, 1874-01-31
AUTOPSY OF AGASSIZ.

Causes of the DontIl of the Ercnt Nnt-
urnlist--aslscaso and distractions OF
tasc Arteries OF The terssia,.-I'robub1c
Origin az the Disease In tlae Arteries
Of the Hlcurt.
bosto" tjan 2t, corrssn"nde''ee e5 the Ssn York
ir.bhif.
nr. Merrill Wyman, ~of Cambridge, has con-
aud mades tho following report:
This nutopGy, Undo in the intorcdta OF Bcfe,lre
is in accordanco with the wisIos OF tho gcoaf
naturalist expressed sovera1 yoars ago.
CAMDn1ooE, Doc 1G,z 1S73.-Autopsy BY
prs; 4 l. Fitz, and ]; J. Putnam npresonat5 DIa.
man, s. G. Webbcr.
Frame large Fat tissue abundant. Cranium,
brachycophal1c, falling Oft abruptly from tho
middle Of the sagittal suturc. Greatest antero-
poatcrior diameter, 197 mill. mot. greatest Int
monts made before tho removal Of the skin.
Depth OF frontal homo, measured externally ut
tho modian line, 515 inches=1s5 m. m. length of
Baeittal Buturo, s lnohes=128 m. m. Tho walls
Of tho skull were thick and heavy :; the dura ma
marlably thick. The pia mator moderately trans
parent. Along thenrachnoid voins wcre white lines
Indicating chronic thickoning; the veins them
selves rather moro injected than usual Tho
cerobTal sulci wero deep and wide Tn each
side of the median limo, near tho anterior ascond
ing couvolution on tic left, and tho poBtorior
ascending oonvolution on tho right, WIS q do
preston which might have hold pruua-stono
or little more. Tho brain tissue around WAS
nrtorics ut tho base Of tho brain showed evidence
Of extenelvo chronic disoaao Of their lining mon-
bruno, with narrowing OF the calibre OF the car
otids. Tile basilar artery was apparently a
continuation OF the loft vertobral alone, the
ingly small vessel which united tho basilar
with the inferior corabrellar, the latter being
merely tho pro!ongation Of tho exceedingly
small right vortebral. The loft vertobral was
larger than usual, larger even than the basilar.
important changes. Commencing an iuch below
the anterior edge Of tho pons Varolii and ex-
tending downward, tho walls Of tho loft vortebral
artery were stiff, in part calcilicd, and it's Innings
loose, At half an inch from the point just mcn-
toned, Immediately over tho loft olivary body,
was reddish yellow, Opaque, friablo plug
uhrombus) completely obstructing tho Vessel !;
still iowor was another more recent. but proba~
bly, ante-mortem, plug. The first was Il Of an
inch long, the second 4 inches long. a third
touching 1t. Opposite the middle Of the pons
tLo1e WIS athermatous degeneration Of tho basi-
lar artery. Tho walls Of tho internal carotids
wore also in part calciiicd, The postosior part
tho vcrtobral artory was exceedingly snlalD was
softer than usual, tho corresponding foliations
swollen aud ini1istnctly defined, indicating dis
case Of this part, probably consequences Of tho
CuhnGca Ill Ln0 Ar{eIle9.
The weight Of tho ontiro brain was 53.4 ayoir-
dupcois onnces=1,495 ,grammos' allowing, q
diminntion in the weight OF the brain from tho
ago Of $50 years,, at tho ratio Of one ounce
aVolrdupos for each ten yours elapsed, tho
greatost weight Of tho braiu nny DO estimated at
5G.05 avoirdupois OUNCES.
Weight Of liight anterior lobe (aoparatcd with
tho ilBsure OF lsolaudo for guido. 234 grasl-
moa weight Of loft anterior lobe, 293 gralnlncs.
Heart la:Ee, 1nuscular hbrc tlrtn aud Of good
color. Tho atsacled portion Of tho aortio
valves rigid; tho mieral opening largo. In tho
loft yontriolo at tho lower third iirm organized
clot Of the size Of . peach.stono attached
to the wall ut tho anterior portion near the sep
tum around this clot a moro recent ono had
formed, its centre aoftened aud granular. From
carried by tho blood to the arterios i'll the base
Of tue brain, doing their part in obatructng hon1
aud causing tho fatal changes above described.
Tho lining membrane of the heart, where tho
Uot wes attachcd, was much thickenod, and tho
muscular layer at tho snrne part very thin, near
the nl,ox not Visible to the naked eye.
Tho lungs were adhoront to tho ribs OH both
sidoH Of tho Ghost tho evidence OF old innamlna-
tonB. Tho otl1or organs were healthy.