Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-10-03
rst lumbar vertebra WAS verymuch comm
SEVERAL DEEP FIssURES

above The cancerated tissue OF the body OF the
first lumbar vertebra was rymuch comminuted.
SEVERAL DEEP FIssUREs
Extended from the track OF the bullet into the lower
part of the body of the twelfth vertebra- others
extended through the first lumbar yertebra into the
interyertefral cartilage, between it and the second
lumbar yertebra. Both this cartilage and the next
above were partly destroyed by liberation. A num-
her of minute fragments from the fractured lumbar
yertebra had been driven into adjacent soft parts
and it further found that the right twelfth nib
also was fractured at point an inch and quarter
to the right OF tbs transverse process OF the twelfth
dorsaI yertebra. This injury had not been recog
nized during life. On saving through the verte-
bTse tile to the right Of the median line, it vas
found that the spinal column was not involved by
the track Of the bullet. The spinal cord and
other contents OF this PORTION Of the spinal canal
presented no abnormal Appearances. The rest OF
the spinal cord was not examined. Beyond the first
lumbar yertebra the bullet continued to go TO the
left passing behind the pancreas to the point where
1t was found. Here it was enveloped in firm cyst
OF connective tissue, which contained, b6sIdes the
ball, minute quantity OF inspissated somewhat
CHEEKY pus which formed thin layer over portion
OF the surface CT the lead. There was also black
coating adhering to part OF the cyst wall, when
proved, on microscopic examination, to be the
remains OF a blood clot. For about an inch from
this cyst the track of the ball behind the pancreas
completely oblterated by the healing process
Thence, rs far backward as the boey Of he first
lumbar yertebra the track was
FILLED WITH CALCULATED BLOOD,
Which extended on the left into the space rent in
adjoining adipsse tissue, behind the peritoneum
and above the panereas Blood hadiworked its wayto
the let, burrowing finally through the peritonerm
behind the spleen into the abdominal cavity.
Rending of the tissues by extrsyasation OF this
blood was undoubtedly the cause OF tho psroxysms
Of pain short time before death. This mass OF
II ~ ar~safur fKrEl
nearly as large as mans hand, and
could be distinctly seen in front through
the peritoneum after its site behind the greater
curvature OF the stomach had been exposed py
dissection of greater omentum from the stomach,
and especially after delicate adhesions between
the stomach and part OF the peritoneum covering
the blood-mas had been broken down by the fDg7rs.
From the relations OF this mass. as thus seen, II
was developed that hemcrrhage had proceeded from
one OF the uesenteric arteries but as it was clear
that minute dissection would be required to de-
terrnine the particular branch involved, it was
agreed that the infiitrated tissue and adjoining
soft PARTS should be preserved for subsequent
study. On examination and dissection made IN &C
cordance with this agreement 1t was found that the
fatal henorrhage proceeded from rent nearly lour-
tenths OF an inch long, in the main trunk of the
splenic artery, two inches and half to the left OF
the coelac axis. The rent mnst have occurred at
least several days before death, since the eyerted
edges in the slit in the vessel united by firm
adhesions to the surrounding connective Tissue, thus
forming
AN ALMOST CONTINUOUS WALL
Bounding the adjoining portion of the blood-clot.
Moreover the peripheral portion of the clo in this
vicinity was disposed of in pretty finn concentric
layers 1t was further found, that the cyst below
the lower margin OF the pancreas in which the bull
let was found. was situated three inches and half
to the left OF the celisc axis. Besides the mass
OF caagulated blood just described, another,
about the size of a walnut, was found in
the greater omentum, near the splenic ex-
trenlity of the stomach. The communication,
if any, between this and the larger hemorrhasic
mass, could not be made or Examination OF the
thoracie viscera resulted IS follows : The heart
weighed eleven ounces all the cavities were en-
tlfely empty except the right ventrice, in which
few shreds OF soft reddish coagusted blood adhered
to the internal surface On the surface OF the mtral
valve there were several spots of fatty degeneration
With this exception the cardiac valves we're normal
The muscular tissue of the heart soft aud easily
torn. few spots OF fatty degeneration existed In
the lining membrane Of the aortaS just above the
sc milunar valves, and q slender clot OF fbrin was
found in the aorta where it was divided about two
inches from these valves for the removal of the
heart.
THE LUNGS.
On the right side, slight pleuretic alhesions ex-
listed between the surface of the lower lobe
of the lung and the costal pleura, aud firm adhe-
sions between the interior edge of the lower lobe
lut iu1S hSiehcu Unity
two ounces The posterior part of the fssure be-
tween its upper and lower ZONES was congenitaly
incomplete. The lower lobe of the right lung was
hypostatically corgested, and considerable portions
Especially towards its base) were the seat OF
bronchO- pneumonia The bronchial tubes contained
a considerable quantity OF stringy muco-pus their
mucous surface Redeemed bycatarrhal bronchitis
The lung tissue oeaematous. "a foot note here
says, part at least OF this condition was doubt
less due to extravasation of the injection fluid used
By the embalmer, but contained no abscess in
farctions.) On the left side the lower lobe of the
lung was bound behind to the cestal pleura, and
above to the upper lobe, and below to the dia.
phragm, by pretty firm pleuritic adhesions. The
left lung weighed twenty-seyen ounces. Tie con-
dition of the bronchial tubes and of lung tissue
was very nearly the same as on the right side the
chief difference being, that the area of broncho-
pneumonia in the lower lobe was much less extern
sve in the left lung, ard about an itch from its
pleural surface there was group of four minute
areas of gray Repatriation, each about one-eighth
of an inch in diameter. There were no infarctions,
and no assesses in any part of the lung tissues
The surgeons assisting at the autopsy were unani-
mously of the opinion that on
REVIEWING THE HISTORY OF THE CASE,
In connection with the autopsy, it WAS quite evil
dent that the suppurating surfaces, and especially
the fractured spongy tissue of the vertebra, fur
nish sufficient explanation OF the septic condition
which existed during life. About an hour after
the post norton examination was completed the
physicians named at the commene cement OF this re-
port assembled for further consultation in ad-
joining cottage. brief outline of the results OF
the post mortem examination drawn up and
signed by all the physicians and handed to Private
Secretary J. Stanley Brown, who was requested to
furnish copi s to the newspaper press. Signed by
Bliss, Barnes, Woodward, Reyburn and Lamb
As the above report contains paragraphs detail
ing observations made at Washington on pathology
ical specimens preserved for that purpose, the
names of IRIS T. H. Hamilton, D. Hayes Aguew and
A. II. Smith are not appended TO it. 1t has, how.
ever, been submitted to them, and they have given
their assent to other portions of the report.