The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-27
THE CAUSE OF HIS DEATH.
Report Of the Post-Mortem
Examination.
MEDICAL OPINION OF THE CASE.
Effect Of the Emperor's Death
in Europe.
The Sentiment Of Paris
Upon the Event.
From the British Medical Journal.]

From the British Medical Journal.l
The post-mOrtem examination OF the late En-
per0r was made at Camden Place. It was con-
Quoted with great care by DR.. Burden Sanderson,
+. r. S., Professor of Physiology In University Col
lege. London and Observation-Disclosures of the
Brown Institute, an eminent physician and pathO-
ogist, whose attendance was specially requested
for the purpose. The examination was conducted in
the presence OF Sir Henry Thompson, DR.. Conneau,
DR.. lie Baron COrvisart Sir william Gull, Bart,
Mr.. John Foster and Mr.. Glover, and was so d.
rected as to include an investigation Of all the
facts and conditions which could throw light upon
the history Of the case, the nature and origin Of
the malady the immediate results Of the operation
and the immediate and proximal cause of the dis
ease. We subIOin an official summary OF the results
OF the investigation.
In such circumstances, a sad, but not fruitless,
satisfaction may be derived from the fact that the
results OF a minute, careful and rigdly impartial
investigation testify to the accuracy with which all
the conditions were diagnosed which are OF an
order that can be ascertained during LIE. 1t will
be observed that the necropsy disclosed that the
disease was, as had been predicted, OF old stand
ing. The lining membrane was intact and free
from any abrasion whatever, nor was there any
Inflammation OF the surrounding tissues. The con-
dition OF the kidneys was franght with peril; 1t
was of that character which is known to surgeons
as being almost inevitably Omlnous of speedily
fatal end, whatever form OF operation he adopted,
and whether any operation be sonp
TO science by which the particular cOndi-
ton can be detected during life. The sudden
death OF the Emperor was, from the character OF
the symptoms preceding death, considered to be
due either to sudden failure Of the hearts action
to arrest OF the circulation by an embohc blood
clOt. The result OF the pOst-mOrtem reduces us to
the former alternative. The summary was drawn
up with great care and precision by those present
nous in it. 1t was afterwards submitted TO Sir
William Gull, who was compelled to leave, and
therefore unable TO- Assist in Its preparation IT.
some observations which are interesting to medi-
cal science and which express particular view
spectng some circumstances in the probable early
history OF the case which are fairly open to discus
siOn
The following Is the Official report of the doctors
who made the postmortem examination
The most important result Of the examination
was that the kidneys were found to be involved in
the innammatery effects produced by the irrta-
tion Of the vesical calculus (Which must have been
in the bladder several years. to a degree which
was not suspected, and II 1t had been supposed
could not nave been ascertained. The disease Of
the kidneys was OF two kinds; there was, on the
one hand dilaton of both nreters and OF the pelvls
OF the Kidneys; the lett the dilation was ex-
cessive and had given rise to atrOphy Of the CLAN
duiar substance OF the organ. On the other there
was sub-acute Inflammation or the urinlferOus
tubes, which was OF more recent origin. The parts
in the neighborhood OF the bladder were in q
healthy state; the mucous membrane Of the blad.
der aud prostate urethra exhibited signs Of
sub-acute Inflammation but not the slightest
indication OF injury. In the interior OF the
form OF which Indicated that half had been re-
moved. Besides this there were Two or three ex-
tremely small fragments, none OF them larger than
a henlp-seed. This half calculus weighed about
three-quarters Of an ounce, and measured IA by
5-l6 OF an inch. There was disease of the heart
The Drain and its membranes were in a perfectly
natural state. The blood was generally liquid, and
contained only very few small clots. No trace Of
obstruction by coagnla could be found either In the
venous system In the heart or IN the pulmonary
artery. Death took place by failure OF the circula
tiOn and was attributed to the general cOnstitu-
tiona state OF the patient. The disease OF the kid
neys-of which this state was the eXpression--was
OF such nature. and SO advanced. that 1t would In
any case have shortly determined q fatal result.
J. BURDoN sANDERsoN, MD
Dr. CONNEAU.
DIR. LIE BARON coRvIsART.
HENRY THOMPSON.
J.T CLOVER.
JOHN FOSTER.
@ 80 +. M.
SIR WILLIAM GULLs OPINION.
Sir william Gull left Camden place as soon as the
autopsy was over, and not present ut the care
Iu consideration and discussion of the facts which
ensued by the other medical men assembled. He
records separate opinion on one point only,
viz, the origin Of the calculus In the following
terms:-
desire to express the opinion that the phos-
the mass, was the result OF the prior cysttus (ca
tarrhus vesicel, and not the cause OF 1t. This nu
cleus was OF uncertain Duration and may even have
been more recent than supposed in the appended
report. However this may be, 1t was encrusted by
two distinct and recent formations of crystalline
phosphate. The Inner iucrustatiOn around the
amorphous phosphate Of lime was dense and sep
arated from the outer incrustaton by lesser Gel
ular but crystalline deposit OF triple phosphate 1t
seems to my Judgment more In accordance with
clinical experience to regard the cysttis as the
prior lesion and that this by extension, as Is CON-
uh-an tIV tina
nreters and pelvis of the Kidneys. 80 doubt in
the later stages Of the malady. the calculus by its
formation and increase, was an augmenting cause
The other facts and statements I entirely en-.
dorse. WILLIAM W. GULL, Nj. ID.
From the Pail Mall Gazette, January Ill
This mornings papers contain, together with
the above official summary OF the results OF the
various comments from professional
and unprofessional sources. The general result Of
the examination was to show that the EmperOr
has been suffering not only from the mechanical
irritation OF vescal calculus, which IL was the
object OF the operation TO remove, but from long
disease Of the Kidneys of fatally in.
sidiOus character. Disease Of this kind SO under
mines the system that the choice OF one operation
Or the other hardly i'll any degree anects the chance
Of life. So Tar as the immediate results OF the op
GRAFTON are concerned they afforded a triumph to
the surgeon, whose skill was put to severe test
and whose proceedings in the dark were sub
ectcd 10 visual scrutiny OF a search
ing KIND. The result was to show
mat the manipulation had been perfect.
rhc BrTtish Medical Journal adds to the published
statement OF the medical attendants some facts al
70 the chemical composition OF the calculus, which
seems 10 nave oeen OF peculiar and unusual kind
tnu VIII ne submitted To further chemical examna-
non. Those who have known how long the EN-
peror has been suffering from evident signs OF a
maiady ol the kind Ill not be surprised
20 read th2t previous consultations had been held
u lo6s ana 1870 and That already was feared that
me disorder TO which the Emperor has aIlen a VIC
I'M was at hand. IL Is indeed stated in II Uf.ion
kedicdte, French paper quoted IN the Ddtv Neics
naI on July l, 1870, consultation was held, at |
Nmcu was decided that an operation ought |
'esisted lot political reasons and that the |
.mperors prospect OF lie was sacrificed to |
'hcse considerations We have good authority for |
ta,ihg tlat t'is announcement IL contrary TO the
act. The Emperor had never submitted TO any /
"a a. tim ri.