Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1833-08-08


toforv prevented US from copying account Of
Dr. JonS r. w. DvSsAn, Of Winchester, ou
the body Of negro Ben, Who was executcd On the
siA of june. We NOW extract from the Doctors
statement, such parts oaiy as relate to the expc-
ments, presaming that almos, every reader knows
something OF the nature Of Galvanisrn:
"Nogro Ben. the subject Of these expert
ments, aged &c. was a stout, weil-buiit sub
ject !, the muscular tissue Of the body remark
ably well developed, indicating great power.
lie was suspended from the gallows about
thirty-hve minutes, and In ten minutes after
being cut down, was delivered tn n profess
sional friend by the sheriff for me, and
brought TO a room (where every thing was
arranged for the eAperiments) which had
been literally granted by the mayor, adjoin-
ing the town hall The body was immediate
iy placed on the operating table. The acid
mixture dilute muriatic acid) was thrown on
the plates rs soon rs the conveyance bringing
tue body appeared in sight. IL was disco
Nered from the unusual freedom Of motion ia
the neck, that il was dislocatcd-or, as il is
called in common language. the neck was bro
ken; and upon cutting down in 4 subsequent
stage of the experiments, IL was satisfactorily
ascertained that the first and second vertebrG
sufficient TO admit the end Of the little finger.
The aPpe arancc of the face was quite nat,i-
raj, aud seemed rs il the unhappy subject Of
the Justly offended law had passed FROM life
with none of those struggles and dreadful
asonics which attend the throes Of dissolution,
and particularly I'm thi. most horrible mode
Of causing death.
The experiments were now commenced by
gentleman 20 whom Was assigned the ana
tomical part, exposing, by n very handsome
dissection, AN important nerve in the neck
which supplies the nervous power to the
lungs and stomach (par vagum, or pncumo-
gastric.) A long silver needle, similar TO
those used in accupunctuatiou, was now in
PRODUCED, through the space between the ribs
deep into the substance Of the heart The
object OF introducing n needle into the heart
was TO endcavor To ascertain whether any ir-
ritability remained, and to attempt to throw
some light on disputed question, whether
the heart was susceptible Of excitation by the
Galyanic fluid.
The positive pole Of the battery was now
applied To the nerve (par vagum, and the
negative pole TO the silver needle in the heart.
There was no perceptiblo action OF the heart,
rs u would IN all probability have been evil
dcnced by the quivering motion of the nee
die1f IL had taken place; and in no way that
we could discover, was its irritability evil
dcnced, either by the simple introduction Of
The silver probe, or tue action Of the Galyanic
huid. But the effect on the other parts was
very evident. The muscles Of the neck and
chest were affected by strong convulsive
dwellings, most striking!y displayed in those
muscles called by anatomlsts platysma myoi-
deus, sterno-thyroideus, and mastoideus, pee
toral and intcrcostal mucles. Where was al
so convulsiyc motion Of the muscles in the
region of the stomach, and q contract of
the muscles of the throat as in the act of
swallowing.
noodle was now inserted into the tendi-
nous head of the diaphragm, the positive wire
OF the battery applied to the par vagum
nerve, and the negative 10 the needle. The
result was a slight convulsivc motion extend
ing over the chest and abdomen The con-
traction and relaxation Of the diaphragm was
very evident from the protruding and reIaxa-
lion OF the abdominal muscles; the effect
seemed TO increase as tho acid had time 10
act on the battery. The positive wire was
now applied to a needle inserted into the seat
OF the phrenic nerve "a nerve distributed 10
the diaphragm, and has an important influence
IN tho function of brcathing); an incision was
made down To the tondinous head of the dia- !
Phragm, and the other wire (negativc) appli-
ed TO the incision. The result was very si-
milar TO the preceding experiment, with the
-, t.
ed by an intelligent gentleman present, aud
close observer, TO that of a person affected
BY hiccough.
think II proper 10 notice, at this stage,
peculiar action Of the Galyanic fluid ON the
nerve and muscular fibre, observed by nv
self, and confirmed by one Of the gentlemen
assisting me. The positive pole, whenever il
touched the nerve or muscle, produced an
action or whitening very similar 10 that
kyIs nrh - q a..
Piled To mn exposed muscle.
nerve above the middle arch Of the eve
brow (supraorbitaD was now exposed, and
the positive pole applied 20 it, aud the other
below the lower lid. The result was a con-
traction OF the muscle, causing a natural |
Wink, and an opening and closing &C the eye
lbs, which was compared to that when the !
eye closes N living person from fear Of be-
ing injured by some offending object being
thrust at the eye. There was also contrac.
ton OF the muscles OF the cheek, similar 10
What Is seen IN some persons who suffer from
neuralgia OF the face-or aptly likeDed by a |
trend To that motion Of the cheek when an |
effort IS made by tho motions of the face alone |
to drive of an annoying ly which has settled |
upon u. without being at the pains to raise
The hand for the purpose.
In the next experiment silver needle was
introduced into the facial nerve, one pole ap- |
Piled to u and the other to the cheek. The |
elect was slight motions Of the face, and dis /
tention and contraction Of the SIDES Of the |
nostriis, resembling much the expression Of
dtsdain. The effect on this and tie proceed |
ing nerve was very slight, compared with !
That produced by DR.. Urc, aud so wildly |
painted by him. lie says, "The expressions
OF rage terror, anguish and CHASTITY smiles, !
we're produced and united their hidoous ex-
y p'1ssDn ~ INC murdsrefs tsce, surprising 4
ne widest representation Of a Fuseh or a
kcan." Ia these experiments on the muscles 4
Of expression, with the exception Of the en-
preston q disdain, as before mentioned. none
u ,1Ose wonderful plays Of the features were
"oh marked which arc 20 manifest when the \