The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1858-06-16


mum, breast bone,) about two inches from
It's upper extremity. The fractured sur
faces were stained with blood and the tis-
sues beneath, in the mediastinum, were
filed with extravasated blood Several
Of the cartilages of the ribs had been sep
arated, by the knife, from the sternum.
In range with the fracture of the ster-
mum, forming an irregular curved line,
were fractures of the cartridges of the
second rib on the lett side, aud IF the Sec
ond and third on the right side. About
three-quarters of an inch of the cartilage
of the second rib on the left side, three
Fights of an inch of the second, and
about an inch of the third on the right
side, were broken off The first rib, on
each side, with their cartiages and artic-
ulations, were perfect The sternal ar
ticulations of the clavicles were loosened,
especially that of the left side. A care
full examination of the chest upon the in
side showed that no wound had penetrated
Vhat cavity, nor had any rib or other bone
been broken, The heart, the lungs and
the vessels in the cavity of the chest were
NOT injured. The diaphragm WIS crowded
high up into the cavity Of the chest by
tho contents of the abdomen, which exhib-
tied no evidence of injury.
There was no evidence of injury about
the head or face. The tongue was pro-
truded, and covered with charred blood,
but had not been bitten, or otherwise in
jured. The cavity of the mouth was clean
and free from blood. The cavity of the
nose was filled with blood. The nostrils,
upper lip and sides of the face were GOV.
cred with charred blood
The substance of the lungs was sound,
but occupied much less space than usual,
owing to the encroachment Of the contents
of the abdomen. The mucus membrane,
lining the wind pipe and all the air pass
ages, even to the minutest branches. were
very much swollen, injected, red and
bathed with bloody mucus.
From the above appearances several in
ferences are necessary, viz:
I l. The injury IN the breast aoas re-
ceired before death, since the fractured
extremities of the bone we're stained with
blood, and there was extravasated blood
in the tissues beneath the bone.
2. This iu1ury could not hoUs killed
h,m Immediately, since not any vital Or
gan was injured or interfered with.
8. He must haze bren struggling i'm
mediately before death, since all the fsx-
or muscles were firmly contracted. This
inference is also corroborated by the
crowding upwards of the abdominal con-
tents, as it was said that he was found in
such position that the principal weight
of the body was borne by the lower part
of the abdomen, and the nearly natural
condition of the skin in this region showed
that it had been protected from the fire.
4. he must hare breathcd some time
after he Vas in the fire, since nothing but
the inhalation of fame would have pro.
duced the appearance described as exist
ing in the air passages.
5. Tile nctual immediate cause of
death aoas sufocation, evidenced by the
collapsed state Of the lungs, the air pass.
ages BACKED with bloody mucus, and the
protrudcd tongue.
The probable inference may also be
drawn that he was not murdered, since no
one, intending murder, would leave man
simply disabled by single blow, which
was not mortal, and not inhict other inju.
ries. Nor would any one, after knocking
man down, throw him upon fire, not
more intense than that of single brush
heap, before he was sure that he was dead
and unable to struggle.
This inference is rendered still more
probable by tho fact that, at the place
where he was found, there were evidently
abundant chances for an accident to occur
which should produce the injury described
and then leave him to throw himself upon
the fire, in his struggles, or be thrown up.
ON it by the same cause which first pro.
duced the injury.
CHARLES L. ALLEN, ". d.
Middlebury, June IL, 1858.
Having assisted pr. Allen in tn, post
norton examination above described, we
find his statement OF the appearances accu.
rate, and we concur in tho correctness of
the infereuces.
Z. Bass. NJ. D.,
w. P. Russell, M. D.
Middlebury, June -, 1858.