The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-06-11

loJEths Of an inch lust beneath the left ear,
where no mark was apparent, and over whlch
had been placed the knot. Immediately beneasun
this furrow the tissue was dry and compresseu,
and OF glistening appearance; this was IN n, ele
form of band, of oneelghth OF an ihch ~
breadth. The posterior and lateral porttcnsVt
the body, the arms and shoulders, the neck ana
face were considerably discolore6, que me.eiy
carotid artery of both sides were congested, but
not injured. On cutting down the cervlcal
region the sternocleide mastoid muscle OF the
the lower part of the muscle. The cornua, or
horn of both sides of the hyoid, or tongue bone,
we're fractured the body OF the bone remaining
intact, No injury was sustained by the car
tilages of the larynX and trachea, or windpipe;
no luXatlon OF fracture of the cervical vertebre;
and no rupture of the connecting lgaments.
The odontod process OF the axis, or second GER
vical yertebra, was intact, and the check and
tranverse hgament9 were not ruptured. DR.,
Pancoast now called attention to the brain.
Upon dissecting off the scalp, the vessels going
TO its supply were found congested, and on re-
moving the calvarium, or top Of the skull, the
coverings OF the brain proper were not abnormal,
In examining the brain substance, contrary to
the expectation OF the medical gentlemen, 1t was
found 10 be not congested, and upon making
section of the cerebral mass, the ventricular
cavities were found entirely free from 1u1d OF
any kind. According 10 the carefully prepared
tables OF Reid, the average weight OF the human
brain is three pounds two ounces. The brain OF
Probst, upon weighing it, was found to weigh
two pounds four ounces. In the case of Green,
the celebrated Maiden murderer, his brain was
weighed, and found to weigh two pounds eight
ounces. Probsts brain had healthy look and
tirmness. The spinal cord was intact On open
ing the cavity OF the chest. the lungs were found
crcpitant, not congested, and perfectly healthy.
On opening the sac containing the heart me
latter lDds found en1ptV. This another feature
generally unexpected among the medical gen
temen, and is one of peculiar interest, for study
and discussion.
The vena cava ascending and descending,
were also empty. Tue weight of the heart was
about the average weight of the human heart,
it being nine ounces ard six dracnms At this
point DIR. Pancoast seeing MIR. Perkins, the
Keeper at the Prison, am ong the audience,
asked him at what hour Probst partook of his
breakfast on the morning of the execution, and
what that breakfast consisted Of? Mr.. Perkins
replied, that at quarter past s o'clock, on the
morning in question, the prisoner had eaten
tlco sOttbOied eggs, three pieces Of bread,
1o ard drank !arge C'pfM ,orSgt,n OF cefee. zee
ture in the case; for upon opening the
stomach it was found empty, aud the rood haojng
perfectly and entirely been dlgested. Two hours
and halt before his execution he had eaten
heartily. The mental agony of those two hours
and a half, and the dreadful suspense elt then,
cannot be imagined; and yet here was the
stomach before our eyes, showing not the
slightest impairment OF digestion. And still
further upon cutting open the small intestine
Qualification was found to nave taken place per
tectly. The liver was in Il normal condition.
intensely, which msv perhaps, in small degree
account Tor the want OF congestion in the BRAIN
heart, and lungs. Its weight was ten ounces aud
five drachms, the normal weight of the healthy
spleen being seven ounces The kidneys were
also found congested especially that of the left
side. The weight OF the right kidney was five
ounces three drachms and two scruples; while
that OF the lett was six ounces two drachns and
two scruples. Bladder normal containing only
about three ounces of urine. This ended the eXa-
mination OF the various organs and regions OF the
body OF the murderer, Anton ProbSt. DIR. Pan
cUastin closing, offered rs his belief, that the
murderer had died from nervous shock inflicted
by the pressure or tension of the rope upon the
pneumogastric and phrenlc nerves, which nerves
are so essential TO the greattunctur ofTespiration.
| TINS view which he had adopted was agreed to,
and fully coincided with by Drs. Nebinger,
! Jewell, Hunt, S. w. Gross, Packard and other
| medical gentlemen present.
| This examination, DR.. Paucoast reminded his
hearers, has shown conclusively that death from
| hanging may take place without any alteration
| OF the brain, with no change III the lungs or
heart with no lsceratIon of the spinal cord, and
no dislocatIon or fracture OF the Cervical verte
| bre, and with no laceraton of the trachea OF
| larynX. THIS will always be a prominent case
| in medical uris prudence, for here lies the body
! of one who presents none OF these features; but
| who shows us simply rupture of muscle ofthe
| neck and fracture of a tiny bone, to which is
| attached the tongue; but whose death from hang
| ing is not only proven by the facts before us,
| but by the undeniable evidence of the witnesses
| TO the execution.
| DR.. Pancoast thus closed an able and well
| delivered lecture-a lecture which has thrown
out many valuable points for study. and many
features of interest to the medical and legal pro
| fession. and, indeed, to all who may have read
the accounts of the fearful crime.