The New York herald., 1869-04-04
THE PeHlTeNTARy SHOWER BATH.

To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
cannot but express surprise at the verdict OF The
Coroner's jury in the case CT the convict Dean,
which reads as follows:-''We find that the convict
Montague Dean came to his death after an illness In
the prison hospital of some five hours, from causes
unknown to the jury; and, further we find no evil
dence to show that any prison rule practice has
been vioated.n "From causes unknown TO the
jury ~ and yet the entire evidence OF the physician
making the post mortem examination tends to de-
veop the belief that the shower bath, and the
shower bath only, was the cause of death. The
sympatnies OF all the prison officials are readily
seen to be with the keeper, 'DOctor Buckingham" !"
as the physician OF the institution terms him, and
the concurrence or the jury their expressed opn
ions must occasion surprise In the minds of pny
sicians wno carefully read the evidence The shock
produced by cold showering might produce a c lot
In the heart, not OF sufficient size to produce im-
mediate death, but yet serving as a nucleus
by which as sudden and instantaneous a death takes
place. II In the first instance OF fatal dimensions
DR.. Collins says In his testimony:-"If the effects OF
a showering are not immediate IL would not produce
death suddenly for time afterwards Now 1t Is a
weknown fact that persons convalesclng from ty-
phoid fever, chronic diarrhGa, ana In fact all dis
eases OF an adynamic type frequently die from heart
clot one formed perhaps weeks anteriory, when the
patient IN the most enfeebled state, and has
that moment, by sudden movement or emotion
calling the heart for increased action, almost sim
ultaneousy developed INTO plug fatal to life. In
tne case Oh u man snOWere1 Lne DOOu driven rom
the brain and cuaneous surface, and cot formed
Immediately he Is removed, reacting partially, the
formation or the clot Is arrested. Afterwards thrust
into a cell or intimdated in any way his nervous
system again sinks: the hearts action sympatheti-
cay enfeebed. the blood iOws with decreased force
ana the already formed clot forms the point ddpDu
for gradual augmentation. week, a day or
hour may have elapsed, ii matters not.
IL ia not at all unlikely that several clots
form at one and the same time-in the heart the
lungs and the liver, &c-0r the formation of one or
two by producing disproporti0n between the solid
of which the clot Is formed and the watery portion
OF the blood induces Others In the lungs liver, kid
neys. nc Decomposition IN these cases follows death
rapidly ana the fact that the clots not found
perfect in this was to be expected. This whole
matter OF the shower bath should be brought prom-
nently before the Legislature for decisive action
You or /, as we step under the douche shower
BATH do so voluntarily aud with the knowledge that
a terrified his nervous system shocked and
parayzed before feeling the water, and knowing che
length OF his douchng or showering Is entirely
optional with a man whose passions are aroused
against him. Patrick Hyand, a keeper, says:-"I
have seen men take hogsheads OF water-some will
take than othersn And thus is spoken of as "a
privilege OF a keeper.n Is there a doubt but that
among many keepers there be not some who are
irritable and cruel by natureS And yet these
wretches have this privilege OF Keeper and use
It, too. with vengeance. Can II be that this matter
Is TO rest here, ana that testimony OF a partisan
character Is to stand IN the way OF justice and OF
rghtf W. l. o., NJ. D.