The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-11-16
An Interesting Autopsy.

was well known to the profession, not
as a member of it merely, but as the
only person known to be living having
the curious malfOrmation called con-
genital assure of the sternum or breast
bone. His case was considered so in
teresting by scientific men that large
number of physicians assembled to wit
ness the post-mOrtem examination,
which was conducted by Prof. John c.
Dalton, the distinguished Psychologist
OF this city. There were also present
DR.. William Darling, professor of
anatomy in the university medical col
lege; Profs. Riedel and Pitcher, of the
Long Island college, and large num-
Der of physicians, including Drs.
Banks, Welsh, Brady, Dreamer, De
Long, Fuhs, Hardrich, Hesse, Baker
and Meyer.
DR.. GrOuX had long ago made re-
quest that an autopsy of his body
should be made in the interest of
science, and it was his wish that DR..
Oliver Wendell Holmes, who is pro-
fessor of anatomy in the medical de-
partment of Harvard University, should
conduct the examination. A message
" 80 'SLiO w LOls IlOllllCS SOOl ttlbtI lllt
death of DR.. GrouX, but no reply had
been received, and it is supposed that
the telegram did not find him at home.
The mere fact that Dr. Groux had so
singular conformation of the breast
bone was not the most interesting part
of the case. The absence of any bone
structure over the right side of the
heart rendered the observation of some
of the workings of that important organ
very easy; but, strangest of all, the
man possessed the power of entirely
suppressing the action of his heart at
will. There are similar cases in the
books, but very few.
DIR. GrouX came to this country
about thirteen years ago, and for
long time was the wonder of physiolO-
gists, anatomists, and the medical pro-
fessiOn generally. He was born in Ger
many, but was of French extraction.
1t was while exhibiting himself at the
various universities of Europe that he
| determined to find out more about his
own body by studying medicine, and
he was subsequently graduated from
the medical school of Gottengen. He
spent weeks and even months at the
time under the personal observation of
distinguished scientists, and his case
was particularly studied by Virchoy,
the celebrated German pathologist
| Two distinct beats of the heart could
always be felt and distinctly seen, one
| at the apex and one at the base. OF
course the apex beat was well under
stood by everybody, but volumes of
! learned papers have been written con-
corning the cause of the beat at the
base, some contending that it was
caused by the right auricle, some hold
| ing that it was the work of the right
ventricle, while a third party in CON
troversy We're just as sure that the
beats were produced in the aorta. The
work of about five minutes yesterday
settled the question for all time 1t
was proved that the beat was produced
by the contraction of the ri ght ventricle.
Prof. Dalton, who had DR.. Groux
under observation years ago, was con-
WINGED that the subject had the power
so to arrest the action OF his heart as
to make it impossible to feel any pull
sation at the wrist, but was of opinion
that instead of the hearts action being
indeed stopped, the flow of blood
through the subclavian arteries was ar
rested by the pressure of the lungs
upon them, since whenever DR.. Groux
tried the experiment he first took a
deep, full inspiration, and then held
his breath for many seconds. But in
later years it was ascertained, by the
aid of the stethescope, that the action
of the heart was for the moment entire
| ly stopped, so that no sound whatever
could be heard. The experiment was
repeated a great number of times. As
soon as the observer signified by nod
that the heart was motiOnless, DR.. GrouX
would instantly eXhale his breath,
whereupOn the heart would resume its
action.
1t is said that there was a Captain in
the British army many years ago that
possessed the same power. 1t is also
said that he dropped dead during one
of his experiments, having stopped his
heart too long. Another case is re-
ported of man who was convicted of
murder in Switzerland. AS soon as
the sentence of death had been passed.
seeing there was no possible hope for
him, he quietly gathered his cloak
about him and fell dead. 1t was after
ward found out from his friends that
during life he had pretended that he
could stop the beating of his heart at
will.
DR.. Groux, besides possessing this re-
markable power, had the curious de-
formity in the anterior wall of the chest
which made the action of his heart
comparatively easy to be observed. In
place of the wide, flat breast bone,
which the ancients likened to broad
sword, his sternum was shaped some
what like V or, perhaps better, like a
Y. 1t was divided or "fssured" all
the way down to where the fifth rib
was attached, leaving a space between
covered only by integument, and so
large that the little finger side of the
hand could be pressed deeply into it.
The right auricle and large part of
the right ventricle were included in this
space, and it was crossed above by the
aorta.
DIR. GrouX was short and stout and
had a strong constitution. He was an
excellent physician and remarkable
linguist, speaking more or less fluently
all the modern European languages.
He was always student, and had stud
led his profession at scores of colleges