The Express.
London, England, 1863-07-31 00:00:00

THE DEATH OF SIR CRESSWELL CRESSWELL.

(From tt» Lancet.)

At eeoen minutes to 7 on the evening of Wednea-
, day the distinguished Judge of the Court of Probate and
Divorce, Sir Ceraiwell Cromwell, suddenly expired. It is
well known that he had recently met with a severe acci-
dent but the injury which he then received, although it
may gave accelerated his dooms* by the Dever shock which
it undoubtedly inflicted on the system, does not appear to
have had any direct share in the fatal result which has un-
expectedly occurred. When violently thrown over by the
runaway horses which broke from Lord Award's
carriage Sir Croswell was ford, on being raised
from the ground, to be suffering from fracture of
the knee-pan. This was sot, however, a fracture from
direct violence ; but when examined by the surgeon
summoned—Mr. James Lane, of Si. Mary's Hospital--lie
fouud east from the nature of the fracture it was evidently
one of those rare instances in which the knee-pan is rent
by the sudden and violist action of the extensor muscles
a the thigh, commonly in the effort to recover the balance
of the body, and avoid falling. There was but little bruis-
iog— much less than might have been anticipated, aud no
other apparent injury. The fractured part was lesliogfavonr-
ably,and Sir Cress well bore the erg oement with crest rue-
nimitv, sod was in good spirits throughout. Mr. James Lane
and Mr. Charles Hawkins were in continuous attendance,
and everythiog promised a speedy reoovery. Properly
dev:sed splints having been adjusted, Sir Croswell was
able, with assistance, to shift himself from the bed to a
couch, and had done so in the course of Wednesday. As
be was being lifted in the evening from the couch spin to
the bed with the assistanoe of his brother, the Rev. Oswald
Creswell, he complained of feeling faint, asked for wine,
and almost immediately died. lie bad always considered
himself a specially healthy .nao, and 1/1..s mentioning
shortly after his accident that be had never had a day's
illness, and had never consulted a physician since he left
Khoo!. He had lately become somewhat soddenly corpu-
lent, but it was never suspected, by himself or any other
person, that the hand of disease had seized him so firmly,
though silently.
The post-mortem examination was performed at 7 p.m. on
Thursday, by Mr. Charles Hawkins, Mr. James Lae, and
Dr. Barr. The examination of the chest showed that the
• heart wan the mole seat of draft. It was loaded with fat, •
the wells of the ventricular cavities were thin and weak,
end the muscular fibres pale; the valves were competent.
. Throughout the rest of the body the organs were found
in a healthy condition, although in parts loaded with fat.
On examining the knee joist some blood was found
' effused between the fractured surfaces of the bone ; there
was no inflammation, irritation, or effusion in the interior
of the joint, but repair was smog on satisfactorily. The
cause of death was, doubtless, severe syncope, fatal because
occurring in a weak heart Vanity degenerated.
A circumstance occurred is counexion with the accident
which, although by no means exceptional, deserves to be ;
I mentioned, as illustrating the admirable spirit is which our .
hoepitale are administered. and the firmness and self-der-
ton with which the members of the medical retention
perform their duties to the poor in those establishmenta. ;
Sir eeriest' was overthrown within eight of St. George's
Hospital, and a hasty melange was sent there, statiog that
as trident had occurred to the distinguished judge. and
requesting that the hoursurgeoe might accompany him to
his home. The hour. surgems, however, was then engaged
in urgent duties of attendance upon poorer sufferers, and I
felt unable to leave hie post. Ot4v rifled attendance was
immediately at hand. Such incidents are not rare, and we I '
cannot but think that they reflect honour on our proforma
and deems to be widely hawse.