The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1879-02-28

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Thomas, the diaphragm in it's, extra
ordinary exercise, has participated
in development with the abdominal
muscles, and is Under such control,
that during an exaggerated respira,
tory effort, he forces his heart even
beyond the ascertained extent Of de.
preston in ordinary persons which
would place it some six to seven
inches below the ens1form cartilage;
especially as he is aided by the fleX-
ion OF body with which he always ac-
companies the act. This would re-
move the organ beyond the redch of
Immediate ausculations at the nor
NAL point, and make it beat appar.
emily within the abdomen, though
still resting upon the floor of tile pre-
tcrnaturally depressed diaphragm.
i ~ 4
| l''The explanation Of this supposed
dislodgment Of the heart certainly
rests upon the exaggerated play of
lung and diaphragm, and nothing
elsc."
aa., ne,t-a Il
"Apropros, DR.. Michel states that
displacements of the heart, contin-
gent upon mnlformation, Ga condition
we repeat, which he affirms to be
non-e&istent in TGomas's case,5 are
numerous and varied, forming more
than one group in the classification Of
teratologists. In illustration, lie al
ludes to case published a century
since, by Ramel; the case of girl
of ten, whose heart was recognized by
him in the cpigastrum and the par
ticulars Of Which were subsequently,
mentioned by Geoffry St. Hilaire, in
the old Journal dc Medicine, CHR:
at Pharm, vol. xix, page 423. Also
to case recorded by Dechamps Of
an old soldier, with renal disease,
at whose death an autopsy took place
revealing the existence Of q fssure
in the diaphragm, and the position OF
the heart in the left lumbar region.
Also Of the suspension Of heart ac-
tion and Of the head wave in the
blood current which forms the pulse,
there have been some noteworthy
examples. The best known is that OF
the Hon. Col. Townsend, as related
by his physician DR.. George Cheyne,
author Of treatise on nervous dis
lease; but n similar, and perhaps, q
yet more remarkable case, was wit
messed by DR.. Michel. himself.
He tells us that he was invited
years ago, by the Dean of the Medi-
cal College Of Charleston, to meet
the Faculty, iii order to examine q
Mr.. GrouN in whom there was an ar
rest Of development OF the sternun.
"Besides some interesting facts OF the
play of the heart, they witnessed
like experiment upon the suspension
Of his hearts action, and the subsi-
dcncc Of the pulse. When he took a
deep inspiration, and then held his
breath, the pulse grew weaker and
weaker, and finally stopped entirely
while the ear over the prncordial re-
gion could not detect the slightest i'm
pulse or sound.
Thomas performs the same act,
though not SO prolonged in duration
as in the case of Mr.. Gvoux, in whom
the experimct lasted two minutes,
and he does it in precisely the same
way:
En- passant, the Mr.. Groux here
mentioned, was Dr. Engenc A.
Groux, physician of Brooklyn, New
York, who afterwards graduated at
the University of Gottingen. A ma
tive Of Germany, he returned to this
country, and died on the 18th Of last
October at 1926 South Fourth street.
1t may be observed MS a singular CO.
incidence, that he died only few
days before the publication OF the es-
say, In which his name and case are
so conspicuously Brought forward by
DR.. Michel.
In dismssing this instructive and
admirably written treatise (thc rare
merits of which have already been
commended by DaCosta, and equally
distinguished scicntists,) it occurs to
US to say, that the analysis of the
phenomena accompanying this power
re hoo~f aud ,>,,t,o o,,,,>o~,;o,> o.o