus—pulse quick, small and hard, at length
imperceptible  the body becomes very cold and
covered with cold moisture, though these symp-
toms vary, there  being sometimes intense heat
with unquenchable thirst  generally great anxi-
ety and oppression at the prsecordia - fetor of
the breath—priapism induced by some poisons of
this class-  countenance becomes altered and con-
vulsed and death succeeds -the internal senses
generally  remaining  unimpaired until nearly
the last—the  rapidity of the fatal event depen- 
19
dant on the quantity of poison saa allowed—death
generally, hoAvever, not sudden.
  62.  On dissection, body externally livid—coun-
tenance more or less distorted—on laying open
the  fauces downwards, the effect of the poison
to be generally traced—the  parts more or less
excoriated and their texture perhaps destroyed—
in the stomach and intestines marks of violent
inflammation as destruction of the  mucous mem-
brane or gangrenous sloughs—frequently  perfo-
rations—intestinal canal constricted in various
parts-in the colon,  frequently, ulceration—sep-
aration of the coats of the intestines not conclu-
sive of poisoning—remarks—where a small quan-
tity only of corrosive poison sAvalloAved  or the
greater  part rejected by vomiting no distinct
traces of poison may be met Avith until Ave come
to the larger intestines-remarks—the most noto-
rious bodies of  this class are certain metallic
preparations,  concentrated acids,  saline  com-
pounds,  &c.
  63.  Astringent poisons—their principal charac-
teristic action is  constriction of the elementary
canal, if not of other passages—in sufficient quan-
tity  excite  inflammation—Lead and  its pre-
parations constitute almost  the   whole of this
class—remarks.
  64.  Acrid or rubefacient poisons produce in-
flammation Avhen applied to the intestinal canal:
many of them cause the  same effect,  attended
                       c 
                     20
with suppuration, on  the  surface of the body-
taken internally in sufficient quantity act like
the Corrosive. This class almost Avholly furnish-
ed by the vegetable kingdom—remarks.
  65. Narcotic poisons affect the system with
sleep or stupor—vary in their effects  as along
Avith stupor there are, occasionally, convulsions,
delirium, paralysis, &c.  Remarks—this class in-
cludes Opium, the Cherry Laurel, Henbane, fyc.
  66. Narcotico-Acrid occasion the joint effects
of the two last classes—remarks—Symptoms—
agitation—pain—insensibility—compulsions—
vertigo—stiffness  of the limbs—redness  of the
eyes—dilatation of the pupils—sight and hearing
impaired—foaming at the mouth—lividity of the
tongue and gums—nausea—vomiting—frequent
stools—pulse variable.  Death occurs less spee-
dily Avhere the poison has  been taken into the
stomach than Avhen throAvn into the circulating
system. Many of these symptoms common to va-
rious diseases,  hence the necessity for attentiAre
dissection  to discover the poison or its absence.
 This class  comprehends some of the most deadly
poisons—the upas—ticunas—deadly  nightshade,
Sfc. fyc.
  67. Septic poisons  all belong to  the  animal
kingdom or to the gaseous—scarcely ever used
Avith a criminal intent—less important therefore
to the medical Avitness than  to the practitioner-
remarks. 
21
   68. A legal investigation may be required ei-
ther in the case of the living or the dead body.
   69.  When called during life in a case Avhere
poison  has  been  taken,  the primary  object of
course  is to  save the patient and remove suffer-
ing—but still to bear in mind that a judicial in-
quiry  may   be necessary—remarks—ascertain
Avhat the individual  last swalloAved if possible—
get possession of the vessel in Avhich it has been
contained and of the remains, if any—if he have
vomited, secure the rejected  matter—observe
the symptoms—a  corroborative proof, as to the
particular deleterious article taken, is the success-
ful exhibition  of  an established antidote.  The
substance in Avhich the poison has been  mingled,
or the matter vomited, to be submitted to such
tests  as are at  hand, to assist us in deciding on
the proper practice  for recovery—to give pro-
per evidence in a  Court of Justice, hoAvever, the
mass to be reserved  for deliberate and  attentive
experiment—remarks.  In cases of suspected poi-
soning important to inquire into the habits of life,
idiosyncrasies,  &c.  AArhether the  individual be
known to have been before  similarly affected—-
whether particular articles of food, generally con-
sidered  Avholesome, have usually disagreed—of
what his last meal  consisted—Avhether any error
or noxious agent  have occurred in the culinary
department.   These injunctions palpably neces-
sary  Avhere  the person  is still alive  and the 
22
 great object is recovery—but they must even be
 attended to where death has taken place—our
 object then  is the detection of the poison—the
 investigation Avith this vieAv to be carefully con-
 ducted.   The cause of death to be sought for also
 by negative proofs—as by the absence of all oth-
 er signs of injury or derangement Avhether from
 violence or disease Avhich might be urged as the
 cause of death.  The positive proofs are the pre-
 sence of the fatal substance and the known or
 presumed effects of such substance  on the sys-
 tem.
   70. In searching post mortem, for the presence
 and traces of poisons in the internal parts of the
 body—the rule  of procedure  applicable in all
 cases is,  to examine  the whole  alimentary ca-
 nal—laying open the fauces and oesophagus and
 examining the large intestines as Avell as the
 small—not  to  be deterred  from  the investi-
 gation by the length  of time Avhich  may have
 elapsed since the individual's death—the  detec-
 tion of mineral poisons not being affected by the
 approach of putrefaction.

              Of mineral poisons.

  71. Remarks-^Chemical knoAvledge the great
distinction as to the qualifications of the practi-
tioner for clearing up the obscurities  of poison-
ing by minerals—generally speaking, where the 
23
metals are  in  question, the  object of  search
should be to reduce them to an uncombined state.
                  Arsenic.
  72. In its metallic state  not of much impor-
tance—requisite, however, to  be able to recog-
nise it in  this  state—Black  oxide—remarks—
White oxide—arsenious acid, commonly called
arsenic—physical properties—remarks—genera^ ly
kept in poAvder  Avhen it resembles, in  appear-
ance, refined sugar and has been mistaken for it
as Avell as mixed Avith it for criminal purposes-
solubility in Avater.  In small quantity, Avhen in-
ternally administered, speedily proves fatal.
  73. Symptoms—austere taste  in the mouth and
fauces—fetor of the breath—often Avith ptyalism—
constriction of  the  pharynx and  oesophagus-
teeth set on edge—hiccup and nausea, with vom-
iting, generally of a brown coloured substance,
not unfrequently of blood—great anxiety—heat
about the praecordia  and syncope—inflammation
of the mouth, fauces and oesophagus—painful ir-
ritability of the  stomach rendering it unable to
retain  the  blandest  liquid—stools black,  fetid,
mixed occasionally  with  blood—state  of the
pulse variable, generally frequent, small and ir-
regular, but sometimes slow and unequal—palpi-
tation of the heart—unquenchable thirst super-
venes—the  body becomes  pungently hot, but
sometimes  icy  cold and respiration  difficult— 
                     24
urine scanty, red and even bloody—countenance
altered- a livid circle forms round the eyes—the
body swells, is affected Avith itching and covered
with livid spots- great loss of strength and feel-
ing  especially in the extremities—delirium and
convulsions  often  priapism—and  death.  The
above are the symptoms of the most formidable
cases—in various instances they will differ in de-
gree—their  number and  violence depending,
(amongst other causes) on the quantity of poison
SAvalloAved, the nature, &c. of remedies  admin-
istered and the constitution of the individual.
  74. Arsenic  has  been administered  in some
cases by  Avay of injection into the rectum or va-
gina and  has  induced death—effects on animals
when so  injected—cases related.
  75. Has induced  death  also by  haATing been
applied  to a  wound or  ulcer, or  even to  the
skin—cases related.
  76. Inhalation of  its vapours has proved fatal—
cases related.
  77. Appearances  on  dissection—marks of  in-
flammatory action in the mouth, fauces, oesopha-
gus, stomach  and intestines, in Avhich there may
be gangrenous spots or sloughs or even perfora-
tions—villous coat sometimes of a reddish broAvn  '
colour and resembling  paste—dark spots have
been noticed  on the lungs, &c. &c__remarks-
Mr. Brodie's experiments on poisoning by this
substance referred  to—remarks—Mr.  Brodie's  ' 
25
 deduction,  that in Avhatever  Avay arsenic is ad-
 ministered it does not produce its  effects upon
 the  stomach  until it has been first carried  into
 the blood, canvassed.
   78. Antidotes—there is  unfortunately nothing
 that Avill attract and combine Avith it in prefer-
 ence to the# animal matter of the organ to Avhich
 it is applied.   The  great objects  of treatment
 must therefore be: 1. To remove the  poison.
 2. To  administer  such articles as may dilute or
 attenuate  its causticity, and 3.  If the patient  sur-
 vive long enough to diminish inflammation —
 remedies  recommended  by  authors:  Emetics,
 bland  fluids—charcoal—sulphuretted hydrogen,
 sulphuret of potass—sulphur—the juice of  the
 sugar-cane—magnesia—laudanum—injecting  the
 stomach with  Avater and then AvithdraAving  the
 contents by means  of a s} ringe, the operation
 being repeated until  the Avater comes off clear
 and tasteless, &c.
   79. Summary of the proper treatment to be pur-
 sued—vomiting  to be induced by the common
 emetics—the syringe  of Mr. Jukes may be  had
recourse to, a quantity of tepid Avater or of  any
bland fluid being carried into the stomach  and
afteiAvards withdrawn, the operation being re-
peated  as often as may seem necessary—tepid
mucilaginous fluids or sugared Avater,or chalk  and
water,  or  lime Avater, or magnesia, may be free-
ly exhibited,and afterwards, should inflammatory 
26
 symptoms supervene, the case must be treated,
 like one of gastritis or inflammation of the sto
 mach, by bleeding, blistering, &c. combined Avith
 a  stiict adherence to the antiphlogistic regi-
 men -remarks.
   80. If the person  be still  living every effort
 must be directed to his relief and welfare.   It
 can generally be discovered that a mineral poi-
 son has been taken and the  only difficulty to be
 experienced will be to distinguish Avhether it be
 arsenic  or corrosive sublimate.  Should the ne-
 cessary information not be attainable  and the
 symptoms be  indistinct, the practitioner must
 endeavour to  procure some of the deleterious
 article if there be  any and try it by  any test
 which may be at hand.  If he discover in any
 manner  that  arsenic  is the substance  that has
 been swalloAved, he must immediately labour for
 the recovery of the patient, being careful at the
 same time to retain the poAver of satisfying the
 proper authorities as to the fact of poisoning, by
 proving  the presence of the  poisonous article
 by subsequent analysis of the residue of the sub-
 stance sAvalloAved,  or of that which is ejected by
vomiting.
   81. The practitioner, on such occasions, recom-
mended to obtain the  presence  and assistance of
another physician as soon as  possible : or, if this
cannot be accomplished to keep  a strict  Avatch
over the  suspected substance  Avhich he may 
27
Avish to examine at a future hour when not oc-
cupied by the more urgent business of relieving
his patient.
   82.  When he has  opportunity he  must  ex-
amine the  matter  deliberately and cautiously,
and if unaccustomed to  the operations of che-
mistry, he had better, if practicable,  obtain the
aid of a  more expert person: all  that is done
must pass under his OAvn eye,  otherAvise a ques-
tion may arise as to the identity of the matter
subjeoted to those  experiments with that set
aside for the purpose—cases of this nature re-
lated—remarks.
   83 The external  appearances of the body not to
be overlooked—but the internal form the grand
consideration.
   84. Mode of examination.  The trunk  of the
body to be carefully laid open from the top of
the thorax to the cavity of the pelvis,  taking
care to Avound  no  part of the digestive tube—
the Avhole of the intestines to be removed, by
careful separation,  from  their attachments, pla-
cing one ligature securely on the upper  part of
the  oesophagus,  a second  on  the lower part of
the rectum and a third on the hepatic vessels—
Avhere the stomach  is perforated, ligatures might
be improper—the loss of the poisonous substance
in such case must be prevented  by  attending to
position,  and clean  sponges be  applied to pre-
vent the fluid from passing out and to absorb
                      D 
28
What portion may  make its  Avay  through—the
Avhole intestinal canal to be then transferred in-
to a large earthen vessel—and the alimentary
canal being laid open throughout  its Avhole ex-
tent the fluid contents to be  placed in one ves-
sel and the  solid  in  another—the intestines to
be then washed, if practicable,  in Avarm distilled
water and the product to be also carefully set
apart—lesions  of  structure  to be  accurately
searched after and noted—sloughs, gangrenous,
inflamed and perforated spots, recommended by
Orfila, to be removed (Avith  a portion of the
parts around them,) and placed  in alcohol.
   85. Tests—Nitrate of silver—Chromate of po-
tass—sulphurets and hydrosulphurets, &c.  Ob-
jections to these various tests  canvassed—the on-
ly sure method is reduction to the metallic state.
   86. Experiments recommended—If there be no
solid particles found  in  the stomach,  the Avash-
ings may  be  strained through a piece of linen
rag,  and the  fluid being divided into different
portions, each may  be  tested separately by the
following reagents.
   Experiment  1. Drop  some of the  suspected
fluid on a piece  of Avhite paper so as  to make a
broad line : draAV  several times along this line a
stick of  lunar caustic and brush the streak light-
ly over  Avith  liquid ammonia.  If arsenic5be
present,  a bright  queen's yellow  is  produced,
which remains permanent for  near half an hour.
   Exp.  2.  Dissolve  in two drachms of the sus- 
29
pected fluid three grains of subcarbonate of am-
monia, and add a Avarm solution  of five grains of
sulphate of copper : if arsenic be present, a live-
ly grass green precipitate Avill be produced.
   Exp. 3. Into the fluid stir a moderate quanti-
ty of charcoal in fine poAvder: alloAv it to settle,
then filter, and to the poAvder, when dry, add a
little carbonate of potass : sprinkle some  of this
mixture  on a  red  hot poker and  if arsenic be
present the smell of garlic will be perceptible.
   Exp. 4. If any solid particles be found in the
stomach, mix one part of them  with three of a
mixture, consisting of one part of finely powder-
ed  charcoal and  tAvo  parts  of dry carbonate  of
potass: put this mixture into a small glass tube,
the upper inner surface, or empty part, of Avhich
clean with  a feather, ^and  stop the open end
loosely Avith a little tOAV, or piece of^soft paper:
then place the closed  end among red hot coals
for a feAV minutes, or in  the flame of a spirit
lamp : Avhen, if arsenic be  present, a brilliant
metallic  crust will be found lining the upper
part of the  tube: and which, when  placed on
hot coals, will exhale dense fumes and a strong
smell of garlic.
   86. Shoidd all experiments on  the contents of
the intestines fail;  some of the portions, recom-
mended  by Orfila to be cut from them and pre-
served in alcohol, to  be  combined Avith the car-
bonate of potass and charcoal, and be subjected
to heat Avith a view of obtaining metallic arsenic
by sublimation.
   87. It must be recollected that the vehicle  in
which the poison may have been exhibited often 
                     &0
alters the results of reagents—if any of the pre-
cipitates, hoAvever, be dried and sublimed they
will afford metallic arsenic.
  88. No single test should be relied on—it is
only from the concurrent  results of all that the
practitioner's evidence can be receivable  and
the reduction to the  metallic state, where  the
quantity of poison is sufficient to enable  him to
do so, must never be omitted.
  89. Arsenic acid,  not  common—unlikely to
become the subject of investigation—should this
happen the  essential parts of our duty  nearly
the same as in the case of  the arsenious acid.
  90. Black oxide of Arsenic, an ingredient in
the common Fly powder of France and Germany.
  91. Fly-water—a compound of arsenious acid
and treacle—also a virulent poison.
  92. Fowler's Arsenical solution has all the pro-
perties of arsenious acid Avhen given imprudent-
ly—administered as a medicine is reported by
Broussais to have induced fatal diseases of an-
other character—remarks—ought doubtless to be
used with great  circumspection—seems capable
of being accumulated in the system and of thus
predisposing to serious diseases.
  93.  Yellow  sulphuret of Arsenic—Orpiment
and the Red sulphur et or Realgar  produce the
same noxious effects—remarks.
  94. Arsenic esteemed by some to be an anti-
septic—it  has been remarked that the bodies of 
31
those killed by it resist putrefaction longer than
others, but this is not established—various cases
of poisoning by arsenic related.
         Mercury and its combinations.
  95. Mode of proceeding for examining the bo-
dy of the poisoned  individual, &c. the same as
if arsenic had been  taken.
  96. Metallic  mercury acts only  mechanically
on the living system—but Avhen oxydized in the
smallest degree, as Avhen mixed  Avith fat or oil,
it may prove dangerous—at common  tempera-
tures mercury  sheAvn by Mr. Faraday to be sur-
rounded by an atmosphere of the same sub-
stance.
  97. Mercurial vapors, probably always  hoAve-
ver  oxydized,  unquestionably  poisonous—cases
related,  in  miners, siiverers  of  looking glass-
es, &c.
  98.  Usual symptoms of long  exposure  to such
vapours—trembling and paralysis of the limbs—
vertigo—loss  of memory and  other intellectual
faculties—salivation—ulceration of the mouth—
colic—asphyxia—asthma—haemoptysis—atrophy
—apoplexy and death—cases related.
  99. Per chloride of mercury—oxymuriate of mer-
cury or corrosive sublimate.
   100.  Chemical properties—taste  so  acrid and
disagreeable as to give rise  to the assertion that
enough of it could not be sAvallowed in a fluid 
                      32
 form to produce  fatal effects—this  idea contra-
 dicted b}~ experience.
   101.  Peculiar effects of mercury  Avhen intro-
 duced into the system—increased Aoav of saliva
 —the gums sore and tender—a coppery  taste
 perceptible in the  mouth—breath  offensive—
 when given  to a greater extent, the soft parts
 swell—teeth become loose and  even  fall out-
 deglutition and speech are impeded—saliva flows
 copiously and incessantly, and sometimes parts of
 the  tongue, fauces, &c. come  aAvay.  Under
 these symptoms individuals have sometimes died.
 These  effects  readily  produced  by  corrosiAe
 sublimate--remarks on  its use as medicine.
   102.  When administered to the  extent of tAvo
 or three grains  is  an escharotic or  corrosive poi-
 son—the folloAving are the symptoms—styptic and
 metallic taste in the mouth, with a sense of con-
 striction about  the fauces,  and burning heat in
 the  throat—excruciating pain in the  region of
 the  stomach—severe  vomiting,   frequently  of
 blood—redness and swelling of the countenance,
 sparkling appearance in the eyes, accompanied
 by  contraction  of the  pupils—tumefaction and
 painful tenderness of the abdomen, increased on
 pressure.  Pulse usually quick, small and hard-
 breathing difficult—surface of the  bodj  hot-
 convulsive  motions of the  muscles -cramps in
the limbs—diarrhoea—suppression of urine —often
severe salivation—anxiety and cold SAveats. The 
33
above are the symptoms Avhen largely exhibited
—in small and repeated doses it induces the spe-
cific mercurial action and might be thus exhibit-
ed as a poison.
  103. The external exhibition of this salt Avill
produce  the same  effects  as  the internal—case
related—destroys the  texture  of the stomach
and intestines more readily, and extensively
Avhen  administered  in solution—first action of
this poison, considered by Mr. Brodie to be, up-
on  the stomach—the heart and brain being sym-
pathetically affected.
  104. Antidotes—Alkaline salts  and  earths—the
sulphurets—infusion of  Peruvian bark,  sugar, fyc.
Avould seem to have  occasionally acted as anti-
dotes, they  have often failed—Albumen the best
antidote—decomposing the sublimate  and redu-
cing it to the state  of calomel—seems to  have
failed in some cases, but Avas in some of those
employed only as a subordinate remedy—vegeta-
ble gluten recommended—from 500 to 600 parts
of  Avheaten  flour required  to  counteract  one
grain  of the corrosive sublimate—the combina-
tion of gluten and  the sublimate said to  form a
hard mass  Avhich  may be  subsequently  evac-
uated.
    105.   Treatment—give large quantities of Avhite
of  egg diluted with  Avater, or Avheaten flour, but
as  the latter  is required in larger quantity the
 former is preferable—the  albumen,  as already 
34
 mentioned, reduces the sublimate to the state of
 calomel, Avhich, by acting on the boAvels, carries
 itself  off  by  purging.   Should  the  pulse be
 quick and hard, bleeding Avill be required; the
 warm bath may also be employed :  during con-
 valescence the patient should  subsist altogether
 on broths, milk and demulcent fluids.
   106. Tests~Exp. 1.  If the  suspected poison
 form a fluid and colourless liquid, place  in  it a
 small  piece of clean polished  copper and alloAV
 it to remain for a short time, when it Avill be co-
 vered with a Avhite  coating  that will acquire a
 metallic lustre Avhen rubbed, if corrosive  subli-
 mate be present.
   Exp. 2. Pour  the suspected liquid  obtained
 by vomiting or  otherAvise  into lime water—if
 corrosive  sublimate be present, an orange—yel-
 loiv precipitate Avill be produced.
   Exp. 3.  Drop a  small quantity of a  solution,
 supposed to contain the  salt in question, on a
 piece of gold, and bring into  contact a key or
 some piece of iron, so as to form a galvanic cir-
 cuit, when, l\ sublimate be present the gold Avill
 be immediately whitened.
   Exp. 4.  If the solvent be  Avine, coffee, or
 any  coloured  liquid, agitate it  slowly for ten
 minutes in a phial,  Avith tAvo or three * drachms
 of sulphuric ether, after the fluids have separa-
 ted by rest, pour off the ether,  and evaporate it
 in a small  porcelain  capsule—if corrosive subli-
mate be present it will remain  in a solid form in
the capsule; and to prove  that it is corrosive
sublimate, dissolve the residue  in Avaterand pre-
cipitate by lime Avater. 
35
  Exp.  5. If the poison be found in the solid
state its nature may be suspected by its sensible
qualities : but to discover the truth, mix the sus-
pected  substance  with an  equal Aveight of dry
subcarbonate  of  potass—put the  mixture into a
small glass tube  and heat it gradually to redness
—if it be corrosive sublimate, mercury will  be
obtained in metallic globules.
  107. Important to bear in mind that many sub-
stances of an alimentary nature and the alimen-
tary canal itself like  other  animal  substances
may reduce  corrosive sublimate to  the state of
calomel—the latter state of reduction said to take
place more readily if the stomach be void of ali-
ment.
  108.  How are we to  distinguish if calomel  be
found in the intestinal canal after death, whether
it may have been taken a short time  before dis-
solution, or be the oxymuriate Avhich has under
gone such a change ? Ans.  Calomel Avill be found
generally in  the form of a white poAvder Avhich
may be scraped off, as it does not combine Avith
the tissue of the  intestines—when  in  contact
with lime water, at the ordinary temperature, if
will acquire  a black colour.  On the other hand
Calomel formed by the action  of vegetable or
animal  substances on corrosive sublimate, is  ne-
ver found in the  form of poAvder in the diges-
tive  tube,  being intimately  combined with
those substances so that lime water will not pro-
duce any change of colour
                       E 
36
    109.  Corrosive sublimate may have been taken
 and yet OAving to the decompostion which it may
 have undergone in the stomach and intestines, it
 may not be detected in either the fluids vomited
 or in  those still  occupying the digestive canal.
 It must be therefore  sought for  in the solids—
 remarks.
    110. The Red  Oxide of Mercury and Red Ni-
 tric Oxide or Red Precipitate dangerous if sAval-
 lowed :  not likely to be taken as a poison—its
 colour, &c.  guard against mistake and  render
 concealment difficult.
   111.  Sulphur et  of mercury  or  vermilion and
 the sulphates and nitrates of mercury are noxious;
 they require no separate notice. Every prepara-
 tion of mercury,even the mildest, may, under cer-
 tain circumstances, and in peculiar constitutions,
 prove dangerous and even fatal by causing dis-
 eases, termed hydrargyria, mercurial erethismus,
 Src  It has been asserted that the specific effects
 of mercury  on the constitution  have been re-
 newed after having once ceased—cases related-
 the circumstance doubtful.

          Copper and its combinations.

  112.  Remarks on its common employment in the
composition of culinary utensils, &c.
  113.  Copper in its metallic state not dangerous
but apt to combine with carbonic and acetic acids 
37
and  thus  become so—cases of copper  having
been swallowed with impunity related.
  114. Both copper and leaden vessels,  if tinned
at all though ever so badly,  not apt to be inju
rious—the tin being acted on  in  preference t
the copper or  lead.  Boiling  even vinegar or
acid fruits in copper vessels,  not dangerous, un
less done  sloAvly or the fluids allowed  to cool in
them.   Copper and bell-metal mortars, unles
carefully  attended  to,  hazardous in the shop oi"
the apothecary : moisture, as well as several ar
tides of the materia medica,  may affect then:,
and a dangerous compound be formed.
  115.  Verdigris natural and factitious—its phy
sical characters —not often given to take away
life—has  been voluntarily used for that pur
pose—Avhen taken from accident has frequent!
caused mischievous results—cases related.
  116.  Symptoms induced by it—an acrid, sty]
tic, coppery taste in the mouth—dry and parcl
ed tongue—sense of strangulation in the throat-
vomiting—coppery  eructations and  continue
spitting :  vertigo—pains  in the bowels—tene^r
mus—stools black and bloody—great general de
bility—cramps—pain and tremor in the limbs-
pulse  frequent and irregular, small and hard-
syncope—heat of skin and ardent thirst—op
pressed respiration—anxiety about the praecc:
dia—scantiness of urine—cold sAveats—death.
   117.  Morbid appearances  on dissection—siv- 
38
 mach and intestines inflamed—gangrene, slough-
 ing and perforations being sometimes  observa-
 ble—all the fluids in  the  digestive tube tinged
 green by the salt.
   118.  Antidotes -Sugar has been asserted  to be
 the most effectual remedy in cases Avhere verdi-
 gris has been sAvallowed—it would not seem to
 be as effectual as Albumen.
   119.  Treatment  of  poisoning  by verdigris—
 Avhites  of eggs cr copious draughts of syrup  or
 of sugar and Avater, should be exhibited  and all
 means  employed to  excite vomiting: after the
 production of Avhich, the exhibition of the  anti-
 dotes must be continued in more moderate doses,
 combating any inflammatory symptoms that may
 supervene by bleeding and other antiphlogistic
 measures.
   120.  Tests— Verdigris easily recognised when
 any of the poison remains unswalloAved.
   Experiment 1.  Sulphuretted hydrogen throws
 down a black precipitate.
   Exp.  2 A clean plate of iron, immersed in the
 solution, becomes in time coated icith copper.
   Exp.  3. Mix  the suspected substance with
 charcoal and heat to redness in an earthen  cru-
 cible—metallic copper Avill be procured.
   121. The same process proper when the fluid
 is  combined with substances which prevent the
action of tests-evaporate  them to dryness and
then calcine with charcoal-we are scarcely war 
                      39
ranted in any case in  pronouncing that copper
has been swalloAved, until it  has  been reduced
to the metallic state.
   122. In certain cases no vestige  of the poison
to be detected, from its having been A^omited up
during life—the  mucous membrane of the sto-
mach and intestines may then be scraped, dried
and subjected to the action of strong heat.
   123.  The sulphate, muriate, nitrate and ammo-
niuret of copper all poisonous and may be detec-
ted most decisively  by  the  reduction of the
metal.
          Silver and its combinations.

   124. Metallic silver not poisonous.
   125. Nitrate of silver or  lunar caustic might
be very mischievous,  if  introduced into the sto-
mach, acting as an escharotic or corrosive poison
—remarks—case of accidental  ingestion related.
   126. Treatment—Administer instantly a strong
solution of common salt, to  form  an  insoluble
muriate of silver in -the stomach.   Then evacu-
ate the contents  of the  stomach by an  emetic,
and if symptoms of inflammation  nevertheless
supervene,  employ local and  general bleeding,
the tepid bath and  emollient  fomentations and
clysters.
   127. Tests—May be known by its turning the
skin of the fingers black—muriatic  acid and the
soluble muriates precipitate the corneous muriate 
                     40
of silver Avhich is white and curdled—Avith arse-
nious acid and ammonia a yellow precipitate is
formed—a stick  of phosphorous placed  in it
precipitates the silver in a metallic state- -Avhen
thrown on burning coals it increases combustion,
swells and decomposes, emitting fumes of nitrous
acid and leaving the metal on the charcoal.

         Antimony and its combinations.
  128. Remarks.
  129. Tartarized antimony or tartar emetic in a
large dose acts as a corrosiATe poison—it and anti-
monial Avine the most  common preparations—
those whence danger  is  most  to  be  appre-
hended.
  130. Antidotes and  treatment—When  emetic
tartar has been taken as a poison, A-omiting, if not
already  present, to be excited  by tickling the
throat and by the administration of Avarm Avater
in large  quantities, and even if it  have taken
place the exhibition of warm Avater is advisable-
decoction of the yelloAv conchona bark to be ad-
ministered for the purpose of decomposing  it-
strong tea—decoction of galls or astringent roots
and barks generally  may be used as  substitutes.
Opium to allay  vomiting Avhen  excessive  and
the antiphlogistic treatment generally necessary
to remove the secondary symptoms.
  131. Tests—If this poison be in solution a feAv
drops of a spirituous infusion of galls will  pro-
duce an instantaneous, copious, clotted, whitish- 
41
yelloAV precipitate'.  If it be dissolved  in wine
the precipitate by the tincture of galls is a bright
violet- if the solvent be tea, hydrosulphuret of
ammonia produces a red precipitate.  All the
precipitates, as well as the preparations  of anti-
mony in general,  when exposed  to heat Avith
charcoal, readily  yield  metallic antimony—re-
marks. -
  132.  Oxide and glass of antimony and the mu-
riate or butter of antimony are deleterious- From
all these, metallic antimony may be obtained in
the manner just mentioned.

                    Zinc.
  133.  Sulphate  of Zinc or white  vitriol—ve-
marks—Avhen largely taken a poison—cases re-
lated.
  134.  Treatment—vomiting should be encoura-
ged by drinking freely of warm Avater or of milk,
Avhich latter besides acting as an emollient, par-
tially decomposes the poison,  rendering it less
active.  The secondary  symptoms to be treated
by  antiphlogistic measures.
  135.  Some other combinations  of the foregoing
metals  poisonous,  but the mode of procedure
with respect to  them  does not  materially differ
from those  already laid down—remarks.
                     Tin.
  136.  Muriate  of tin—m  its  action resembles
corrosive sublimate—remarks. 
42
   137.  Treatment—Dilute copiously with milk
 which  seems to  decompose the muriate: then
 excite vomiting by large draughts of tepid wa-
 ter and by irritating the fauces.  Bleed and em-
 ploy the warm bath, fomentations, &c. to combat
 any inflammatoiy  symptoms which may  arise ;
 administering opiates, &c. to soothe the nervous
 irritation.

   138.  Tests—If the poison be in solution—solu-
 tion of potass or of prussiate of potass throAvs doAvn
 a white precipitate—hydrosulphurets cause yel-
 Ioav precipitates.   If  the solvents be wine  or
 coffee the solution must be freed from colour, by
 chlorine before being tested.  The solid sub-
 stances suspected  to contain  this salt should be
 mixed with charcoal and tried  by heat in a cru-
 cible, Avhich, in order to prevent the volatiliza-
 tion of the salt should be covered Avith  tAvo  or
 three pieces  of charcoal.  In  the course  of 25
 minutes, metallic  tin  Avill be  obtained,  which
 may be separated  from the muriate of potass
 formed by water.

                    Gold.

   139. Nitromuriate of gold  said to  be poison-
ous—not likely to be used as poison.
   140. Antidotes and treatment—The sulphate  of
iron in solution  may  be exhibited  as an anti-
dote—it decomposes  the salt and throws down
the gold in a  metallic  state—The antiphlogistic
treatment must be adopted, and particularly the 
43
use  of  emollient  and  mucilaginous  drinks,
   141. Fulminating  Gold  also poisonous.

                   Bismuth.
   142. Remarks.
   143. Subnitrate of Bismuth—possessed of del-
eterious properties—remarks.
   144. Antidotes and Treatment—Exhibit copi-
ous draughts of milk, Avhich is firmly coagulated
by the subnitrate,  and by involving the  poison
affords time and opportunity to expel it from the
stomach.  Should  symptoms  of  inflammation
sheAv themselves,  they must be combated by
bleeding and other antiphlogistic measures.
   145. Remarks on  the Sulphate of Iron  as a
poison —case related of a charge  of poisoning by
this  substance—doubtful  Avhether the stomach
would retain a sufficient  quantity  to prove di-
rectly poisonous.

                    Lead.
   146. Remarks—a  poison  of  the  astringent
class; by some,  hoAvever, ranged amongst the
corrosive.
   147. Metallic lead not dangerous.
   148. Preparations of lead seldom perhaps used
for the purpose  of  destroying life—much  em-
ployed, however,  for other nefarious purposes
and not unfrequently produce fatal  effects—re-
marks,
                      F 
44
  149. We are exposed in various Avays to the de-
leterious influence of lead—remarks—Lead rea-
dily oxydized, and almost all the acids unite Avith
those oxides—in such states exerts its pernicious
influence on the living system—remarks.
  150. Acetate or sugar of lead, the salt of lead
more especially Avorthy of attention—its physi-
cal properties.
  151. Certain occupations in Avhich lead is  much
used, unfavourable to health.
  152. Of the colica pictonum—the Devonshire
colic—dry belly-ache or painter's colic.
  153. Symptoms of the colic induced by lead—
vague pains in the abdomen, Avith constipation—
frequent  vomiting—paleness—emaciation—unea-
siness about the head.  As the pain of the abdo-
men augments, pressure seems to afford tempo-
rary relief—the reverse of Avhat takes place from
corrosive poisons—a contraction about the  navel
is perceptible as Avell as in other parts of the ab-
domen—urine  suppressed  or  retained—SAveet
eructations—convulsions, paralysis, &c. frequent-
ly occur  and the patient occasionally dies in ex-
cessive torture.
  154. Accounts of the dissections of those Avho
have died in this manner, but little satisfactory—
not ahvays  alike—constriction in the alimenta-
ry canal, for the most part in the colon, the com-
mon  characteristic derangement—inflammation
of the mucous coat.   When death has not been 
                     45

sudden, the  mesenteric and  lymphatic glands
said to have been inflamed and obstructed—re-
marks.
  155. Gallic acid and tannin unite Avith lead in
solution,   forming   an  insoluble  substance—
Avhence all liquors  that have been kept in oak
casks, for a certain time, must be freed from lead.
  156. Tests—Sulphuric acid, poured upon the
acetate of lead, decomposes it and fumes of vine-
gar are evolved—Avith common  spring  Avater
which contains sulphates and carbonates, a turbid
solution is formed—aa ith distilled  Avater the so-
lution is limpid and if to this clear solution sul-
phuric acid be added, a white  precipitate of sul-
phate of lead is formed—sulphuretted hydrogen
blackens the solution,  as Avell as the hydrosul-
phurets—sulphate  of potass produces  a  white
precipitate as Avell as the subcarbonate of soda-
most certainly knoAvn, where practicable, by its
reduction  to  the metallic state on charcoal by
means of the bioav-pipe—remarks.
  157. Minium  or  red  lead—chemical  proper-
ties—colour an objection to its use as  a poison-
has been taken however.
  158. Litharge employed  to cure wines  that
were pricked—cases of poisoning related.
  159. Carbonate of lead, Cerusse  or  white lead,
the cause of various trades being unwholesome.
Hoav formed accidentally—cases of poisoning re-
lated.
  160. Soda water or sour ale or porter frequent-
ly act on the lead  of the pumps by the aid of
which they are raised from the cellar. 
46
  161. Tests for the salts of lead in general Avhen
added  to syrup, wine,  Hollands, &c. for fraudu-
lent purposes.  First,  discharge  the  colour by
chlorine and then add  to different  portions the
folloAving reagents.   Sulphate of potass  Avhich
forms  a Avhite precipitate—hydrosulphuret of
do., a black—chromate of potass,  a  canary yel-
low.  A watery solution of sulphuretted hydro-
gen forms a dark brown precipitate insoluble in
tartareous acid.   The  great  proof  will be the
production of the metal by calcination.
  162. Antidotes  and treatment—The sulphates
of soda and magnesia seem to be the most useful
antidotes  against  the  salts  of lead.  Either of
these may be freely given, and if the pulse be
hard the patient must be bled, put upon the an-
tiphlogistic treatment,  &c.   When convalescent
he should  live almost Avholly on a milk diet.
              Concentrated Acids
  163. Are corrosive poisons of the most adwe
kind—rapidly  destroy the  texture of  animal
and vegetable substances, Avhether these may be
living or not—remarks.
  164. Sulphuric  acid or oil of vitriol—remarks.
  165. Symptoms—excruciating pain—nausea and
excessive  vomiting- matter vomited often very
black  from the destruction  of the  fibre, or red
from  the  mixture  of  blood, causing extreme
pain as it passes through the  mouth, and produ-
cing effervescence if applied to  the hearth or
pavement, or to calcareous  substances-tender- 
47
ness and pain in the abdomen, Avith costiveness
or  Moody stools-general restlessness -difficult
respiration  quick, small, and irregular  pulse-
convulsions of the  face—preservation  of the in-
tellectual faculties  to the last—destruction of the
soft parts about the mouth,  &c. as Avell as fetor
from them—not of vital importance to detect ivhich
of the three mineral acids it may be.
   166.  On dissection the internal parts of the bo-
dy, over a\ hich it has passed will be found  con-
verted into  black  pulpy  sloughs, emitting  the
offensive smell produced by  destruction of the
animal fibre-
   167. Antidotes and treatment—Dilute instantly
and largely  aa ith milk mixed with calcined mag-
nesia, chalk, soap  or  the fixed  alkalies—chalk
less convenient than calcined magnesia from the
copious  evolution  of gas, but there is no time
for delay—the secondary symptoms to be treated
like a case  of inflammation  of the  intestines-
cases related.
   168. Sulphuric acid has not unfrequently been
used by  mothers to poison their offspring—cases
related.
   169. A composition of sulphuric acid and indigo,
made use of in dyeing, said by  Orfila  to be
frequently employed as a poison—case related.
   170. Nitric acid, or aquafortis—does not differ
essentially in its effects from the oil of vitriol-
instances of  death by it  more frequent—re-
marks—physical properties, &c__remarks. 
48
  171. On dissection the most characteristic fea-
tures are—the lips, chin and hands probably of
the patient being  stained Avith orange coloured
spots, and a layer of yellow matter covering the
mucous membrane of the oesophagus,  stomach  *
and every part over which the acid has passed—
other appearances resemble those produced by
corrosives in general.
  172. Remarks on its combination Avith potass,
soda and baryta, &c. &c.
  173. Antidotes and treatment—'The principle
and practice are precisely the same as for sul-
phuric acid.
  174. Tests—Boil the fluid, if any remain  un-
swalloAved, or the  matter rejected  by vomiting,
over copper filings, Avhen orange coloured fumes
Avill be disengaged  if nitric  acid be present.
When none of the poison  remains and death has
taken place, the appearances on dissection  are
the best evidence that nitric acid has been taken.
  175. Muriatic acid or spirit of salt acts chiefly
like the two previous acids and requires a simi-
lar treatment—remarks.

          Alkalies and alkaline earths.
  176. Soda—rarely obtained pure—unknoAvn in
the ordinary  economy of  life in that state—and
commonly  existing  in the form of carbonate or
subcarbonate Avhich are not particularly injurious
to the living system—Avould be  extremely dele-
terious if taken into the stomach. 
49
  177. Potass, in its pure state, constituting the
Potassafusa, kali purum or common caustic is ex-
tremely corrosive—cases related of its accidental
administration—Avould  not  seem  to have  been
ever administered as a poison.
  178. Ammonia—eases of poisoning by this sub-
stance on record; not likely to be administered
in a  sufficient  quantity to destroy life from its
great pungency.
  179. Antidotes  and treatment where  the alka-
lies  have been taken in sufficient quantity to
give rise to alarming symptoms.  Vinegar and
other vegetable acids should be instantly and
freely administered, or oil in considerable  quan-
tities, Avhich combines Avith the alkali and  forms
soap.  Dilute  also freely  Avith demulcents and
employ bleeding or other  antiphlogistic means
to remove any  inflammatory symptoms.
   180. Lime,   from  experiments  on  animals,
Avonld, if introduced into the stomach, occasion
death by inflammation.
   181.  Treatment required, the same  as where
the alkalies have been taken.
   182. Baryta and  its compounds known to be
most virulent pcisons-no cases of poisoning by
it except in the Avay of experiment—may how-
ever give rise to investigation.
   183. Treatment, where baryta or its compounds
have been taken, must consist in diluting as soon
as possible with bland fluids holding in solution 
50
 the sulphate of soda or of magnesia—these salts
 decomposing the salt of baryta-and  forming an
 inert, insoluble sulphate  in  the  stomach:  then
 excite vomiting by irritating the fauces.

            Alkaline and earthy salts.

   184. Subcarbonate of potass—&  poison of  con-
 siderable activity—fatal cases related.
   185. Oil successfully administered  as an anti-
 dote- -cases related.
   186. Treatment  the  same as  required for the
 alkalies.
   187. Nitrate of potass,  Nitre or salt petre—
 much used for various  purposes and liable to be
 mistaken for  other substances, as for  Glauber's
 salts, &c— cases on record Avhere an ounce and a
 half have proved fatal even  where proper  re-
 medies were administered -cases related—seems
 to induce death by causing a high degree of in-
 flammation of the stomach.
   188.  Treatment will consist in diluting freely
 with milk and bland  demulcents,  Avhilsfthe in-
 flammatory  symptoms  must  be  combated  by
 bleeding, &c. as in the case  of the other corro-
 sives.
   189. Sulphuret of potass or liver of sulphur,
though formerly deemed an antidote  to arsenic
and corrosive sublimate, is a powerful corrosive
poison—cases related. 
51
 190. Tests—Is decomposed by the acids and sul-
phuretted hydrogen, Avell known by its  odour,
disengaged.
  191. Antidotes and  treatment—Vinegar or le-
mon juice mixed Avith water should be adminis-
tered to  decompose  the sulphuret—induce vo-
miting and guard  against inflammation by  the
antiphlogistic treatment.
  192. Muriate of Ammonia —a corrosive poison.
  193. Tests—On the addition of potass or soda,
the odour of ammonia Avill be exhaled—to prove
that it is ammonia, dip a glass  rod in muriatic
acid and  bring  it in  contact Avith the vapour—
white fumes will be formed.
  194. Antidotes and  treatment—Vomiting to be
induced  by Avarm Avater or  by irritating  the
throat  and the inflammatory  symptoms to be
counteracted by the usual means.

                Phosphorus.
  195. If taken into the stomach  a most virulent
poison—dissolved in oil its action more violent.
  196. Tests—Readily known by its alliaceous
smell and combustible properties.
  197. Treatment—Inflammation being the great
effects of its internal administration, the  appro-
priate  remedies for   its removal to be had re-
course to.  The poison to be  removed if possi-
ble from the stomach—water, containing magnesia
in suspension,  to be  largely  exhibited to neu-
tralize the phosphoric acid Avhich may be form-
ing. 
62
           Diamond—Enamel- Glass.
  198. In powder formerly considered  poisons-
remarks—act  only  mechanically on  the  sto-
mach—cases related.

            Of Vegetable Poisons.
  199. Remarks—Poisoning by those substances
not so common—remarks—difficult of  detection
by the aid of chemistry—the utmost conclusion
attainable  being, that vegetable matter is pre-
sent—remarks—active principles of several ve-
getables separated, as morphine from opium—ve-
ratrine from the veratrum album, colchicum, &c.
  200. The Practitioner should be  conversant
with the external appearance and physical pro-
perties of every article of the materia medica,
especially of the vegetables,  and knoAv the ap-
pearance of the living plant as Avell as  when re-
duced to  poAvder—tincture,  extract,  &c.—re-
marks.  No plants  corrosive  poisons—the  fol-
lowing article, however, obtained  from the ve-
getable kingdom belongs to that class.

                 Oxalic acid.
  201. So  called from  the oxalis acetosella or
Avood-sorrel Avhich contains it in large quantity-
remarks—frequently  mistaken for Epsom Salts.
Dr.  Christison's and  Dr. Coindet's experi-
ments referred to—these  gentlemen infer that
Oxalic Acid acts on the stomach  as a corrosive, 
53
dissolving the gelatine of its coats Avhen concen-
trated  and in  sufficient quantity—death occur-
ring by sympathetic injury of the  nervous sys-
tem.   When diluted, acts on  distant organs by
absorption, first on the brain and spinal marrow—
secondly on the heart and lungs.
  202. Antidotes  and treatment—Administer  as
speedily as possible a mixture of chalk  or of
magnesia and Avater and then evacuate the oxa-
late of lime or of magnesia,  formed, by excit-
ing vomiting.   Bear in mind not to  administer
alkalies for the purpose of neutralizing the acid—
the alkaline oxalates being, themselves, highly
deleterious.
  203.  To guard against oxalic acid being sold
for the sulphate of magnesia, it has been propo-
sed,   1.  As the  salt is  used for few purposes
but  cleaning leather, to  ex pel it from the  shop
of   the druggist----remarks.  2.   To  write
"poison" on its envelope.  3. To colour, e. g. with
five  per cent, of rose pink.   The taste of the
tAvo different—that of the  acid sour, of the  salt
bitter and saline—the acid reddens litmus paper,
the neutral salt does not change its colour—if a
crystal be dropped into a little  writing ink, the
acid converts  it  of a reddish broAvn, the Ep-
som salt does not change it.
  204.  Tests—Muriate of lime, from a solution
containing this acid or an oxalate, precipitates an
insoluble oxalate of lime—but  it also  precipi- 
54
tates with the carbonates, sulphates, phosphates,
tartrates,  citrates and with all their acids except
the carbonic—the folloAving procedure will dis-
criminate betAveen those precipitates— The Ni-
tric  acid will not take up the sulphate of lime—
a few drops of it dissolve the oxalate — The hy-
drochloric acid will not dissolve the  oxalate un-
less  in very large quantity, Avhilst 2 or 3 drops
Avill take  up the carbonate, phosphate,  tartrate,
citrate—remarks on some other tests.

            Acrid vegetable poisons.
   205.  Also  termed  rubefacient—remarks -the
poisonous effects  of most  of the articles of this
class almost always the consequence of ignorance
or imprudence.
   206.  Veratrum album—white Hellebore or In-
dian ipoke—Helleborus niger—Black hellebore—
Helleborus fcetidus—Fcetid Hellebore— Veratrum
viride—itch Aveed—remarks- Fatal cases from the
use  of  those  plants  not many—remarks—their
pharmaceutical  preparations  generally  those
Avith which  Ave may have to do—necessity of be-
ing acquainted with  their physical and  medical
properties.  The active principle of  the Helle-
bores,  veratrine, lately separated—a quarter of a
grain acts poAverfully as an  emetic and cathartic.
Veratrine, as well as the plants Avhence  it is ob-
tained, ranged by  Orfila under the  Narcotico-
acrid poisons—remarks.
  207.  Cucumis Colocynthis, Coloquintida, Colo-
cynth or Bitter apple-resorted to occasionally to 
55
induce abortion—has sometimes proved fatal—re-
marks—but rarely  used for the purpose of des-
troying life.
  208. Stalagmitis  Cambogioides,  Camboge  or
Gamboge—colour its most prominent character-
istic and this property apparently  maintained
under the changes  induced  by passing through
the alimentary canal—not much reliance, Iioav-
ever, to be  placed  on the mere circumstance of
colour  in  the  digestive  contents—but little
chance of its coming under our observation as a
poison.
  209.  Colchicum autumnale or meadow  saffron.
The supposed active ingredient in the Eau med-
icinale  oVHusson—is said to have proved fatal-
remarks—cases  related.  Veratrine  the  active
principle also of the colchicum.
  210. Aconitum napellus, wolfsbane, monkshood
or aconite—remarks—has been mistaken for other
vegetables—cases related.
  211. (Enanthe crocuta— Hemlock  dropwort—
remarks—cases related.
  212. Arum maculatum—wake robin—A.draconti-
um—green dragon—^?, triphyllum- Indian turnip.
  213. Ranunculus acris-Butter cups and other
varieties of Ranunculus.
  214. Scilla maritima or squill—remarks—ac-
tive  principle, scillitine, lately  separated,  ex-
tremely acrid and energetic.
   215. The following  plants of highly deleteri- 
56
 ous properties  belong to this class—their differ-
 ent effects on the human system not clearly de-
 fined—our means of discrimination also between
 the one and the other very imperfect.
   216. Momordica elaterium, wild  or squirting
 eucumber.
   217. Euphorbia—spurge, many plants  of this
 acrid genus, poisonous.
   218. Juniperus Sabina—sdiVine—often resorted
 to for procuring abortion.
   219. Rhus  Toxicodendron, poison oak—Rhus
 Radicans, poison vine—R. vernix—poison sumach.
  220. Lobelia syphilitica—cardinal flower—L. in-
flata, Indian tobacco or emetic Aveed—remarks—
 cases related.
   221.  Phytolacca  decandra—xyoke  or  pigeon
 berries.
   222. Symplocarpus fmtidus—lctodes  faetida—■
 Dracontium, or skunk cabbage.
  223. Jatropha curcas—Indian  nut—J. manihot.
  224. Convolvulus scammonium or scammonv.
  225. Croton tiglium.
  226. Bryonia alba—white bryony.
  227. Anemone pulsatilla—wind Hower, and oth-
er varieties of Anemone.
  228. Daphne in all its varieties.
  229. Delphinium staphisagria  stavesacre, and
its vegetable salifiable base-the Delphinine.
  230. Sedum acre—wall pepper  or stone crop.
  231. Many other vegetable substances belong to 
57
this class, but they  are  of minor importance—
this class not so important as those which have
to folloAV—can hardly produce fatal effects ex-
cept by accident—generally there will  be no
mystery in the case—the patient  not  dying in-
stantly may be able to give some account of the
occurrence—on learning the history of the event
a correct conclusion may be formed by examin-
ing the place Avhere the noxious article was ob-
tained and finding more of the same kind grow-
ing.
  232. Antidotes to the acrid class of vegetable
poisons—none.
  233.  Treatment must consist in evacuation, di-
lution and attention to symptoms.
              Narcotic Poisons.
  234. Remarks—of much greater importance
than the former class, although less numerous.
  235.  Opium—remarks—in the various Avays of
homicide, suicide and  accident  the  cause  of
death—Physical properties—readily recogniza-
ble as Avell as all its preparations, by its peculiar
taste and smell—remarks.
  236.  Opium in  a  small dose  stimulates;  in  a
large one these effects  soon superseded or fol-
loAved by sedative effects—in excessive quantity
by  insensibility, coma, obscurity of pulse, inca-
pability of being roused by stimuli and death-
remarks on idiosyncrasies, &c  in modifying the
action of opium—remarks. 
                     58
  237. Appearances on dissection by no means sa-
tisfactory—marks  of  inflammation  have been
found in the stomach,  but generally no eviden-
ces of an inflammatory state of the  brain or its
membranes—cases related.
 238. Tests—none, if we except the peculiar and
familiar  smell of the drug.  Its soporific doav-
ers ; raced to an alkaline substance called Mor-
ph< ^a, its exciting to a second termed Narcotlne—
case of poisoning by the acetate of morphine re-
lated  —remarks.
  239.  Treatment—The most  advisable plan is
to induce vomiting, if possible, Avith  sulphate of
zinc,  tartar  emetic or sulphate of copper—but
the administration of fluids Avith the view of pro-
moting vomiting must be forbidden, as they  dis-
solve  opium and promote its absorption—bleed
immediately after the ejection of the poison  and
repeat the operation if necessary.   Afterwards
administer alternately Avater acidulated Avith any
vegetable  acid and a  strong infusion of coffee
warmed.  In ten or  tAvelve hours  exhibit an
Enema and let  the arms  and legs be Avell rub-
bed—Purgative Enemata should be continued if
it  be  suspected  that any of the opium still re-
mains in the large intestines.   The affusion of
cold water on the head and body is also a valua-
ble remedy, and to fulfil the first indication,  that
of removing the  poison from the  stomach,  the
syringe of  Jukes, before  referred to,  may be,
and has been, successfully employed—cases re-
lated. 
59
  240. Laciuca virosa—or strong scented lettuce
—the  extract  acts  like opium  and requires a
similar plan of treatment.
  241. Primus laurccerasus—Cherry laurel—re-
marks—poisonous properties particularly exhibited
in the simple  distilled water and essential oil—re-
marks—case  related—its deleterious properties
dependant upon the
  242. Acidum Hydrocyanicum, Hydrocyanic or
Prussic acid—this most virulent poison has been
erroneously considered to have proved fatal Avhen
applied to the skin—distilled water of the Lauro-
cerasus or laurel water amounts  to little  more
than a dilute  preparation of prussic acid—phy-
sical properties.
  243. Tests of Prussic  acid—Perhaps the only
certain one is the odour of the acid (that of bitter
almonds  or of the peach)  exhaled from the bo-
dy—the  folloAving have been recommended—
Agitate the blood found  in the ventricles of the
heart, and the fluids found in the stomach, brain
and other cavities, Avith distilled Avater ; and hav-
ing filtered, add to a portion of the liquid  a  feAV
drops of a solution of  sulphate of iron -If prus-
sic acid be present, a precipitate of a burnt brown
colour Avill fall Avhich, on adding a little sulphu-
ric acid,  instantly changes to a bluish green,  and
gradually deepens to a beautiful full blue.
  244. Antidotes and treatment—We are.not ac-
quainted Avith any  antidote—Brandy  and water
have been recommended and ammonia—the  lat-
ter in combination with  diluted camphorated
H 
00
spirit or oil of turpentine—the Avhole class  of
diffusible stimuli Avill be found useful.
  245. In the form of Laurel water Avas the sub-
ject of a remarkable trial—case related---its action
seems to be on the nervous system—in many in-
stances death has instantaneously folloAved its ex-
hibition.  Where  taken in this form—the same
treatment  is  required as recommended for the
prussic acid.
  246. Prussic  acid  also the poisonous compos
nent of several other substances as the Amygda-
lus  communis, Bitter almonds—A. Persica, the
peach, its kernels,  leaAres and  floAvers—Primus
Avium, the black cherry, its  kernels—P. Pa-
dus, bird cherry, its bark.
  247. Almost all substances possessing the odour
of bitter  almonds  have been  found  to contain
prussic acid.  When any of these  substances has
been taken, the treatment is the  same as for
prussic acid.
  248. Hyoscyamus niger—Black henbane—H.
albus—Avhite  do.—remarks—death often  occa-
sioned by them—other varieties of Hyoscyamus
poisonous—Its  active  principle—Hyoscyamine
separated from it.
  249.  Solatium  Dulcamara---Woody  night-
shade or bitter SAveet—case related—not very
poisonous.  Solanine, its  active principle  sepa-
rated from it.
   250.  Taxus baccata, the yeAv—cases related. 
                     61
  251. Remarks on other substances'of the Nai
cotic class of more trifling importance.
  252.  Gilseminum nitidum  of Michaux—the
yellow  Jessamine, added  to this class by Dr.
Beck—cases related.
  253. The general treatment recommended in
cases of poisoning Avith opium proper in all ca-
ses not particularly noticed in the preceding list
of Narcotics.

            Narcotico acrid poisons.
   254. All furnished by the  vegetable kingdom
__very numerous and formidable—remarks.
   255. Atropa Belladonna-deadly night-shade—
remarks—Dilatation of the  pupil a avcII known
effect from the use of the Belladonna, of Avhich
advantage is taken in surgery.  Its active  prin-
ciple—Atropine—separated from it-extremely
virulent.
   256. Datura Stramonium, thorn apple or James-
 tOAvn Aveed—cases related-its active principle,
 Dalurine, separated by Brandes—other varie
 ties of the Datura poisonous.
   257.  Strychnos Nux vomica—remarks—cases
 related—its active principle  strychnine separated
 from it, more active than any of the immediate
 vegetable principles—exerts its influence on the
 nervous centres.
   258.  Upas tieute  and Upas antiar—remarks—
 ©Ave their poisonous qualities  to the  strychnine— 
                     62,
act precisely like thf N  x vomica-old ideas re-
garding the  Bohon-Upas  now generally  ex-
ploded.
  259. Strychnos Ignatia-Bean of St. Ignatius;
operation  similar  to that of the Nux vomica-
Base, strychnine.
  260. Brucea antidysenterica—false Angustura
Bark  has  been given  by mistake for the true
Angustura and occasioned death-Its active prin-
ciple, Brucine—acts like strychnine on the ner-
vous centres.
  261.  Nicotiana  tabacum  tobacco- numerous
fatal  instances from  its administration  by  the
mouth, as Aveil as in the form of infusion or smoke
per anum  Experiments on the infusion and oil
by Mr. Brodje—remarks.
  262. Digitalis purpurea—Fox-glove—remarks
—Peculiar  effect of this substance,  great reduc-
tion of the  frequency of the  pulse and of the
vital action generally—only  to be  relieved by
the  diffusive stimuli. Active principle Digita-
line lately separated—very energetic.
  263. Sccale cornutum,  Ergot, spurred rye—re-
marks.
  264.  Lolium tcmulcntum—Darnel—its  effects
Avhen eaten in bread  -remarks.
  265. Anagallis arvensis—MeadoAv  pimpernel.
  266.  Aristolochia  clcmatitis—common  birth-
Avort.
  267. Sium laiifolium—wdXer  parsnip. 
                     63
  268. Conium maculatum—Hemlock—remarks-
its offensive s-mell, resembling that of cat's urine,
mav aid in discriminating bet Ave en it and  other
articles resembling it—cases related.
  269. Cicutavirosa or aquatica—Avaterhemlock—
remarks
  270. Cicuta maculata—Snakeweed or Ameri-
can hemlock—remarks.
  271. Spigclia Marilandica—nink root.
  272. Kalmia latifolia—angustifolia—Ivy, laurel
  273. Sanguinaria canadensis—B\oodroot.
   274.   Fungi—Mushrooms-remarks- circum-
stances to excite our suspicion of Mushrooms
— A  marshy  situation  in  the shade—the sub-
stance soft, porous and moist -the surface more or
less dirty—a glairy coat covering it—a virulent
smell—a bright colour or combination  of differ-
ent colours—according  to Op.fila, all should be
regarded as dangerous Avhich have bulbous or
soft stems, or have  fragments of skin  glued to
their surface—remarks.
   275. Laurus Camphor a—c^ses Avhere Camphor
has induced narcotic effects when given by the
mouth as  Avell as Avhen administered by  clyster
—remarks.
   276. Cocculus  Indicus—ihe fruit of the Meni-
 spermum Cocculus—its active principle, Picrotox-
 ine separated from it—very energetic.
   277. Ticunas, an  extract obtained  from vari-
 ous plants by the Indians of South America. 
                     64
  278. Woorara  or Woorali, a poison used by
the Indians of Guiana  to  poison their arroAvs—
seems to induce death by destroying the functions
of the brain—remarks and cases.
  279. Hippomane Manchinella—the Manchineel
Tree.
  28.0 Curare—War-poison of the Indians of the
Orinoco.
  281. Remarks  on other  substances  of  trifling
importance belonging to this class.
  282. Treatment for any of the Narcotico Acrid
class- emetics must be used to get rid of the
poison and should symptoms of cerebral conges-
tion supervene, or of inflammatory action in the
lining membrane of the digestive tube—Bleeding
Avill be advisable  and afterAvards dilute acidulous
drinks frequently repeated.
  283. We  arc not possessed of any antidotes
against them.
  284. The vegetable kingdom  does not furnish
any of the last or  Septic class of poisons.

               Animal Poisons.
  285. Remarks—It can  rarely  happen that a
person dies  from  the contact of animal  matter
without  a clue to the real history of the case
being afforded, and it happens still  more rarely
that a person  is destroyed in this Avay by crim-
inal design  either on  his own part  or that of
others. 
65
  286. In a medico-legal point  of vieiv but little
can be said  on this subject—in the  detection,
there are no indications by Avhich the sense of
smell can go farther than to ascertain that animal
matter is in question—in the majority  of instan-
ces symptoms and appearances will be the chief
guides, aided by information as to the history of
events.
  287. Cantharis, Meloe and Lytta vesicatoria—
the Spanish fly—properties of the  powder  and
Tincture.
  288. Syptoms— Nausea, vomiting and purging,
the ejected matter being frequently bloody and
purulent—acute pain at the stomach—colic—heat
and irritation of the  bladder and urinary  organs,
Avith  most painful  priapism—pulse  quick  and
hard  -thirst often great—if not relieved,  convul-
sions, tetanus, delirium, syncope and  death.
   289. On dissection -inflammation, and erosion of
the stomach : green shining particles of the pow-
dered flies sometimes adhering to the inner coat
of  that viscus or mixed Avith  its contents.  In-
testines  and kidneys inflamed  as well as the
bladder.
   290. Tests. The Poison can only be recognised
by the appearance of the green shining  particles
 Avhich are visible  in  the finest  powder, and by
 the symptoms—Tests of the tincture of Canthar-
 ides, enumerated.
   291. Treatment—Copious  dilution Avith  milk
 and demulcent fluids, bleeding,  the Avarm bath, 
                     66
opiate frictions and  clysters of mutton broth or
any emollient—oil must not be administered in-
ternally.  It dissolves the active principle-the
Cantr aradine—and thus adds to its powers.
  292. Lytta vittata—Me\oe  Americana  Pota-
toe Fly, possesses similar  properties with the
Cantharides -Cantharacline also its active prin-
ciple.
  293, Poisonous Fish--remarks—iio fish seems
to partake of a  poisonous property unless it has
undergone some morbid change~the property
probably a poison sui generis, ahvays most active
after the vital poAvers of the fish have  ceased-
Ba'istes Monoceros—Old Avife.  Tetrodon scela-
tus- tunny.   Ostracion  globellum—smooth bot-
tle Fish.  Tetrodon Ocellatus—Blower or bla-
zer.  Muraena-major—Conger Eel.  Coryphaena
splendens--Dolphin. Sparus Chrysops—Porgee.
Coracinus  major—Gray snapper.  C.  Minor—
Hyne.  Perca major—Barracuda.   P. Marina—
Rockfish.  P.venenosa-Grooper. Scomber max-
imus  Kingnsh.   S.  thynnus—Bonetta   S. an-
other species—Cavalloe, Horse eye.  S. coeruleo
argenteus nudus of BroAvne -Spanish mackarel.
Mormyra of BroAvne -Blue Parrot fish.   Clupea
thryssa—yellow billed Sprat.  Cancer astacus-
Sea-lobster.  C. ruricolus—Land  crab.   Myti-
lus edulis  Mussel.
  294. The yellow billed sprat the  most danger-
ous and the folloAving the usual symptoms induced 
67
bv it—itching over the Avhole body—violent colic
—contraction, and pungent heat of the oesophagus
—nausea—heat of the skin, and great quickness of
pulse—giddiness-loss of sight—cold sweats—in-
sensibility  death—said  to  be the  only  fish
Avhich produces immediate death Avithin the tro-
pics- opinion, that the poisonous character of the
museel is OAving to the spaAvn of the Stella mari-
na, an insect which sometimes, lodges in the mus-
sel and  the  spaAvn  of which is so caustic that
Avhen applied externally to the skin, itching and
painful sAvellings are occasioned—noticed.
  295. Treatment—An  emetie of  sulphate  of
Zinc, folloAved by a cathartic to be immediately
exhibited.  If hoAvever spontaneous vomiting or
purging  should be very great it may sometimes
be necessary  to check it by anodynes—these are
also proper Avhen spasms supervene—for  the se-
quela? a  solution of alkalies  in Avater recom-
mended  by Dr.  Chisholm.  Sugar containing a
few drops of sulphuric ether also recommended.
   296. People frequently killed by the  bite of
serpents—they  are  however  cases of accident
not much  allied to Medico-legal enquiry—the
same  may be said of the bites of rabid animals.
Coluber berus, the viper, the most common poi-
sonous serpent of England  and the  European
Continent.   Crotalus horridus—the Rattlesnake
and the Mockasin—where the poison  of those
serpents is very active, the  irritation is  so sud-
                       i 
                     68
den  and violent that death soon takes place.
  297.  On dissection, the only alteration of struc-
ture is in the parts  close to the bite Avhere the
cellular membrane is  completely destroyed and
the neighbouring muscles are very considerably
inflamed.   When the poison  is  less intense—
there are, a slight  degree  of  delirium—severe
pain in the part bitten—in about half an  hour
SAvelling takes place from the  effusion of serum
in the cellular membrane—this continues to in-
crease with greater or  less rapidity for  about
tAvo  hours; extending during that period in the
neighbourhood of the bite: the skin over those
parts becoming  quite cold—the action  of the
heart so weak that the pulse is scarcely percep-
tible—stomach  extremely  irritable.   In  about
sixty hours the  symptoms  go off—inflammation
and suppuration occur in the injured parts  and
when the abscess formed is very great  it proves
fatal.  When the bite has  been in the finger it
has immediately mortified—cases related.
  298.  Treatment—Arsenic has been recom-
mended as Avell as Ammonia and the Eau  de
Luce and although their efficacy has been doubt-
ed they may be  useful as stimulants and by in-
ducing  perspiration.   Several  plants  have ac-
quired  a temporary  reputation in  North  and
South America—as the Aristolochia  serpentaria
—Prenanthes  alba—Polygala  senega—Eupato-
rium ayaparia—the  external treatment, most re- 
69
lied on is the  application of ligatures above the
part bitten, but not too tight or long continued—
the Avound to be  cauterised Avith  a hot  iron or
lunar caustic and afterAvards compresses applied
to the part—Perspiration to be  encouraged by
small doses  of  Ammonia, Madeira  Avine  and
Ether and the patient to be kept in  bed Avell
covered.  Gangrene is to be combated by  anti-
septics.
  299. Stings of Insects have often proved fatal—
The sting of the Scorpion, Tarantula, bee, hum-
ble-bee, wasp or hornet requires,  according to its
violence, internal or external remedies, or both.
Generally emollient anodyne  applications allay
the irritation.  Ammonia and Tobacco juice have
been  likeAvise recommended—Ammonia  must
also, if the symptoms require it, be administered
internally.   If a person be found dead in a lone-
ly situation and has  perished from  the bites of
any venemous animal, the wound will general-
ly leave sufficient indications—remarks.
  300.  Ornithorynchus paradoxus, the Mullin-
gong of New South Wales—spur of this animal
contains poison—symptoms like  those produced
by  the  bites  cf poisonous  serpents—have not
proved fatal—The exhibition of oil and ammonia
has been recommended—requires, hoAvever, the
same treatment as poisoned wounds.
  301. The Pheasant has been considered to
have been sometimes poisonous during the avio- 
                      70
 ier and spring—cause assigned, the feeding on the
 buds of the Kalmia latifolia—remarks—cases re-
 lated.
   302. Honey sometimes  poisonous—when ob-
 tained from poisonous vegetables, as  from the
 Kalmia?, datura?, &c.—remarks.
   303. The septic poisons already enumerated
 less dangerous when taken into the stomach than
 into the circulating system.
   304. Putrid meat, however, said to  haA^e acted
 as  poison—but generally in a  certain state of
 putrefaction,  animal food is  more  digestible
 and much used without any disagreeable effects
 resulting—beyond this stage  probably danger-
 ous—remarks and cases.   M. Magendie's ex-
 periments on  the  effects of substances in a state
 of putrefaction referred to—not satisfactory from
 not having been made on  the human subject—
 remarks.
   305. Smoked meats and sausages,  especially
 the  German, said  to have  acted as poison__re-
 marks.
  306.  Wounds received in  dissection—several fa-
 tal cases have  occurred—conceived by  some to
 depend upon a depraved state of the surgeon's
 health rather than upon that of the body -o-reat
 reason  for believing, however,  that the latter
lias also considerable agency—almost  all the fa-
 tal cases have  occurred where the subject had
 died of peritoneal inflammation—cases related. 
71
    307. Treatment—Remarks on some modi me-
  dendi—no fear of the poison  inducing  unplea-
  sant results Avhen taken into  the  stomach—the
  best plan therefore is to carefully suck the punc-
  tured  part so as to extract as much as possible of
  the poison and then to apply an emollient poul-
  tice—The systematic affection to be treated ac-
  cording to the symptoms  Avhich  may  present
  themselves.
    308. Cases of death by maggots—In Avarm cli-
  mates the larva? of the domestic fly frequently
  breed in Avounds and ulcers.
    309. Concluding remains  on poisoning.
    310. Punishment of murder by  poisoning—in
  all ciA^ilized countries deemed one of the most
  atrocious of crimes and visited  by the  severest
  punishment—remarks.


                  Suffocation.

    211. Includes every variety of death from im-
  peded respiration.
    312. Mode of death in cases of noxious inhalation
  —drowning—hanging—strangling and smothering
  —to all these the folloAving remarks applicable.
  1. Whatever the remote or  exciting  cause of
  suffocation,* death is  immediately produced  by
  impeded circulation—remarks. 2. Respiration
  prevented,  in  Avhatever  Avav, soon  occasions

^S «*&**'-a-**5*-  **?2*~ *^««<«^^^
&?.
 
                        72
   death.  3. Respiration  being interrupted,  the
   passage of the blood through the lungs is impe-
   ded—it accumulates in  the cavity of the right
   side and in the neighboring veins—the  left side
   of the  heart being emptied. Hence rupture and
   effusion may occur in the lungs as Aveil as in the
   brain, and apoplexy becomes an attendant on
   suffocation.  Lastly, this ratio moriendo explains
   the principal morbid appearances to be expected.
   The lungs are of a deep blue colour—a\ ith  the
   blood extravasated in  the aircells—right auricle
   and ventricle full of dark blood, and  the neigh-
   bouring Areins—lividity  of the  countenance, of
   the breast and other parts of the bod}' - tumes-
   cence  and even  rupture of the  vessels  of the
   brain—re marks.

                 Noxious Inhalation.
     313.  Remarks.
     314.  Carbonic Ac!a gas formed  under a vari-
   ety of circumstances—remarks  it has been con-
   cluded that carbonic acid is not admitted into the
   lungs,  but causes a spasmodic stricture  of the
   epiglottis and kills in a way analogous to that of
*  drowning—remarks—affair of the black hole of
   Calcutta—cases related.
     315.  Sulphuretted hydrogen  gac, even when
   mixed with a large quantity of atmospheric air,
   a  very powerful  poison—abundantly  exhaled
   from privies and  from  common  sewers—when
                        - T      * »  -> %   ...^   ... t
   \                v »                       •
   - -   ^_            *"»    ** 
                      73
the exposure  has lasted but a short time the fol-
-loAving are the
   316.  Symptoms—general uneasiness Avith nau-
sea and vomiting—respiration  irregular—pulse
agitated—skin  cold—general convulsions  mus-
cles of  the face  and chest particularly affected—
when long exposed to the gas, all poAver of mo-
tion and sensation lost—frothy saliva tinged Avith
blood floAvs from the mouth -lips and face livid—
eyes shut and devoid  of brilliancy—pupil fixed
and ('Hated—pulse small and frequent—respira-
tion short and deficient and  apparently  convul-
sive—action of the heart  disordered and Aiolent
—extremities relaxed—afterwards convulsions.
  317. Appearances on dissection in one case -blood
contained in the various cavities black and fluid
—posterior part of the lungs gorged Avith black
blood—the  viscera exhaled the  smell of putrid
fish—several of  the  persons  present at  the dis-
section subsequently affected Avith lassitude and  ,^
stupor, sleepiness, violent colic, &c.             -  .■
   318.  All the acid  gases—chlorine—nitrous acid
gas- muriatic  and sulphurous acid gases—ammonia-  v'
cal gas belong to the class of deleterious gases—
arsenuretted hydrogen also of the same class.
                                                -"i. +
                  Drowning.                     -*
   319.   When people are found dead in the water
three   questions may arise. 1. Whether  they  ^*
 were drowned by accident or design 1  c2,  Whe-  •-■. 
                                74
           ther by their OAvn act or the criminal  interfer-
           ence of others 1 3. Whether  they Avere alive
           or already  dead when submersed?  Between
           the  two latter  cases Ave have to discriminate—
           the  fact to be ascertained by examining the bo-
           dy-attention to be directed to tAvo objects—the
           discovery of the usual marks of death dy drown-
           ing and of indications to shew  its having been
           caused by some other way—Erroneous opinions
           on this subject noticed.
             320. Practice of hanging  those taken out  of
           the water by the  heels and of rolling them  on
    ^     casks,  unphilosophical and dangerous.
             321. Appearances to be expected in those  Avho
  %*s?    have been droAvned.  Externally, even after a
 ^"/^  - short  submersion—coldness,  general  paleness,
Ju. /Zomc***^, deeper hue than natural about  the face—eyes
^^*2^Vstarmg--frotny appearance  about the mouth and
f£*£ii*n^nostrils—tongue pushed forward.  On dissection
*f*m*Jf*yifthe appearances of the sanguiferous  system the
j^Vif^'wysame as mentioned under suffocation—conges-
^*^SSrtion °f the  biood  about the  right side of the
^^j-^v^'heart and neighbouring vessels -congestion in the
MU5&. /&* ^head—perhaps extravasations and lividity of the
           lungs—on cutting into the lungs a small quantity of
i/jttr jtbirj^water very  frothy, and probably coloured Avith
 £«fe  » A# blood to be expected—this, hoAvever, not uniform
 J^^^ae s£c —rationale and remarks—when  Avater is found
4(s*4l4*c+* ;n |arge quantity it must generally have  passed
 <^r 60^^^ -n a|ter death, the epiglottis permitting a small 
75
quantity only to pass during life—presence of
frothy mucus strong evidence that the deceased
Avas droAvned—its absence, however, not conclu-^
sive  that he Avas dead  prior to submersion—If  \
water be found in the stomach it is generally ac-  I
cidental and may enter during the individual's  ♦,
struggles—sometimes met with and sometimes   t
not—some  experiments on this subject related.    ^
  322. Remarks on  the  buoyancy of human bo-   *c
dies—a person throAvn into  Avater Avill first sink,
but after gas has been evolved from putrefaction
in the cavities of the body,  he Avill  rise to the
surface—the custom  of fixing weights to those
consigned  to the deep, to prevent  their subse-
quent rising, not for making them sink in the
first instance.
  323. If a body be found in the water it may be
of importance to ascertain how long it has lain
there—no method by Avhich this can be accurate-
ly done. Important to recollect that the animal
body, by lying under water, becomes converted
into adipocire—running Avater produces this con-
version more rapidly—generally from four to six
weeks required to effect this.  Experiments on
this subject related—cases related—remarks.
  324.  Generally no great difficulty in deciding
whether a person has been submersed alive  or
thrown in after death—except Avhen he had been
a long time macerated—remarks.
  325. Fluid state of the blood not an  important
                      K 
76
 appearance in deciding whether the  individual
 has  been  droAvned—being met Avith in those
 killed by lightning, by certain poisons, &c.
   326.  Dirt, sand, fyc. found under the nails or
 any substance found in the hand,  likely to have
 been laid hold of in the Avater, an inducement
 to believe that the person died under water.
   327. If killed and thrown in after death, wounds,
 bruises, &c. may be  discovered—these Avith the
 Avant of appearances characteristic of death by
 droAvning,  enable us to give a proper opinion.
 Bear in mind, however, that serious injury may
 be sustained by falling against hard and sharp
 bodies—case related.
   328.  If a person have been first poisoned and
 then thrown into the  water marks of poisoning
 Avill  be perceptible.  If previously strangled
 certain  marks ay ill be observable.
   329, Means of discrimination  between the event
 of a person having been forced into the water by
 others, and  that of having throivn himself in not
 so certain.   Some situations Avhere there can be
 no clue  to the truth except the evidence of Avit-
 nesses—as Avhen a person  is suddenly throAvn
from a ship or  boat.   In other cases incidental
 circumstances clear up the matter—as the mark
 of footsteps, &c. about the margin of the Avater—
 the history  of the individual—substances found
 grasped in the hands, &c.   Cases related—re-
 marks. 
77
      330. A very short time under water sufficient to
    extinguish life—remarks on this subject—some
    extraordinary and incredible stories of long exis-
    tence under Avater related.

                    Of Hanging.
      331. Seldom an act  of Homicide,  generally of
    Suicide—remarks.
      332. Appearances induced by hanging—disco-
    loration and  impressions upon the neck by the   \\
    cord—lividity of the upper part of the body-
    distortion of  countenance—sAvelling and projec-
    tion of the eyes, Avhich  are  sometimes  suffused
    Avith  blood—tongue sometimes  injured by the
   jaAvs  and thrust out  of the mouth—the latter
    hoAveArer dependant upon  circumstances—carti-
    lages of the larynx sometimes fractured—luxation
    of the vertebra?  of the neck,  occurring chiefly
    in heavy persons or those who have  fallen from
    a height or Avhere  the Aveight  of the body has
   been  increased to  hasten  death—fa?ces, semen
   and urine often expelled—remarks.
     333. Proximate cause of death, pressure on the
   brain—this confirmed by the sensation of those
   who have been half hung—remarks.
     334. Q. Was the person suspended whilst alive, or
   had he been first previously killed in some other
   Avay and then placed in this  situation to prevent
   suspicion?  Remarks—where a  body  is found
   suspended  and none of the signs of death by


£&<94&y 0**r*mr &*&*&  0*^r  SZk
 
78
hanging discoverable,  the presumption  Avill be
that the person Avas not alive Avhen hung—poison
to be suspected Avhere there are no marks of ex-
ternal violence—if there be  wounds or bruises,
perplexity may arise as Avounds have  been  in-
flicted, Avhilstt he person Avas actually suspended,
by his own hands.  Cases related -Avounds may
also be accidental—it has been suggested that a
person, by violently SAvinging himself off, may
break the rope and Avound himself by falling up-
on articles of furniture, yet aftenvards hang him-
self again—remarks—the perplexity most likely
to arise is in cases of homicide Avhere the per-
son is first strangled and then hung—if there are
iavo circles round the neck one loAver and more
discolored than the other,  Avith marks of death
by suffocation, such ought perhaps to be the con-
clusion —remarks.
  335.  Was  the person, forcibly killed or did he
hang himself?—except in certain cases very dif-
ficult to hang a man  against his ay ill, unless  the
situation be such that no interruption is likely
to take place, or the  assailants A*ery numerous—
in such cases, the means of discrimination must
be, in addition to the state  of the parts, the  ex-
ternal circumstances—the character,* &c. of the
deceased—place in which the body was found—
attendant marks of robbery,  &c__signs,  or the
absence of signs, of scuffle and resistance—if  in
the open air the state of the  ground, and  if  in 
79
an apartment the state of the furniture, Avhether
in confusion—remarks—state  of the  hands and
dress of the  deceased may  indicate the fact of
resistance.
   336. People have been accidentally hung gene-
rally through imprudence—cases and remarks.
 337. Attempts, made to prevent the death of crim-
inals by opening the trachea, &c. in Avhich no pro-
fessional man of character Avould choose to be
concerned—remarks—cases of imperfect  exe
cution related.
   338. Cases  of hanging related.

               Of Strangling.

   339. Difference between this and hanging—the
former*consisting in the subject's  not being sus-
pended—a  more common  mode of committing
murder, -much force used in tightening the cord,
hence the mark very distinct.
  340. Appearances—the external aspect of the bo-
dy not differing much, if at all, from that of a hung
subject—mark of the ligature generally  forming
a horizontal circle of discoloration round the neck
—if the mark be not at the upper part of the neck,
it is unquestionably a case of strangling.   If the
cord have been fixed after death  the mark will
be of the same colour as the rest of the  body,
though here  and there a discoloration may ap-
pear—still the difference is  striking—dislocation 
so
 of the vertebra? not to be expected, but there may
 be fracture of their processes and probably injury
 to the cartilages of the larynx.
  341.  The  same  questions to be  investigated
 here as in cases of hanging—1. Was the decea-
 sed really strangled ?  or  2. Was the rope fas-
 tened round his  neck after death ?—remarks—
 cases related.
  342.  Strangulation may be performed by  the
 hand—the only difference here being that in-
 stead of a circle round the neck as in case of lig-
 ature, the discoloration Avill be partial—the brui-
 ses Avill be of an indistinct form or the marks of
 fingers may be traced—cases related.
  343.  On dissection of those  avIio haAre  died of
 manual strangulation the usual appearances of
 this  kind of death may not seem so conclusive
 as in other cases—the person having made  con-
 tinued resistance  and the functions  of respira-
 tion  and circulation going on in some degree for
 a longer period than Avhere at once interrupted,
 as in droAvning, hanging, &c- cases and remarks.
  344. Strangulation scarcely ever an accidental
 event—a case of this kind, however, related.

               Of Smothering.

  345. Except in children a rare occurrence, a-
mong these, hoAvever, not only a common acci-
dent but often perpetrated upon them as a crime
 —possible for an adult, in a state of intoxication 
81
or great debility, to get into such a position as to
prevent the  passage of air  to  the  lungs—not
likely hoAvever to be resorted to in adults Avith a
criminal intent—remarks—often happens  from
overlaying  children as it is termed—manner in
Avhich "overlaying" may occur—cases related.
   346.  Children have  been smothered by being
folded up in a sort of turn-up bedstead  used by
the poorer classes—all these  cases accidental.
   347. A mode of suicide by swallowing the tongue
noticed by authors as  occurring amongst ne-
groes—remarks.
   348.  Suffocation by tumours or  adventitious
pressure on the larynx by extraneous bodies.
   349. Inflammatory sore  throat and hard  sub-
stances in  the oesophagus have proAred fatal in this
manner.
   350.  Where the  thorax is so pressed  npon that
the muscles of respiration cannot perform  their
office, a modification of smothering—cases and
remarks.
   351. In  inspecting the bodies of those who haw
been suffocated,  the  practitioner must examine
Avhether there  existed any  disease  in or about
the organs of respiration—He may be asked,  1.
Are there no diseases Avhich might produce ap
pearances similar to those in the present instance?
2. Did you not discover any morbid appearances
in those parts ?  3.  Did you search  for  any ?  4.
Might not some have existed capable of produc 
82
  ing these appearances that escaped your observa-
  tion?—concluding remarks.
    352.  Treatment of Suffocation in general—the
  patient to be conveyed into a Avarm room and if
  possible immersed in a warm bath—bloodletting
  to be carefully employed—friction with salt or
  warm flannels—stimulating fluids in a dilute state
  to be poured into the stomach by means of a
  tube -attempts to be made to inflate the lungs-
  apparatus for this  purpose described—Oxygen
  gas - Galvanism -Electricity -Bronchotomy, &c.
  as means cf resuscitation referred to—remarks.

          Of Wounds and Bruises.

   353.   Remarks—-by far  the  most   common
 means of violent and accidental death.
   354.  Wounds, incised—punctured—lacerated-
 contused and gun-shot.
   355. A bruise or contusion—may or may not
 be attended Avith  more  severe injury as frac-
 ture, &c.
   356.  Wounds and bruises  more or less impor-
 tant, according to  the parts in  Avhich they are
 situated—a tolerably accurate idea to be formed
of the danger of these from the first—remarks.
  357.  Wounds, which would  be of no impor-
tance to some, rendered fatal to others by  a di-
versity of circumstances,  internal as well as ex-
traneous. 
83
  358. We cannot always estimate  from appear-
ances during life the extent of injury sustained,
and must therefore guard agaist erroneous prog-
nosis—the practitioner   to rely on the circu in-
stances  of the  case before him—remarks  and
cases.
  359. After wounds, fyc. have healed  up  death
sometimes takes place unexpectedly.
  360. Remarks on the law of holding a person
inflicting violence upon  another, responsible for
the consequences during a year and a day—a ve-
ry  unsatisfactory  enactment—the intent  hoav
looked at—cases and remarks.
   361. Duties  of the practitioner  in cases of in-
jury  by wounds, bruises, &c.—It will be ex-
pected that he should declare  in what part of the
body they  may be  seated—if about the head,
over  what bone—if about the  abdomen, in what
region, and if the investigation has been made
post mortem through Avhat organs they had passed,
viscera,  vessels, nerves, &c.  describe the ex-
tent of injury and if necessarily fatal—deranged
habits,  unnatural structure of parts,   &c. to be
noted -Where a long  period has elapsed be-
tAveen the receipt of the Avound and the death of
the person, caution requisite in giving a decisive
opinion—necessary for an  acquaintance  with
physiology, pathology, &c.   Information to be
given of the length, breadth,  depth,  figure, di-
 rection, &c. of a Avound—whether incised, punc-
                       K 
                      84
 tured or lacerated, &c. and if possible Avith Avhat
 sort of a weapon inflicted—The surgeon to take
 care not to confound his OAvn incisions post mortem
 Avith the original Avound—cases related.
   362. When the ossa triquetra are large, an ill-
 informed individual might describe them as frac-
 tures—generally metAvithin the lambdoidal su-
 ture—blunders related—remarks.  Pre serve the
 parts as much as possible in situ.
   363. The most perplexing cases are those Avhere
 the effects of injuries are not immediately fatal:
 or rather aa here a fatal termination is laid to the
 account of injuries inflicted a considerable  time
 before : or where the  effects of these  are  com-
 plicated Avith subsequent disease.  Another diffi-
 cult  case—where persons  in habits of  intempe-
 rance engage in braAvls, receive injuries and, af-
 ter an uncertain period, die.  The question ari-
 ses Avhether the drunkenness or the bloAvs caused
 the loss of life—remarks on opinions on this sub-
ject—cases related.
  364.  When  a dead body is found with wounds
 or contusions the questions  are—1.  Were  they
 inflicted during life ? 2. Were they the cause of
 death ? and if so,  Avhether  they are  to be
 charged to the account of suicide  or  of homi-
 cide?
  365.  In discriminating Avhether  a wound has
been inflicted during life or after death, the pre-
sence or absence of inflammatory  signs Avill be 
                      85
sufficient where life has not been suddenly taken
aAvay.   If wounds pierce the cavities of the bo-
dy, Ave must look for internal hemorrhage and
in all cases of death  from these  injuries there
must be marks of the loss of blood—on the con-
trary, if the death have ensued from some other
cause and the person be subsequently Avounded,
the Avant of  hemorrhage internally and of signs of
it externally Avill  be evident—Uncertainty has
arisen in the case of contusions from  an alleged
similarity in the  appearance of discolorations pro-
duced before and those Avhich occur after death—
Hence a distinction has been made  into Ecchy-
mosis and sugillations.
  366. Ecchymosis occurs in the living body only—
is a soft,  dark coloured  swelling, produced by
the effusion  of blood into the cellular substance
from rupture of  small vessels.
  367. Sigllation also  an effusion of blood, but
arises from intrinsic  causes—as from  incipient
putrefaction—common in dead bodies—remarks
—sugillations occur chiefly  in  depending parts
of the body Avhere pressure has taken place in
the latter stages of disease—remarks.

           Wounds, fyc.  of the Head.

  368. Remarks.
  369.  Wounds of the  scalp---mere incised
Avounds not  necessarily serious—the  same may
be said of bruises—remarks—the scalp may be 
86
injured in various Avays—remarks.  In estimating
the danger of such injuries, or the probability of
their having caused a person's death, several con-
siderations to be taken into account, as the nature
of the injury—the state of the  person's health
and constitution—the degree of attention and
skill that have been professionally paid, foe-
remarks.
   370.  Wounds where  the  cranium is involved—
remarks—on fissure and fracture—a. simple frac-
ture not necessarily an event of great importance
—remarks.   Fractures of the skull,  generally,
hoAvever, folloAved by  a severe  train  of symp-
toms, and frequently by death—are  sometimes
at a distance from the part Avhich receives the
iiijiiry .  The question,  Avhether  a fracture .1 as
occurred before the patient's death,  scmet   es
difficult to decide—if it have taken place imme-
diately before, coagulated blood will be  found
upon the  bone and  in the fissures—if he kad
survived  for sometime,  there will be marks of
inflammation, and perhaps pus  in contact  Avith
the skull, but if the fracture have been produced
in making the examination, the blood in the frac-
ture Avill not be coagulated nor  will there be ef-
fusions round the portions.
   371.  Wounds of parts  within the  cranium—
remarks  on  fractures as likely to  injure  the
brain or its membranes.   Injuries  to the  brain
may consist in pressure or in wounds—pressure 
87
occasioned by depression of the skull, by  ex-
traneous bodies, by extravasated blood, effusions
of serum, formation of pus, tumours in its various
parts, &c.—remarks   In  complicated cases  of
Avounds, the  degree of Ariolence  inflicted, the
part in which they are received, the immediate
symptoms, &c. will enable us to give our prog-
nosis --where death ensues, the extent of lesion
discovered Avill  sheAv  hoAv  far the  event has
been dependent  on the  injury.  If effusion  of
blood be found between the dura mater and skull
and a bruise  o*' the scalp corresponds to the part,
Ave may conclude that it has been caused  by the
bloAv—violent blows sometimes received upoiL.
the head, Avithout causing any apparent wound or
or  leaving any visible marks'of injury—cases re-
lated.
   372.  Concussion of the brain, a frequent atten-
dant on great injury to the  head—deserving of
great attention- remarks—may be produced  by
a fall from a height upon the feet or breech-
 cases related—remarks.
    373.  Most important that the practitioner should
 be acquainted with the history of such events,
 especially as death  is frequently induced at dis-
 tant periods from that of the infliction of vio-
 lence,  and when the  real cause might be over-
 looked—cases related.
    374. Remarks—the trephine never to be  ap-
 plied  except for the removal of existing symp-
 toms. 
                      $8
   375.  Certain injuries done to the face belong to
this  division  of  Avounds  and bruises—mortal
wounds have been inflicted through the face on
the contents of the cranium - cases related.
   376.  Wounds, fyc. of the neck.....of the  carotid
arteries, internal jugular veins, spinal marrow, and
generally of the (esophagus necessarily fatal.  As-
sassination  in this manner irequent, and   still
more so suicide, mere division of the trachea not
necessarily fatal—remarks—cases related.
   377.  Dislocation of the neck  may be the effect
of accident and is not rare—has  been done thro'
criminal design.
   378.  wounds piercing the vertebra or  passing
betAveen them are fatal—remarks.
   379.  wounds, 8?c.  of the   thorax—remarks—
Avounds penetrating the cavity, even without in-
juring any of the  contents may give rise to seri-
ous consequences  remarks.   Fracture of a  rib,
though  often a simple case, sometimes attended
by severe symptoms—the fractured  parts  being
driven in upon the lungs, emphysema, &c.
  380.  An injury of the thorax extending to the
lungs, heart, bloodvessels, thoracic duct, cesophag'js,
nerves,  &c.  ahvays of the most serious  nature,
and some necessarily  fatal.
  381.  wounds of the great vessels necessarily
mortal—as well as  those of the heart— exceptions
so unusual  as  scarcely to be worth  mention.
  382.  wounds of  the  pericardium not necessari- 
                      89
ly fatal—the same may be said  of wounds  of the
lungs—remarks—also  of the thoracic  duct—re-
marks—of the oesophagus must be of the greatest
consequence—cases  related—concluding obser-
vations.
  383. wounds,  fyc.  of the abdomen- -remarks—
wounds of the abdominal viscera pregnant Avith
the greatest danger— remarks and cases.   The
solid viscera liable to laceration  Avhere no Avound
has been inflicted in the parietes of the abdomen
—cases  related—perplexity  may  arise,  when
there is question of previous disease, in cases of
injury—cases related.
  384. Blows on the body  without wounds, hacve
frequently caused death—cases related—where a
bloAv given in the region of the stomach causes
instant death Avithout any signs of the mode be-
ing visible,  death considered  to have   been
produced  by the sudden shock  of  respiration
through the intimate connection of the 8th pair
of nerves.
  385. Large vessels of the abdomen  often rup-
tured by external violence-, cases and remarks.
  386. Wounds of the pelvic viscera-of the blad-
der, not necessarily fatal, as is evidenced by the
success of the operation for  lithotomy—ahvays
dangerous, hoAvever, as Avell as  those  of the ute-
rus—if this organ be impregnated the danger is
of course  increased.   Wounds of the  testicles
very dangerous  as Avell  as those of the  penis- 
                     90
may prove fatal from hemorrhage—the removal
of the parts of generation in  the male has been
resorted to as a means of suicide as well as hom-
icide-cases related.
   387.  wounds of the  extremities— remarks—com-
pound fractures  always dangerous,  as  well as
fracture in or near the articulations- Avounds of
tendons tedious, &c. of nerves sometimes followed
by alarming symptoms -of arteries and veins not
dangerous if timely assistance be afforded, other-
wise they produce death —of the articulations al-
Avays to be dreaded  remarks in conclusion.
   388.  Gun-shot wounds have some peculiarities
—their occurrence rare in ordinary  life—differ-
ent from wounds made by cutting instruments-
remarks—our  obsenations  restricted to  the
smaller kinds of shot, as musket or  pistol balls,
slugs,  small shot, stones, hard peas, &c. especial-
ly the first, Avhich Avill exemplify  the others.
 Danger to be estimated from the circumstances
 regulating that from Avounds, bruises, &c. and as
 regards the part of the body in Avhich the wound
 may have been inflicted, the constitution of the
 patient, &c. &c.
   389. Laws regarding murder and maiming—of
 Virginia—NeAV  York -Connecticut—NeAv Jer-
 sey— NeAv  Hampshire—Massachusetts- Rhode-
 Island—Pennsylvania—Vermont, Delaware, &c. 
91
                 Of Suicide.

  390. Remarks—chiefly with the physical cir-
cumstances that Ave have to do in such cases.
  391. Some of the species of violent death not the
probable means to be resorted to by a suicide—
e. g. Avilful  exposure  to  noxious vapours—re-
marks—simplicity of means, readiness of access
to them and certainty as to the  result,  conside-
rations Avhich decide the individual who lays vi-
olent hands upon himself—some  exceptions to
this—remarks.
  392. The question will be in the great majority
of cases betAveen homicide and  suicide.
  393. With regard to poisons concurrent cir-
cumstances must be taken into account, as the
mental state of the deceased,  &c.  previous  to
death.   Where poison  has been spontaneously
swallowed, remains of the matter made  use  of
more likely to be found—remarks—cases referred
to—if on opening a body pieces of solid arsenic
be found in  the stomach the presumption is that
the person swalloAved them of his own free Avill
—remarks.
  394. Circumstances under which persons have
been occasionally found drowned have indicated
the death to have been voluntary—some have
been suffocated in water so shallow  as to  cover
no more than the face-if  a person be taken out
of  water  tied hand and foot, there can be little
j. 
                     92
doubt that he Avas forced into that situation—ex-
ceptions referred to—remarks.
  395. In  the majority of cases Avhere persons
have been privately hanged it has been in the
way of suicide—this last conclusion will be en-
couraged if there be no marks of previous resis-
tance,  nor  disorder among surrounding objects—
if the  situation be  public—if, near the body, the
means be  found by Avhich  the deceased might
have reached  the  place to  Avhich  the cord is
fastened—if the body touch more  or  less the
ground and there  be no  manifestations of any
other means of death there can be little doubt as
to self-murder—remarks and cases.
  396. Strangidation can  hardly be  considered a
mode  of taking aAvay  life  Avithin the power of
the individual himself—cases, hoAvever,  related
—nor can a man manually  smother himself, and
if the case  of  choking by  doubling back the
tongue be admitted, it cannot, except in infants,
be imagined  to be done by  another person—if
fore gn bodies be found  in the  trachea  or  oeso-
phagus it is probable  that disease or accident
has placed them there.
  397. Few  wounds which  one person can inflict
upon another  that may  not  be  accomplished by
an individual on himself—remarks and  excep-
tions.
  398. Fire-arms  and cutting instruments applied
to the throat the  most common mechanical means 
 *  •'                     93
.  ^vbf suicide- remarks and  cases—discoloration of
• v J the fingers from the combustion of the  poAvder
£ ^j [in the pan, a mark of self-shooting—remarks.
^  v.   399. Cases of suicide related—remarks.

>   \                  Prolicide.
        400.  Admits of two divisions, foeticide or crim-
     inal abortion and  infanticide or  the destruction
     of the neAv born infant.

   ^          Foeticide or criminal abortion.

   ^Jj   401.  Abortion or miscarriage the separation of
   J the immature foetus from  the Avomb of  the  mo-
   jj ther—pregnant women very liable to  it—foeti-
   \cide  is also  often criminally  attempted—for
   J whatever end  resorted  to highly criminal—
   . knoAvn  only practically here aa here  there has
     been illegitimate intercourse.
       402.  Law of England on this subject -remarks,  letted^
       403.  Increment of the embryo—at the  end of'4***.** ^^
     the seventh month capable of being reared— ^  '*?**?***
     consideration  of abortion  cannot therefore be^^^^-^
     carried  beyond the 7th month—a  general  fact
     that under the 5th month, no foetus can be born
     alive—from the 5th to the 7th it  may, but can-
|  J  not in general maintain existence—these termed
|  J  in French non viable  or  immature—these born
  '<  between the 7th and 9th month, which  may be
6> 
                       94
  reared called premature—a  child  carried to the
  full period is  mature—exceptions mentioned—
  remarks.
    404.  Observations on  quickening—instead of
  marking the period  at which the foetus becomes
  endowed with humanity,  is but the  sign of the
  groAvth of the body to  a certain pitch, and of its
  possessing greater strength—commonly  occurs •
  about the end of the 4th month, Avhen the uterus i
  rises out of the cavity of the pelvis—remarks.   /
   405.  Phenomena  of abortion—occurs   natu-
  rally most frequently between the commence-
 ment of the 2d and end of the  3d month -re-
 marks on Emmenagogues, &c—abortion generally '
 injurious to health—abortives highly  dangerous
 to  the mother - cannot  act on the uterus except -
 through the general system -frequent  instances
 of  death from their administration- remarks— *
 causes of abortion numerous- sometimes consti-
 tutional—remarks.  The  exciting causes  may "
 exist in the  mother or foetus-in the former may  •
 be  reckoned acute  diseases—mental emotions-
 severe  exercise, i dancing,  riding over rough  -
 roads,  falls—ardent spirits,  strong purgatives,
 bloAvs on the abdomen,  coughing, retching,  &c.
 &c—all these may occur Avithout  any culpabi-  -•
 lity.
  406. In procuring abortion the female  may be  '
either an accomplice  or seduced  into acquies-
cence under false pretences-or  unconscious of

       ' - •■ •■■■»  * ■•. » ii - „^<  tk.        *
*:*•.  ^ -     ^^V.*Y-, l n +  ^ ^       .-  ^ 
95
the attempt made upon her—remarks in favor of
the mother—before quickening she may not be-
lieve herself to be pregnant—may be deceived
to take medicines in the persuasion that she la-
bors under a natural disorder—remarks—certain
articles generally given for  producing abortion,
as savine, colocynth,  Src.—remarks.
   407.  Appearance of the ovum at the usual pe- T^^m^JL ~#%
riod of natural abortion—moles—sometimes occur ^ |^.^X
in females  Avho never had any carnal  commerc^^j' &x^£/
—give  rise  to symptoms resembling those of 4^» sjfc*7*>
pregnancy and Avhen  throAvn off have the asp-* ***£** ^^^
pearance of miscarriage.                      *?s/  "* \/*
   408.  The longer abortion  is delayed the more.^  fTtsm ^^/7^
difficult of concealment Avill it be and the nearer f^y^,/' *
allied to labor will be the symptoms.            &> srs*
   409.  Some substances taken to procure abortion
are absolute poisons  and others luwe acted as
such from the largeness of the dose.  The fact
of having administered certain drugs to women
with child  may be the only  article of accusation
against  a  prisoner—the  intent being deducible
from the reputed powers of the substance ad-
ministered—by the law of some countries the
offence  rendered  more  heinous, according to
the period  of pregnancy at which the attempt is
made.
  410.  The duty of the medical Jurist in a case of
abortion, first to  ascertain  the  reality of  the
event, and  secondly, whether it has been caused 
96
 by natural means or by improper interference.
 If abortion be going on, the Avoman Avill be in a
 state of suffering, but as it is possible it may take
 place without exciting much uneasiness, her ac-
 tual  situation must be inquired  into.  Signs—a
 bloody discharge from the vagina—this to be ex-
 amined,  as the ovum may be contained in the
 coagula which are often passed—the vagina is
 relaxed  and  dilated—the labia enlarged and
 soft—the os uteri open :  if there be pains  they
 will come on in paroxysms.  If pregnancy have
 been considerably advanced, there Avill be a sud-
 den   disappearance of previous abdominal en-
 largement—signs of milk in the breast—flaccid-
 ity and  Avrinkling of the surface of the abdo-
 men, &c. &c.  If abortion have taken place  some
 time  before, it can onry be proved b}~ circum-
 stantial evidence,  as of pregnancy  having pre-
 viously existed—actual  examination of no use
 after the lapse  of a  fortnight, the  parts  having
 returned  to their   usual  state---the  greater
 the developement  of the foetus of  course the
 greater the displacement of the parts  of the mo-
 ther  and the longer the time required for  their
 return to their ordinary condition—the difference
 between examination at  the  time of abortion
 and afterAvards is, that during  abortion Ave may
 come to absolute certainty by finding  the ovum
and in the  latter Ave must rely on  the traces
alone—if the woman be dead,  more information 
97
to be obtained by dissection as mentioned under
Pregnancy.
  411. In discriminating accidental from criminal
abortion we must be guided in some degree by
circumstances—as  Avhether the pregnancy was
legitimate—by the fact of concealment—or on the
contrary if there  Avas complaint and resort to
medical  aid   when   abortion commenced—re-
marks.
  412. Means used as abortives classed into two
kinds—those Avhich act through the system of the
mother and those applied at once to the uterus—
the former consisting chiefly of medicinal sub-
stances—the  latter of mechanical—rationale of
the action of abortives, so called, as previously ex-
plained of Emmenagogues—the parent has gener-
ally suffered much from the shock and sometimes
died—the intent in the administration might be
only  to  favor the return  of the menstrual dis-
charge,  doubt existing on the part  of the fe
male  as  to impregnation—this is a  distinction,
however, which it is difficult to establish—we
must bear in  mind that an ignorant woman may
be deceived by crafty persons to assist in the ne-
farious attempt.
  413. The practitioner should be aware of the
drugs usually  administered   as  abortives—re-
marks.
  414. The savinc affirmed, when given in suffi-
cient  quantity, to produce hemorrhage from the 
                      98
 uterus and separation of the ovum—these local
 effects resulting from a dangerous attack on the
 general system  cases referred to.
   415. The Colocynth in its effects is said to re-
 semble the Savine
   416.  Preparations of  turpentine,  emetics and
 purgatives in general, bleeding, ergot  of rye, mer-
 cury, diuretics, and emmenagogues in general, &c.
 when largely used, resorted to for the same pur-
 pose—remarks.
   417. Experience having shewn that accidental in-
 juries and violent exertions have  often produced
 miscarriage, the Avoman has been  exposed to
 accidents and subjected to  violent  treatment-
 cases related.
   418. Mechanical irritation applied to the ute-
 rus the  most successful means of procuring a-
 bortion—this is done Avith or Avithout instruments
 —cases related.
   419. The practitioner fully warranted, on eve-
 ry consideration, in cases of such  deformity of
 the pelvis as cannot alloAv the passage of the head
 of a full groAvn foetus, in inducing premature de-
 livery, as the great chance  of saving the lives
 of the mother and child.
  420.  Remarks in conclusion.

                 Infanticide.

  421. Regards the destruction  of the child after
it has been born and attained such a degree of 
99
developement as to be able to maintain its exis-
tence under ordinary circumstances—remarks—
although  many  cases of unfounded  accusation
occur, the crime is of frequent occurrence—re-
marks—frequently the result of insanity, though
this is rarely alloAved—remarks.
   422.  Concealment of birth a frequent occurrence •* //$*✓ * #"
—in such cases Ave ought to surmise the Avorst—j&fm '**■*  ^
very possible, hoAvever, that a  female may be V$v
delivered in solitude, and 3d conceal an  iUegi-^^^. ^
timate and  dead  child Avithout any criminal in- <f?fc. £/s<U*
tent—remarks and cases.
   423.  Relations  of this  subject to  the  duties of
the medical practitioner  very important -rather
a  difficult and troublesome investigation, but of
the utmost consequence to be carefully studied-
remarks.
   424.  In a case  of alleged infanticide it may be
necessary to establish by the evidence of pro-
fessional men, both  that a child  has been born  .
alive and that the Avoman has been  delivered.
   425.  Important to  ascertain that the foetus has\
been so long carried in the uterus as to be capa-y^ ^* <*^&>
ble of living Avhen separated from it—no chilcr
born  after  the termination  of the 7th month
should Aveigh less than five pounds avoirdupois
or be less than fifteen inches in length—less tha^i
these dimensions  mere exceptions to the gene-
ral rule—remarks. In the immature foetus, skin
very red—redness most conspicuous in the palms

£ t-ys*.? yjfc« &*Aii40k*'44m^+^ ff^c &* A^V^S»
<s 
                       100
  of the hands, soles of the feet, &c.   Head pro-
  portionably large  its bones very soft and yield-
  ing—fontanelles Avidely open—supply of hair on
  the scalp scanty and light coloured  eyes gene-
  rally closed by  the  membrana  pupillaris—iris
  not perfectly formed—In the male, betAveen the
 *7th and 8th month, the testes in progress tOAvards
- *\he scrotum, at the  end  of the  7th not being
  usually found there—scrotum generally red—in
  the female the external parts protuberant—the
  clitoris proportionably  large, the heart dispro-
  portionably so, Avithout much difference of capa-
  city betAveen the auricles and ventricles—thy-
  mus gland large, &c.  &c.  In the abdomen, the
  liver Avill be found very large and approaching
  the umbilicus and if there be fluid in the gall-
  bladder it Avill be of an aqueous consistence and
  nearly  transparent,  &c.  &c—remarks on some
  differences  observed in  the  brain  at different
  stages of fatal existence.
     426.  Chaussicr's scale  of admeasurement,  in
  the different ages of the foetus,  noticed—at the
  full  period  the middle of the body  corresponds
  exactly Avith the umbilicus—at the 8th month it is
  three quarters of an  inch  or an inch higher—at
  the  7th month  it approaches still nearer the
  sternum and, at the 6th, falls exactly at the low-
  er extremity of that  bone; hence,  if Chaus-
   sier's vieAvs  be accurate,  Avhen the middle of
   the  body falls  at the  cartilago  ensiformis  Ave 
                      101
 might conclude that the foetu^  is under the 7th
 month and consequently not rearable.
   427. Mode of ascertaining the vitality of a new
 born infant—remarks—Problems for solution are;
 Avhether the  child  came into  the world alive ?
 and if so, Avhat has been the manner of its death ?
   428. A foetus may die several weeks  before
 the full  term  and  yet  be  carried  to  the 9th
 month—remarks—the cuticle separates readily—
 body is flaccid—sugillationsare observable and
 there are sanguineous effusions into the cavities—
 frequently putrid smell, &c. &c.
   429. // is by evidence as to circulation  and res-
 piration  that Ave must decide  in a dubious case
 Avhether a child has or has not been born alive.
   430. Foetal circulation explained—the most stri-^/^^ x?*-*^.
 king peculiarity the transmission of blood to the&<***-**<> ?**
 left side of the heart Avithout passing thrcuglr^'^^'5**^
 the lungs.                                   **7i&mSa++*?
   431. Before distension by air in respiration ^~e\£yzr *
 lungs collapsed and  dense,  receiving no more^a^*^^
 blood than Avhat is necessary for their nutriment—^ <*W/*^
 they  consequently furnish evidence Avhether the rfS&^*'**"**A,*a'
 child Avas born  alive or  not—Avhere  respiration ^^k*^, .
 has not taken  place they Avill be of a dark c°-^^x^fL.
 lour  like liver—do not fill  the  cavities of the r>2L /Ws
 thorax—sink in Avater—on cutting into them no^^^^
air is emitted—no hemorrhage folloAvs—the fora- *e^*£a*^ #>
men ovale in such a case open-  the ductus arte-^p£'a!**^f
riosus pervious and containing blood—diaphragm, ^^m. 
                     102
more arched—the  canalis venosus like the duc-
 tus arteriosus, and blood in the umbilical vein-
urinary bladder generally containing urine, and
meconium in the intestines—discolorations  re-
sembling sugillations, &c.  ./^a*-^**^" 0&r*~ •
   432.  If the child has been born alive these or-
gans have undergone important changes—the co-
lor of the lungs is changed to a florid red and
they fill the thorax and cover the pericardium—
they are light and spongy  and float on Avater—
on cutting into them the escape of the air in the
air-cells causes a crepitus and a blocdy  fluid ex-
udes—there is a closure or an approach to clo-
sure in the foramen ovale—the canalis arteriosus
is empty as Avell as  the  canalis venosus—the
pulmonary vessels are  enlarged—the diaphragm
is less convex—the  urinary  bladder  probably
emptA',  the intestines  more or less freed  from
meconium—not much stress to be laid on ecchy-
mosis.
   433.  There  is ?io difference, according to  Bi-
ch at between the arterial and venous blood of the
foetus—there must therefore be a difference be-
tAveen the blood of a child that has died in the
womb and one  ay Inch  has  respired—this  con-
sidered  by Dr. Beck as a criterion by which to
determine Avhether it Avas possessed of life after
birth—remarks—net  very available in practice
—remarks. 
                     103
Of  the Docimasia pulmonaris or proof  to  be
            drawn from the Lungs.

  434. Of the  hydrostatic  test—founded on the
difference in specific gravity betAveen lungs that
have respired and those that have not been dis-
tended  Avith air—remarks—the  failure of this
test generally referrible to Avant of ability or of
inclination to  undertake  the experiment as it
ought to be performed.
  435. Principal objections that have been brought
against drawing conclusions from  the  sinking or
swimming of lungs in the  water  or against the
Hydrostatic test as'follows.  It has been alleged,
  1. That the infant may respire before it is born,
and yet not come into the world alive— in which case
there will be dilatation and buoyancy of the lungs—-
Children recorded not only to  have breathed but #^*fr A*^*
to have cried in utero—cases related—remarks— JJ5 Jk/~esi_
should a child respire in utero a charge of con-/$-^/v^A,
cealed birth,and of infanticide seems by that event itffcffo*aii
to be guarded against—after the head has passed TfAkijtydu,
the os uteri more reason to think that respiration-^^****^
may be attempted and partially performed be- ^£*-fe^w'
fore the child  is  born  and even  Avhilstthe head*^fT^<4L*~.
is within the external parts—remarks.  To plead ^^ mm*?
in defence of an allegation of infanticide, that ^Z^y^^g
the child died after its head  was born can hardly     /  *•*/ \
be conceived; a  Avoman accused of the  crime
not likely to venture to draw so  nice a distinc- 
104
     tion, besides it is an occurrence  but barely pos-
     sible-remarks.
       2. Though a child be still-born,  air may be arti-
    ficially conveyed into the lungs— No doubt that air
     might be introduced in  this  manner,  as in the
     case of a Avoman  delivered privately  of a  still-
     born bastard, who may  do all in her power to
     resuscitate the infant by blowing air through the
     mouth or nostrils—or it may be  performed thro'
     malice on the part of  another person—the diffi-
     culty is in knowing its origin  —difficult for a avo-
     man to effect it under the circumstances mention
     ed--remarks--Avhen air has been so conveyed au-
     thors have mentioned a flatness of the chest, ab-
     sence of crepitation and hemorrhage in cutting
     into the lungs, the lungs  very partially disten-
     ded and it has been remarked that all the air may
     be squeezed out again and  the lungs restored to
% ^ .their original density when they ay ill sink in
  ,  water, whilst no pressure Avill cause those Avhich
     have respired to  sink to the bottom of a vessel
     of Avater—distention of the lungs after death can
     never increase their absolute  weight Avhich re-
»   Aspiration must necessarily do.
       3.  The lungs may be rendered specifically light-
    er than water by the evolution of air  in the course
 „*. of the putrefactive process—In  such a  case  the
    child must have  been  sometime dead, either
    in the uterus or a  sufficient time  since its birth
    may have elapsed to alloAv of putrefaction  be- 
105
fore examination—should  such emphysema take
place the lungs Avould be  rendered specifically
lighter—cases and experiments related. In putrid
lungs the septic process is from Avithout inwards,
the air evolved lying in bubbles under the in-
vesting membrane—in this state if the lungs be
squeezed hard, the  bubbles Avill escape and the
lungs become heavier than Avater.  The lungs,
hoAvever, resist putrefaction longer than any oth-
er  part of the body  excepting  the bones—re-
marks.
   4.  The lungs of children born alive, after com-
plete  respiration,  sometimes sink in  water—this
can only  be Avhere  there is disease—which is
rare  in neAvborn children—remarks---experi-
ment not conclusive  or complete until the lungs
have been cut to pieces and tried in that manner
—remarks.
   5.  In sound lungs one will sometimes sink whilst
the other will float—\n this  state there can be but
partial inflation of  one, the other remaining col-
lapsed—remarks—the air   enters the  right lung
 sooner than the left—rationale—respiration not
 completely performed on the  first effort but is a
 process gradually  advancing to perfection, and
 more or less protracted, according to  the degree
 of vigour of Avhich the infant is possessed.  Life
 may be maintained under a very imperfect state
 of respiration-cases  related—in this point of
 vieAV the practice of trying the  lungs by  por-
 tions enforced. 
106
   6.  Children may be born alive and exist a while
 without respiring at all—many children, born in a
 state of asphyxia, subsequently recover, hence it
 has been alleged that  if even the  inflation and
 buoyancy of the lungs  should be admitted as
 proof that the child Avas  born alive, their being
 collapsed and sinking in Avater is no  proof that
 the infant Avas still-born—remarks.
   436. The Hydrostatic  test is only one  link in
 the chain of evidence—the  conclusion  to  be
 draAvn from a concurrence of many facts—Avhen
 unable to come to any conclusion  it Avill be our
 duty to confess it—remarks—it is however our
 main test and Avith due  precaution may be de-
 pended upon.
   437. Ploucquefs, or the Static test—remarks—
 founded on the absolute weight of the  lungs be-
 ing increased—rationale—after respiration  the
 Avhole of the blood passing through  the lungs,
 they are filled Avith blood, their vessels enlarged
 and they are  increased  in absolute weight—re-
 marks.
   438.  Ploucquet  asserts from experiments that
the aa eight of the lungs of a full  groAvn foetus,
Avhich never  respired Avas, to  that of its Avhole
body, as 1 to 70.   Whilst in others after respira-
tion had been established, it Avas  as   1 to 35 or
doubled—remarks.
  439. Ploncquefs  experiments too /^—subse-
quent experiments from their discrepancy  exhi- 
107
bited the difficulty of establishing any standard-
remarks—important that the practitioner should
examine it for himself—remarks.
  440. To judge impartially of this test, we must
be  satisfied that  the  child has  performed  the
function of respiration, Avith ordinary vigour, for
a certain  time or that it Avas born quite dead—
that it Avas above the  7th month—first weighing
the Avhole body and then  separating  the lungs
carefully and Aveighing them alone—remarks.
  441. Objections,  with  PloucqueVs answers—
1. Whether a constant ratio of the Aveight of the
lungs to that of the Avhole body can be obtained?
Ans. That a mathematical ratio may be establish-
ed  on the result of numerous experiments, from
Avhich a mean may be obtained—and with the ex-
ception of monsters,aberrations do not so frequent-
ly occur  in new-born children as in adults—re-
marks.  2.  The difficulty  of establishing the ex-
periment in children, Avho do not in  point  of
weight,  ansAver  the  usual description  of full
grown  infants.   Ans. From  numerous  experi-
ments a scale of proportions  might be  made—
the lungs are less liable to variation  in point of
size, Aveight,  &c. than the rest of the body—ac-
curate and numerous experiments would enable
a conclusion to be deduced from weighing them
alone—Thus, the ordinary medium Aveight of the
lungs of a mature foetus that never breathed, be-
ing two ounces, should the lungs  weigh twice a's
                       L 
                     108
much Ave may declare that respiration has takes
place.
  3. If the child died of hemorrhage, loss of blood
would alter the ratio.  A.  The lungs Avould still
bear a greater proportionate Aveight—remarks—
the loss of urine and meconium to be noted in
our estimate of the Aveight of  the body.
  4. Dropsy of the body  or of the lungs them-
selves,  and putridity may destroy the ratio.   A.
AlloAving the  occurrence  of such cases, they
must be classed amongst those that cannot  be
cleared up by physiological proofs.
  5. Nodes,  scirrhus and mucus  congested in  the
lungs will augment their u<'ght.  A.  These are
discoverable and they form cases  to  Avhich the
test is  not to  be considered applicable.
  6.  The lungs  of a non-respiring foetus  might
become equal in Aveight to that of a foetus Avhich
has breathed, by a congestion of blood ;  so that,
if inflated, by SAvimming in Avater,  it might not
differ much from one that has respired.  A. The
existence of the  foramen ovale and ductus arte-
riosus in a  foetus  that has never respired must
prevent a congestion of blood in  the  lungs,  by
the  easy means they offer of escape—cases  re-
lated—remarks.
  442. After all, experience alone can enable us
to appreciate the truth  of Ploucquet's opinions.
  443. Daniel's test: As the  process  of respira-
tion  increases the  circumference of  the thorax 
109
and alters its shape  and capacity, Dr.  Daniel
concluded, that a scale of admeasurement might
be effected—this Avould be someAvhat unsatisfac-
tory however—the aspect of the thoracic cavity,
notAvithstanding, not to be neglected—but it can
only be esteemed a corroborative proof—remarks.
  444.  Daniels appendix to the test of Ploucquet
consists, in  adding to the calculation of the in-
crease of the aveight of the lungs, a similar pro-
cess Avith regard to their bulk—after weighing
these organs, they are  to  be placed in Avater
whilst still in the balance, and  by means of a
graduated scale, attached to the inner surface of
the vessel, the quantity of fluid they displace is
to  be noted—an experiment easily performed
and a proper adjunct to the others—remarks.
  445.  Lastly, the only real objections to  the test
of  Ploucquet are the want of a fixed proportion
betAveen the absolute weight of the lungs  and
that of  the Avhole body and the inference that,
if there be  such proportion, it is  different from
that laid down by Ploucquet.
  44G.  Experiments of Chaussier, Sciimitt,
Leclerc, Dupuytren, Beck, &c.—remarks.
  447.  Of the  means of destroying the new bom
infant—remarks—in the strict view  of the sub-
ject, if a female should wilfully incur the danger
of solitary confinement, criminality ought to be
laid to her charge,  though there be  no ground
for insinuating that any  positive injury was in-
t
 
                     110
 tended or inflicted on a  child found dead under
 such circumstances- remarks.
   448. Infanticide by omission.  1.  After the head
 is born if not removed the child  may  perish
 by smothering, the mouth being turned toAvards
 the bed, or by being droAvned in the  discharge
 of blood  folloAving its expulsion—a portion of
 the membranes may be over the face—the mouth
 and nostrils may be choked  up by sordes, &c__
 the umbilical cord may pass round the  neck and
 cause strangulation, &c.
   2. Death may take place from the umbilical cord
 not being tied— remarks  -a ligature ought in all
 cases to be  applied—it must  not Iioaa ever be
 concluded from  the mere circumstance of no li-
 gature being found, that the child has  died pre-
 cisely from that cause.  In  such a case, hoAvev-
 er, should there be no other  cause of death dis-
 coverable and the  whole circulating system be
 devoid of blood, the right side of the  heart and
 veins being  usually  found  to contain it after
 death, Ave cannot but conclude that the infant has
 died in this way, from hemorrhage—on the other
 hand if blood be found in those vessels  and cavi-
 ties some other cause of death  must be sought
 for.
  3. An infant may perish from neglect in not
 keeping it properly warm.  Signs of having per-
 ished in this manner—remarks—an infant can
 scarely be supposed to die of cold except in an
exposed situation. 
Ill
     4. It may  perish from ivant  of nutriment—a
   case, hoAvever, not likely to occur—remarks.
     449. Infanticide by commission—new-born in-
   fants liable-to every species of violent death that
   can be inflicted upon older persons—remarks-
   some  modifications  of injurious interference  to
   Avhich the foetus is exposed that cannot be prac-
   tised  upon others, e. g. it may be killed
     1. By premature ligature of the umbilical cord—^
   the original  source of vital support  being  in
   some  cases cut off, before the neAv one has been
   established—not, however, a common case.
     2.  Suffocation is not unlikely to be resorted to—
   the mere  application  of the  hand  to the  face
   will  be sufficient to destroy life—if done  after
   the child has been permitted  to  breathe, Ave
   shall  find congestion in  the  pulmonary  vessels,
   right   side of the  heart,  &c.  Children  often
   smothered by being placed under bedding, hay
   or  chaff,  mud,  earth, sand, &c. when we may
   probably  detect some particles in the mouth  or
   nostrils-have been suffocated also  by exposure
   to  noxious inhalation- as the fumes of burning-
   sulphur and  been choked by doubling back the
   tongue-may be  killed  by droAvning, hanging
   and strangling in the modes already mentioned
   —have also often perished  in privies.
     3.  A method has sometimes been resorted  to of
   thrusting a long and fine wire through the fonta-
   nels, fyc.  or into the spinal marrow and heart—
7%y* 4A**US -A^rfJ*- e~~*y &*~£ZF  *^<*^E^r rf*^y &&4~
6*'£cJ ;^k-^y^ ACT £c* dk*~&m~4L*/t»  &4**^*e+**. *Z*«ym<^> ^
*^r '?*—**? -^-4^^>&»^^^e.  £tS&*~**Si-a S&2- i&y^* &*r3? aic^£-


       S ^  ■■:-              \________________________:__________ 
                      112
 cases related—careful  examination ay ill detect
 this—fractures of the skull or luxations of the
 cervical  vertebra? Avill  be evidence  of infanti-
 cide.
   450. Practical application—a careful account to
 be taken  of the adventitious circumstances and
 appearances about the child, especially if in an
 exposed situation, and of every appearance as dis-
 covered —better to haA^e tAvo medical gentlemen
 Avhere practicable,  the one Avriting,  aa hilst the
 other dissects—the nature of the  situation,  state
 of the body as to blood or filth to be noted—re-
 marks—let the foetus be washed—the head shav-
 ed—the Avhole body Aveighed, measured, &c.—
 note Avhether it be  sound or putrefied, and in
 Avhat parts—Avhether there be appearance of its
 having died in utero—the  surface  of the body
 to be attentively examined to detect any ecchy-
 moses or wounds—ascertain Avhether the cervical
 vertebra?  have been luxated—if any external in-
 dications of this nature, the parts  beneath to be
 carefully examined—note Avhether sugillation be
 present—remarks—take care not to  cause any
 effusion of blood—the state of the umbilical  cord
to be examined—the spine to be laid open and
inspected to find Avhether  there be any  wound,
laceration or effusion of blood about the spinal
marrow.   Mode of inspecting the cavities of the
mouth, pharynx, oesophagus, thorax,  abdomen,
&c, described—the position of the tongue to be 
113
observed, and the contents of the mouth, if any,
to be recorded—in the kuwnx, the existence of
fluid, or the contrary, to be noted—a general
vieAY to be taken of the cavities of the thorax and
abdomen—see Avhether the diaphragm be  more
arched or not—hoAv much of the thorax is occu-
pied by the lungs, their colour—general appear-
ance of the liver also  to be noticed—the urinary
bladder as regards its state of distention or emp-
tiness, &c. &c.  the presence of fluids in, and of
inflamation, &c.  of the abdominal contents—the
thorax the most important object of our research-
es—ascertain  Avhether  there  be any adhesions—
take out the lungs, separating them from the
trachea, as  Ioav  as  convenient, preserving the
heart  and  tying the aorta  and vena caAra—the
lungs to be sponged clean if  required, and their
consistence, colour, &c. noted  as Avell as  if any
part be morbid or putrefied—they are then to be
carefully weighed.   When put in Avater it must
be remarked Avhether they sink or swim, Avheth-
er one portion sinks Avhilst others sAvim,  &c—
place a ligature on the pulmonary  vessels, sep-
arate the heart, keeping it for further inspection
—Aveigh the lungs alone and place them again in
water, &c. noting the appearances—Daniel's ap-
pendix to Ploucquet's test maybe then tried-
simplification of the experiment recommended—
separate the right lung from the left and try
them  in  Avater  separately—any  difference  in 
1U
 their buoyancy to be noted—any variation from
 the natural formation of the lungs to be noticed.
 Note Avhether  there  be a crepitating noise or
 appearance of  hemorrahage when the lungs are
 cut into.   Each lung being cut in pieces is to
 be tried An Avater and any difference with  regard
 to buoyancy to be carefully  noted—then  to be
 pressed as forcibly as possible in the hand or in
 a toAvel and  again tried  in water.   The heart
 must then be inspected.   The ductus arteriosus
 laid open and notice taken Avhether it  contains
 blood or is empty—the auricles  and  ventricles
 must be examined and congestion there will ex-
 cite suspicion of death byr suffocation—the state
 of the foramen ovale must be noted.
  451. Recapitulation—If'the diaphragm be very
 convex upAvards, the lungs of a dark red  colour
 not filling the cavity of the thorax, not covering
 the pericardium, of a firm consistence, if they
 sink in water, emit no sound when cut into, and
 effuse no blood—when along with these circum-
 stances, blood is discovered in the ductus arteri-
 osus and the  foramen  ovale is open, the conclu-
 sion must be that respiration has never been per-
 formed.  On the other hand, if the lungs fill the
 cavity of the chest,  are  of a light red colour,
 elastic to the  touch, swim high in water, make a
 crepitating noise, and   pour out  florid blood  on
being  cut  into, there is strong evidence that
breathing has taken place, and  if the  absolute 
115
weight of the lungs be increased, the evidence
will be very strong—remarks.
  452. If it be discovered that breathing has been
performed the investigation must be pursued to
discover the cause of death, as in grown up indi-
viduals  under  suspicious circumstances.   The
contents of the  stomach to  be attended to—for
the purpose  of discovering  whether  death has
occurred from submersion, poison, &c.—in laying
open the intestinal canal the presence or absence
of the meconium to be ahvays noted—remarks—
the state of the urinary bladder, as to fulness or
emptiness, to be also taken into account amongst
the concurrent evidence.  In opening  the head
we may discover the cause of death, if by frac-
ture,  puncture, &c.—attention to  be  given to
morbid appearances, &c.—remarks on the mode
cf inspecting the Brain, &c.
   453.  Considerations in favour of the accused.
   454.  Unexpected and rapid labour by no means
an unfrequent  occurrence—remarks—cases of
this nature related.  The skull may be fractured
by a fall from a height, under such circumstances.
Hence the possibility of death to the child Avith-
out any criminality on the part of  the mother -
by a fall from a height, the skull may be fractured,
the umbilical cord ruptured, &c—remarks—im-
possible to decide by an examination of the mo-
ther whether delivery has been rapid or  not.
   455.  A woman may undergo protracted labour
                      o 
116
in solitude, and the child may perish—in such ca-
ses may be observed as the  mere result of such
labor,  discolorations especially about the head,
Avhich  must not be  confounded  with voluntary
injury :  Skull stated to have been iractured by
violence  of  labour—doubtful—other  Avays in
which  the  death of a child  may be  occasioned
by  protracted labours—of monstrosities, malfor-
mations,—breech cases, &c. &c.
  456. By some conceived warrantable to destroy
defective or monstrous infants, whose continued
existence would be impossible, or their death
desirable—idea unwarrantable—remarks.
  457. Possible for a woman to  endeavour to re-
suscitate her still-born child by breathing into the
lungs—such a discovery will discourage the  idea
of criminality.
  458. Importance  attached to the fact of the mo-
ther having,  or  not having made preparations for
the care  of  her offspring—remarks—cases re-
lated—such  preparations, hoAvever, might be
made by criminals, ayIio  Avere  aAvare of the im-
portance attached to it Avithout any  intention of
using  them,  but this not probable—remarks-
cases related-other favorable circumstances—the
not attempting to secrete the proofs of delivery if
easy of execution-the Avoman having been care-
ful of  herself during pregnancy, aixf not having
taken improper drugs.
   459.  Of  supposed accomplices-remarks-the 
117
only point capable of being ascertained by me-
dico-legal inquiry is Avhether violence has been
inflicted during the life of the infant, or not.
  460. Lastly, the practitioner may be called upon
to prove Avhether the accused has really borne a
child—see Pregnancy.
  461. Laivs on the question of Prolicide—of Vir-
ginia— NeAv York--Massachusetts—Vermont-
Connecticut— NeAv Jersey—New Hampshire^-
Pennsylvania—Rhode Island— Delaware, &c.

Questions from injuries done to the person
  not leading to the extinction of life.
   Of Maiming or mutilation—see wounds, Sec.

             Of  Surgical operations.

  462. Remarks—unnecessarily operating might
be a ground of civil action,  but  the proofs diffi-
cult—remarks.
  463.  Where through neglect or mismanagement
on the part of the surgeon, perpetual disabilities
&c. arise, the surgeon liable-cases of this nature
related.
  464. Some surgical, and obstetrical errors enu-
merated—cases related.

           Of Corporeal Punishment.

  465. Justiciary interference here but rarely call-
ed for—remarks. 
                     118
   466. A husband is countenanced  by the  law in
 chastising his wife, Avhen done upon  sufficient
 grounds and in a certain manner—remarks.
   467. Necessary chastisement of a child by a
parent countenanced, provided neither life nor
 limb is endangered by it—if so, the parent ame-
 nable—remarks.  The same maybe said of mas-
 ters Avith regard to apprentices and pupils-re-
 marks.   The like applies also to master and slave
 —in the administration of correction the master
 must be guided by his discretion, but should the
 slave die from brutal usage the master to be held
 ansAverable.
   468. Of magistratorial floggh g—regulations
 regarding military flogging  in the British ser-
 vice—remarks—a medical officer present to  in-
 spect the state of the culprit previous to the  in-
fliction of a single lash and during the  progress
of the flogg.ng.   Should any circumstance arise
 Avhich may  render it  hazardous to put the sen-
tence in execution, or, after it has commenced,
to complete  it, he is to interfere.
   469. The  duty of the  attending surgeon  is,  to
be aware of the state  of the culprit's health, in
order that he may prevent the punishment should
it be likely to endanger life—caution, hoAvever,
required as he  may be  involved in an unplea-
sant responsibility—During the punishment  he
must watch  the countenance  of the individual
for signs of syncope or others of an unusual na- 
119
ture—not an uncommon  circumstance  for the
culprit to pretend that he is  unable to bear the
punishment, to obtain the surgeon's interference
—necessary for the medical officer to guard a-**
gainst imposition—Avhilst the man  calls out and
shrinks, no reason to interfere—generally where
every ether appearance of syncope is assumed,
the eye and pulsation Avill detect the  imposture
—feAv men exhausted under the common amount
of punishment—remarks—but  little  danger  of
the surgeon's mistaking if attentive—must bear
in mind that if the  prisoner be able to bear the
Avhole punishment he has no business to stop the
course of justice—remarks.
  470.  The wounds, in every instance,  to be care-
fully attended to—the antiphlogistic treatment in
the first instance and simple dressings being gen-
erally all that is required—cases related.

               Stuprum, or Rape.

  471. Remarks—signifies the carnal knoAvledge
of a woman  against her will—if she be  under
the age of ten, hoAvever, her giving consent does
not obviate  the  criminality of the  deed—the
crime  equally  atrocious Avhether committed  on
a virgin or married woman, or  one of ill fame-
remarks—A male under the age of puberty in-
capable of committing this crime—remarks.
  472. If the complainant be of proper age her
OAvn testimony may be sufficient for  justice—a 
120
 married Avoman may swear that the prisoner lay
 Avith her forcibly after the manner of her hus-
 band.  In adult females, reputed virgins, the ev-
 idence must be  of the  clearest nature—where
 this depends upon the female the accused some-
 times escapes conviction, from inability, on her
 part, to make positive statements- cases related
 —remarks.   Crime peculiarly  detestable Avhen
 committed on a child.
   473.  Signs of the virgin state-often fallacious
 —their presence in the  adult cannot ahvays be
 received as proofs of chastity_on the other hand,
 their absence cannot of  itself be taken for evi-
 dence  of incontinence.   In  mature unmarried
 females they are rarely  found perfect—remarks '
 -the vagina, in a healthy individual,  at the  age
 of puberty, rigid and  narrow, but may become
 enlarged and relaxed from various innocent cau-
 ses, or from disorders,  &c—remarks.   The  hy-
 men sometimes found unbroken  even in labour,
 generally,  however, it is ruptured by the act of
 venery ; but where entire, it is held evidence of
 virginity, and the charge of rape has  fallen to
 the ground-cases related-remarks.   Rapidity
 of the frcenum labiorum  considered likewise as
a proof  of virginity, or  of rare indulgence in ve-
nery.   State of the mamma? sometimes taken  in-
to  the  account,  being generally  firm in  the
healthy virgin ; but this is no proof as they are
frequently firm in incontinent females-remarks. 
-*kmp**^x*
yOfef^** 4W*-~^4£* JpT&rTs**--  J*^*** /*uZe-*^*
/£.  s/vc^fe.        121
    474. In a case of alleged rape on a full grown
 female no fair conclusion to be draAvn from ex-
  amination,  unless it be made immediately after
  the commission of the crime—the  female may be
  agitated and Aveak and there may  be local marks
  of A'iolence,  as laceration, tumefaction,  hemor-
  rhage, or, at least, bruises and ecchymoses about
  the nates and neighbouring parts- If time have
  elapsed,  these traces may have disappeared—re-
  marks.
     475. A  common  opinion  amongst  the  lower  /*         •
  classes exists that, in a case of gonorhcea, the best  f-.*^ r *$~- ^
  cure is intercourse Avith an  uncontaminated fe- ^.  • ^^r
  male—hence gonorrhoea is frequently met with^f^^^^tV
  along with rape,  especially in  young children, ^^j*  ^y  \
  and hence the practice of inspecting the accu-  j*    7 4
  sed—remarks—Purulent discharges do, however,    *    ju jt
  take place from other causes even in children—  "v
  this to be borne in mind, /jcfm/^jj**,&$m )  &*&* ^^f
     476.  IVomen sometimes violate0 when in a state s*^?
  of insensibility from intoxication, syncope, Slc,.-^^**?* *~v
  remarks.                                   d/*** -*^
     477. The idea that forcible coition is never fol- A/J-  f*?****.
  lowed by pregnancy erroneous—In a state of na-^'*;***  **-
  tural sleep barely possible that a female can be'** **?*■ *-^
  violated-remarks.                           ^S5^2^t
     478. A ivoman may be certainly also impregna- ^jfrj» ^.^
  ted Avithout consciousness of sexual  contact—ca-^^a**?*^***
  ses related.                                   %ZZ^*?
     479. Rapes  have been charged  against the fe- ^A*€*  "^
  male sex—cases related.                      = ##97^*y/ 
                         122        •  ■»■* %*» »  ;'.
       480.  Laws  in  Virginia,  NeAv  York, Dela-
     ware, South Carolina, Connecticut,  Massachu-
     setts,  Illinois, Pennsylvania,  Vermont,  NeAV
     Hampshire, NeAv Jersey, Missouri, &c.
       481. Differences of opinion respecting the car-
     nal knowledge of a female—some supposing that
     penetration alcne  is sufficient—others that pene
     tration  and  emission  are  necessary—all agree
     that the  latter Avithout the former is not suffi-
     cient-discrepancies related.  Discordances re-
     garding the proofs of emission noticed—penetra-
u-^_tion generally considered prime facie evidence
.^fc»\^>f it—remarks.
» *"?v                   Sodomy,
- vs   4g2. Difficult of detection by inspection of parts
• v« % —remarks—syphilitic affection about  the  anus,
» *  perceptible and may lead to detection—frequency
     of this unnatural vice in  some  countries—re-
     marcs.       *    *  \
t%>;,   483. Laws on this subject.
    Disqualifications for the performance  or
             SOCIAL  OR CIVIL FUNCTIONS.

  —   484.  Remarks.
.. l\            Moral disqualifications.
%V   485.  Remarks.

■>• •- *                    Insanity.
       486.  Disqualifies for every  civil function-
	
- « •« *»\*»»>>Vt •vn. s.. -••» % «,-.	%
 
123
renders an individual unfit for social liberty and
not responsible for criminal acts-frequently  a
subject ot judicial inquiry—distinguished into
three states—mania—melancholy  and fatuity.

                   Mania.

   487. Denoted by ferocity  in the language and
deportment of a person in the habit of conduct-
ing himself like other individuals.
   488.  Symptoms—In addition  to this ferocity
there is a Avildness in the expression of the eyes
—insensibility or resistence to cold, to sedative
and other applications-frequent neglect of food
—long  fasting Avithout  inconvenience, &c. &c.
These symptoms are continued for a longer time
than they  can  be  feigned—great  Avatchful-
ness—sometimes, however,  there is unusual vo-
racity and inclination to swallow every thing
that comes in the way—generally, great incohe-
 rence—one  idea  often  usurps  all  the facul-
 ties, influencing  the  speech and conduct, and
 rendering the reasoning absurd-Whatever may
 may be the predominant idea, theindividual will'
 often reason correctly from false  premises-fre-
 quently the affection not apparent until the mor-
 bid notion be  excited—remarks.
   489. Diagnosis-ln delirium,  bodily disease
 and a wild and incoherent jumble  of ideas-in
 madness no  perceptible bodily disease, always
 some predominant idea-from idiocy, mania rea-
                        p 
                     124
ctily distinguishable—the idiot cannot reason, the
maniac  reasons  falsely—the  idiot has no will—
the madman has, but his reason being disturbed
his actions are contrary  to the usages of society.
In  appearance  the delirious   is flushed Avith
fever or  shrunk  Avith emaciation  and debil-
ity—the maniac stares Avildly,  sometimes gaily,
sometimes gloomily—the idiot is pallid and often
deformed, his countenance  vacant, gaping, dri-
velling, grinning—senses often perverted and of
these the ear more particularly suffers—remarks
and cases.
   490. Hereditary nature of  insanity fully estab-
lished—remarks - may lie dormant in  one gene-
ration and break out in  another--a disposition to
the affection may exist but not break out unless
through the influence of exciting causes.
   491. Injuries  about  the  head  sometimes the
cause of future insanity—remarks.
   492. Exciting causes—mental uneasiness—use
of spirituous liquors (intoxication being a vo-
luntary  act and  itself criminal,  the  individual
must be held responsible  for all its consequen-
ces) —suppression of accustomed evacuations—
remarks—not unfrequently the disease occurs in
the puerperal state—remarks.
  493. Nymphomania or furor utcrinus a variety
of mania.
                 Melancholia.
   494. Remarks—restraint here required from 
125
the apprehension of danger to the individual's
self, rather than to others—his mind dAvells up-
on one object—if excited to conversation  it  is
confined to his unhappy condition—remarks.
  495.  Generally occurs in those  of the melan-
cholic temperament—is characterised by gene-
ral torpor and inactivity—piteous expression of
countenance—can be  feigned  only to a certain
degree—the frame resists hunger, watching and
exposure as in maniacs, but seldom to  so great a
degree—a fixed position of the body frequently
characteristic—cases related.
   496. Demonomania or religious melancholy no-
 ticed.
   497. Melancholy  most likely  to be confounded
 Avith  Hypochondriasis—mania  and  melancholia,
 sometimes alternate—remarks.

             Fatuitas vel Idiotismus.

   498. Very different from the preceding speceis—
 commonly congenital—sometimes induced in af-
 ter life—something like it in old age—very com-
 mon in some countries as in the Valais in Switz-
 erland Avhere it is called Cretinism.
    499.  Idiocy unfits for the management  of the
 individual's OAvn affairs, for citizenship, &c. &c—
 remarks—Idiots commonly inoffensive and Avhere
 restraint is required it is generally to keep them
 from accidental danger.
    500. In congenital Idiocy little danger of mis-
 take. 
126
   501. Exciting causes in the course of life—in-
 tense  mental application—disease—mental emo-
 tions—organic derangement of the brain,  &c.
   502. Physical characteristics  Avell known—
 certain functions capable only of being exercised
 in  a degree—commonly, want  of vigour  in the
 muscular poAvers and incontinence of the excre-
 tor}r evacuations, especially of the saliva—dirti-
 ness of person—imperfect  speech, &c.  often
 obesity and lethargy—remarks.

        Inferior degrees of unsound mind.

   503. Delirium—remarks—suicide and murder
 sometimes committed  by the  delirious—their
 conduct to be judged of like that of  the furious
 maniac.
   504. Hypochondriasis has manypoints of  simi-
 litude  to.melancholyr—its  great characteristic's,
 that persons affected by it, are especially atten-
 tiv.e to the state of their own health— generally
 also accompanied with dyspepsia.
  505. Both Hypochondriasis  and Hysteria  liable
 to degenerate into insanity.
  506. Hallucinations, illusions or waking dreams
 —remarks—cases related—this form of diseased
 mind not likely to become a  subject of legal in-
 vestigation—remarks.
  507. Epilepsy apt, when long continued,  to in-
 duce unsound mind-its effects should be,  from
 time to time, noticed as it may become the sub-
ject of examination in civil cases. 
127
  508. Intoxication- remarks—crimes committed
under this state do not excuse from punishment
—habitual drunkenness frequently occasions in-
sanity—the  line between intoxication and insan-
ity may hence become a subject of legal discus-
sion-cases related—LaAv of NeAv-York regard-
ing habitual drunkards.
  509.  Old age—debility of mind  induced by
old age may render a person unfit to manage his
oavii  affairs,  &c.
  510.  Remarks on  the  numerous cases that may
occur, as to  the strength of mind of individuals—
every case to be judged on its OAvn merits—re-
marks.
  511.  The medico-legal duty of a practitioner, in
all cases of  insanity, is to prove or disprove the
reality  of the existence of the disease—remarks.
In furious mania but little danger of a medical
man's giving a Avrong opinion—remarks—it may
be feigned,  but it will be found that it cannot be
so long kept up as in genuine mania—the pulse
has been considered a means  of  discrimination,
being asserted to be more frequent in insanity
than in health—absurdity of this opinion pointed
out—insane persons  sometimes   uncommonly
cunning, so as to frequently deceive and  throAV
off their guard those Avho watch them—this es-
pecially the case Avith  those who determine to
make away Avith themselves- remarks.  There
are some cases Avhere insanity  is very doubtful— 
                     128
persons may be insane upon one point and capa-
ble of reasoning Avell on others in  these cases
some  previous  knowledge of  the  patient  re-
quired—cases related.
  512. Strange cases of mental alienation refer-
red to.
  513.  On the  question of recovery the cause or
causes must be considered-Avhere hereditary
predisposition exists the hopes are  slender, and
Avhen combined Avith epilepsy and palsy—where
the cause is clear, and particularly  where remo-
vable, prognosis generally favorable.
  514. Dissection  has not  afforded any  useful
practical information—in some cases morbid ap-
pearances in the  brain perceptible—in  others
none.
  515. Probability of recovery in any case to be
estimated by   the violence of the  symptoms-
want or occurrence of remissions—the duration-
age of the patient, &c.
  516. Remarks on  legal interference in cases of
melancholy, fatuity, &c—in the case of an idiot,
necessary for the practitioner to enquire, Avhe-
ther the fatuity had existed  from  birth or had
been induced by some agency, in order to esti-
mate the probability of recovery, &c.
  517. Legal definition of mental alienation—Idi-
ot, lunatic, or non-compos mentis ~5Ln<r\ish  laAv on
this  subject in civil  and criminal cases—Lucid
intervals examined -various opinions on this sub-
ject referred to—remarks. 
129
  518. State of mind necessary to  constitute a va-
lid ivill-ncne valid if  made by an infant, idiot or
lunatic—or by the doting or drunken.
  519. The incapacitating diseases are  lethargic
and  comatose  affections-apoplexy—inflamma-
tion of the brain or any inflammation accompa-
nied Avith delirium—the whole condition, hoAV-
ever, as  regards symptoms,  conversation,  ac-
tions, &c. of the individual  in any  case  to  be
taken into account—legal cases related.

        Physical Disqualifications.

  520. Remarks.

     Disqualifications  for general purposes.

  521. Remarks on  the perfect use  of.Jhe senses,
as essential to citizenship—difference in  a legal
point of vieAV betAveen an individual born deaf,
dumb and blind, and  one Avho has become so.—
Loss of one sense frequently occasions others to
be more  acute.
  522. Of the deaf and  dumb—remarks—a per-
son born deaf and dumb competent as a witness,
provided he evinces  sufficient understanding-
cases related.  The  deaf and  dumb  also  al-
loAved to obtain possession of their  real  estate,
if they shew sufficient understanding—cases re-
lated— Avhen engaged in  criminal  transactions,
the mode of dealing with them has ahvays been 
                     130
a subject of serious consideration—cases related.
  523.  Where  deafness exists without dumbness,
or vice versa it does not necessarily unfit the per-
son  for  citizenship or legal responsibility—re-
marks on such cases.

           Of morbid disqucdifications.

  524.  The physician may be required to ascer-
tain, Avhether an individual may  be  fit to serve
upon a jury, to  attend as a Avitness, or if he be
competent to undertake certain offices or duties,
or he may  be required to report, Avhether a crim-
inal be capable of undergoing hard labour, or
suffering other  severe punishments that  may
have been aAvarded him.
  525.  In civil cases,  acute diseases should act as
disqualifications to the individual—in rheumatism,
asthma, epilepsy, &c. a doubt may exist Avheth-
er  the  required  exertion could  do harm—the
physician must judge  on the particular case be-
fore him—remarks on such cases and on those of
infirm health, or of predisposition to consump-
tion, of aneurism, stone   in  the  bladder,  &c.
Such individuals   should  be exempt from all
duties  not  indispensable—many,   Avho are not
able  to travel,  may be  capable of being  ex-
amined at  their owli houses.
   526.  In  criminal cases, acute diseases should re-
tard  punishment -the physician,  however, in
all cases must judge for himself, leaning to  mer- 
                     131
cy but careful that he may not be imposed upon
by feigned representations of disease.

      Disqualifications for military service.

  527. Remarks -Instructions to the surgeons of
the British army—required to investigate  mi-
nutely the state of health, whether the  recruit
present any mark of punishment, any rupture,
or scrophulous  affection-Avhether he have  the
free use of his eyes, ears and speech—have good
teeth—the free motion of every joint and limb-
that he has no sore leg,  nor mark of old ulcer
with  adhesion of skin to the bone—no varicose
\reins  nor diseased enlargement of bones or
joints—that he be  neither consumptive nor sub-
ject to fits—that he be  not deranged or  idiotic,
and  that  he  be not deformed  (exceptions in
times of emergency)—that he have no  enlarge-
ment of  the spleen, liver,  &c.
  528.  Tables formed by  the Council of Health
of the French armies enumerated—remarks on
acute and curable diseases, Sic.
  529. In discharging soldiers from service on ac-
count of physical  disqualifications, most of the
diseases precluding  their  admission considered
sufficient-exceptions   to  this—remarks—more
circumspection required in some cases than in
others—individuals unfitted for one kind of mili-
tary service may ?<e yet fit for another—no cura-
ble complaints valid grounds for discharging sol-^
diers—remarks.
                       Q 
                     132
  503. In granting Certificates the surgeon must
bear in mind, that he is under a moral obligation
not to give exemption Avithout sufficient grounds
and he must guard against being imposed upon—
French laAVS against a surgeon Avho may  give a
alse cercificate.

                 Of warranty.  -• fyit-Ci i \

  531. Remarks.

    Disqualifications for the matrimonial state.

  532. May be moral or physical—the former but
rarely a subject of judicial inquiry—remarks on
physical disqualifications.

                  Impotence.

  533. This is incapacity for the act of coition—
this plea has been urged by individuals accused
of committing rape, as Avell as to contest the le-
gitimacy of children.
  534. Impotence may exist in the  male or the fe-
male—An individual Avithout  penis  or testes  of
course impotent.
  535. Of wounds—remarks—if a  woman had
been deceived  into  marriage Avith a eunuch,  it
Avould be a legal plea for its dissolution.
  536. The testes not having  descended  by no
means a  proof of want of procreative poAvers—
cases connected  Avith  this subject related—re-
marks.

 
133
  537. A person with one testicle can certainly
procreate—cases related.
  538. Impotence may be connected with the state
of the  penis—e. g. the organ may be wanting—
and  the  disqualification, of  course, complete—
remarks—the organ not likely to be complained
of as being  too small—but it may be too large
and endanger the health  of the  female—these,
however, rare cases.  Impotence may be occa-
sioned by malformation of the penis—remarks—
the urethra may open so far back that the semen
cannot enter the vagina—remarks—Avhere the
orifice is in that portion of the penis that entered
the vagina impregnation may take place.
  539. Certain diseases—as scirrhus at the  neck
of the bladder, of the prostate  gland or other
cause  impeding  the  exit of the semen at the
time of coition, may occasion impotence.
  540.  Where the  parts are apparently perfect,
impotence  may be occasioned from inability for
erection—remarks—a temporary impotence may
be  occasioned by mental  emotions—a man may
be impotent Avith one  woman and not with ano-
ther—remarks—cases related.
  541. Mode of verifying or disproving a charge
of impotence by the Congres,  reierred to.
  542.  Cases of alleged impotence rare—cases re
lated.
  543. Impotence may be ascribed to the female—
this can only occur from incapacity of the vagi- 
                     134
na to admit  the penis—from unnatural  closure
or an  unusually strong hymen—the pr  ietes of
the vagina may  adhere  either from birth  or from
neglected inflammation—the organ may  also be
naturally so  contracted as  to prevent access—
Noav and then the vagina opens pretei naturally,
Avitii the rectum for instance or vice versa.

                    Sterility.
   544.  Means a capacity  of coition without the
power of procreation—and   consequently exists
only in the female as a judiciary question—re-
marks.
   545.  Sterility of hvo  kinds, constitutional  and
morbid—remarks  on  this  subject—the  plea of
constitutional sterility  but rarely admissible and
not to be affected by medical inquiry.
   516. Morbid sterility may be curable  or incu-
rable—of certain deviations from the natural for-
mation of parts—occlusion of the  os uteri—im-
perviousness of the fallopian tubes—diseases of
the organs, &c. as causes of sterility—remarks.
   547. The practitioner may be consulted with a
vieAV to the propriety of matrimony as to hered-.
itary diseases or constitutional delects  and pecu-
liarities—in such case to  act with judgment-
remarks—Infirmities contracted after  marriage
can scarcely ever be a plea for divorce.
   548. With respect to age the practitioner may
be consulted regarding the probability of future 
135
progeny—remarks—if the female have  ceased
to menstruate the case is hopeless  as to the male
if he be not really  impotent impregnation may
take place.
   549. Laws of the  various States on this subject.

        Pretended Disqualifications.

   550.  Unfounded allegations of disqualifications
 sometimes made against individuals—but more
 commonly they are pretended, for various pur-
 poses, by individuals  themselves.
   551.  Of pretended insanity—remarks.
   552.  Chief objects  of  imposition—exemption
 from labour or punishment - to receive alms, &c.
 —our object at present to consider disqualifica-
 tions Avhich have no real existence  remarks.
   553.  Diseases which may be feigned, extreme-
 ly numerous—some hoAvever  more  frequently
 simulated than others-  remarks.
   554.  Diseases pretended may be  external or in-
 ternal  the latter of course more difficult of de-
 tection than the former.
   555. Means  of  detection—Be careful to con-
 ceal suspicion—encourage the patient to talk of
 his complaint  to  describe  its symptoms, seat,
 cause,  &c. the effect of remedies, &c.   When, if
 the disease be feigned, he will be incongruous,
 unless he has  been tutored—remarks—cases of
 deception related—remarks. 
136
   556.  One of the most common of feigned dis-
eases is Epilepsy^remarks^ one symptom of Epi-
lepsy  cannot be feigned, viz:  the  incontractili-
ty of the pupil when exposed to light-foaming at
the mouth has been produced by a piece of soap
contained in  it.    Hysteria, syncope,  paralysis,
catalepsy, shaking-palsy, vomiting at pleasure, to-
tal insensibility, eye. sometimes  also  assumed—
cases related.
   557.  Sudden and violent applications  generally
successful in such cases—as affusions of cold Ava-
ter -the  actual cautery—boiling Avater let fall
u pon some  part of the body, &c.
   558. Haemoptysis is ofte i feigned—the appear-
ance of the  blood however qaite characteristic—
that from the lungs is frothy and light, coming up
by coughing  the mouth and fauces to be care-
fs-y inspected,  &c—instances  related of Bul-
lock's blood  and other red substances having been
SAvalloAved to feign Hccmatemesis— the complaint
Avill of course cease  when the supply is pre-
vented.
  559.  Blindness often affected-cases related.
  560.  Deafness or dumbness may be feigned. To
detect it, make matters the subject of  conversa-
tion  Avhich interest the individual and  Avatch its
effect on the countenance and pulse—remarks on
wilful mutes—remarks—cases related.
  561.  Other feigned diseases referred to,  as ul-
cers, ruptures, fractures,  &c. 
137
562.  Notorious cases of deception related.

       Miscellaneous Questions.
               Utero Gestation.

  563. His many relations—may  be pretended
—may be a real disqualification, and  legitimacy
of birth often dependent upon the settlement of
its occurrence—its termination and consequences
may form also considerations of a Forensic  na-
ture.

           Phenomena of Pregnancy.

  564. Remarks.
  565. Uterus, S,"C. described.
  566. PhysioUg cal remarks  and cases—physi-
ology of conception—disappearance of the cata-
menia the first important sign of pregnancy—
catamenia  however  often  Avithheld  by  other
causes, by  Avhich,  disorders resembling certain
signs of pregnancy are induced—remarks on the
disappearance of the catamenia—no certainty to
be obtained until about the end of the 4th month
—remarks—pregnancy, in the  latter months, also
liable to be confounded Avith  diseases as  Avith
dropsy, enlarged  ovaria,  &c.   Motion  of the
child may be confounded with flatus in the in-
testines, pulsations in the large vessels, &c—dis- 
138
  coloration  of areola round  the nipple a strong
  sign of pregnancy -towards the termination, milk
  appears in the breast—this however not certain-
  instances of virgins, old Avomen and even of men
  having had milk in the  mamma?  verification of
  pregnancy does not depend on any one sign, but
  on the existence  of many.  Mode  of examina-
  tion per vaginam.
   567. The following  catenation  of symptoms
  will rarely deceive,' regarding  the existence of
  pregnancy.  Suppression of the catamenia-  the
  abdomen gradually enlarging—the breast increas-
  ing in size—the areola round the nipple becom-
  ing dark coloured—the  motion of the foetus be-
  ing perceptible, and the neck of the  uterus being
  found to be diminishing in length and the orifice
r thin.

                  Of Delivery.

   568. A question may arise,  Avhether Delivery
  have taken place ?  If  called immediately no
  mistake can be made.  By placing the hand up-
  on the abdomen Ave va ill find that some extensive
  evacuation has occurred.  It will Le lax and en-
  larged and flabby, Avith  afuid called the lociial
  discharge issuing from it—remarks—a female re-
  cently delivered also generally  ay eak, pale, a id
  languid.   The longer the time  that may have
  elapsed since delivery, the greater the diffculty
 in detecting it—general remarks—on Avhite spots 
139
on the abdomen, lacerations or cicatrices about
the perinaeum—on corpora lutea, &c.
  569. Of the duration of pregnancy—nine  ca-
lendar months the usual period for human preg-
nancy—in some cases it has  exceeded  this—in
many others  it falls short of it—it has been ad-
mitted that  a woman may carry a child to the
11th  month.—remarks.  English  law  on  this
subject.
  570. Real  excess over nine months by no means
common and never great—remarks—excess to be
explained by erroneous reckoning on the part of
the female—remarks.
  571. A female must attain a certain state of ma-
turity before she can conceive—in  other Avords,
she  must have arrived at puberty—remarks on
the  signs of puberty—earlier in tropical than
northern  climates, &c.  Exceptions noticed—
Avomen cease bearing children Avhen they verge
toAvards the 50th year—rare cases of remote fe-
cundity related.
  572.  Questions relating to paternity and affilia-
tion noticed—a Avoman may marry again imme-
diately after  the death of her first husband, she
may be delivered of a child at the  expiration of
ten months from the death  of the first husband,
and  a question  may arise as to the paternity of
the infant—cases related—English law on the
subject, &c.
              Sexual Ambiguity.
  573.  The reality of hermaphrodites totally fa-
                      R 
                     140
bulous—sometimes,however, certain sexual pecu-
liarities met  Avith, Avhich may require the prac-
titioner to verify the sex to Avhich the individual
may belong—remarks.
  574.  Generally,  dubious  cases are occasioned
either by  a  preternatural enlargement of the
clitoris in the female or a division in the scrotum
of the male, giving  some appearance of labia
pudendi remarks  cases related.   Where pro-
per  examination has been made, such persons
have been  ahvays  found to belong  decidedly
either to one sex or the other—cases related.
  575. Hermaphrodites (so called), are monsters-
monsters, if they are capable of action as  indi-
viduals, have the same rights as other persons-
remarks—Common LaAv of England on the sub-
ject of monsters.
              Personal  Identity.
  576. Many important events have depended upon
personal identity- Impostures lnwe been  main-
tained-innocent persons arraigned, &c. &e.  A
medical  man no better judge  of such cases in
general than  others—curious  cases of change of
appearance in the same individual noticed—cases
related.
  577. Most common source of  difficulty as to
identification is in dead bodies, especially Avhere
the death has been violent and still  more when
putrefaction has been going on—remarks—cases
related.
  578. Identification has been attempted from the 
141
mere  skeleton, but here the  aid  of moral evi-
dence is indispensable -cases related.

      Survivorship, and Ensurance of lives.

  579. Physiology can rarely  afford more than
presumptive grounds for conclusion on  the ques-
tion of survival.   French LaAv  on this  subject
—remarks.
  580.  Where several individuals have been killed
by one common accident, from the parts  involved
and the extent of the  injury it mayT be conclu-
ded that the continuance of life may have been
impossible in one person, but not so  in another,
where the injur}  has been of a different charac-
ter—examples related.
  5 o'. If two persons have been found dead from
drowning we ma}^  surmise  that death has oc-
curred in one individual sooner than  in another,
from the knoAvl edge that one AAras a swimmer and
the other not—from the appearances in the lungs
after death, &c. &c.
  582.  When death has occurred from noxious in-
halation,  the relative  proximity of each to the
foyer of the noxious air, &c. must be taken into
account.
  583.  When from suspension—the position and
tightness of the  cord, suspension  being more
or less complete, marks of struggling,  injury to
spinal marrow, &c, must be estimated in the
question of  survivorship—cases related.
  584. Persons have perished together from  hun- 
142
ger—children in such cases  generally  more af-
fected than young  persons—these than the mid-
dle aged.
  585.  The English Law seems to have no provis-
ion on the subject of survivorship except so far
as the civil law is incorporated with it—cases re-
lated.
  586.  A mother and child dying together in par-
turition,  is the  most  common  cause of  such
questions- frequently, after the death of the mo-
ther, a child has been found extruded—survivor-
ship may  here be difficult to decide.
  587.  Cases elucidating this subject related.
  588.  Of tenant  by  courtesy according to the
Law of England—cases related.
  589.  Insurance  of lives-  probabilities  of life
depend upon age, constitution, climate, health,
profession or pursuits, and habits of the indivi-
dual insured -on all these the physician  has to
form an opinion—remarks.
  590. Law on  the subject  of Insurance—cases
related.
           Hereditary Peculiarities.
  591. Remarks—cases related—remarks on he-
reditary diseases in general.
  592.  Some hereditary diseases may unfit the  in-
dividual for certain situations and the disposition
to these  and  others  may  lead  them or their
friends to consult  Avith medical men, before en-
tering the married  state, and  before  following
certain professions—repairing to certain climates,
&c. or as to diet, regimen, &c__remarks.
            Of Medical Evidence.
  593.  General remarks,.
FI.VIS. 
s%3
"#>:'

/y
-- % ■• • /
>*
S *. X  >..>»,,» , \ 4
<-.^V  •
.....»• . •'•« -S »
yjg^ *^   JT,^. A^£  ^*~e*
</;Z&/i**r* 

 s,z_^Zf> ,&&+>& 4£&*&> y^t. 4&£^?-+ ^



   j^>>   £5&yr<tLy^ /*>- &*&*^/z~  jz &*rCt J

9"  Jfi* JP.  sZ^,  yo^r  ^ £^ St^**^


   <-£/Zvy  /&i&*Jf   s£***c- -^&*r^  j&c*+ ^zc-eyy*

   ^ ^S^JLS**' S£i*&*^ y&^rt-^s** ^ <rziw*Lf  y^
  /&  ^y^^J j&^^A^&mLf <**-yt, sZ^s%y&




  s%^>^ y^^ j^^^ .                    !
                     i& 8 1
 
 
jOiUVMIllYNOUYH   3NI3.Q3W dO A D V H 8 I 1 IVNOUVN  3 N I 3 I 0 3 W d O A 8 V II a I 1 V
jOAavaaii ivnouvn    jnidioiw do auvbbii ivnouvn  snoicmw  do nviin i»
LIBRARY OF MEDICINE    NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE  NATIONAl LIBRARY OF Ml



























JOADVIlail IVNOUVN    iNIJIOJW dO  ABVaail  IVNOUVN  3NI3I03W dO IIVllll IV
'^-/
LIBRARY OF MEDICINE   N A T I O N A I I I B R A R Y  OF M E D I C I N E N A T I O N A I I I B R A R Y O F M I
'IBRARY OF MEDICINE   NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE  NATIONAL  LIBRARY OF ME
5 A»vaan ivno u vn    jmoiaimo u»nn i»noii*n  3 n i d i a aw do am v «b n i v 
NOUVN    iHID.OIWiOAHHUUNO.lVN
KEDICINE    NATIONAL  LIBRARY  OF MEDI CINE  N A T I O N A I LI B R A R Y  O F M E 0 I C I N E
IVNOUVN     3NI3I03W dO A II V II 8 II  IVNOUVN   3NI3I03W  dO  A o V II 8 M IVNOUVN
-M2
f   «'       5 
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE
NLfl DlDD135b  fl

NLM010013568