Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-07-01
THE AUTOPSY.
The Physicians Very Reticrnt as TO
Their Opinions.

Their Opinions.
Bliss and his son arrived at the Jail at $50,
and Joined the physicians engaged in making
the autopsy. A reporter of the Associated
Press was the only newspaper man admitted
to the chapel where the body was being dis
sected The coffin was placed upon the
bench and the body removed. and, after hav-
ing been stripped, laid upon the table. Scales
and other appliances for examining the differ
ent parts of the body were placed about on
the tables The operations of the three
surgeons engaged in the autopsy. were watch
ed with the greatest interest. After the ex-
animation of the eyes the brain was removed
and inspected. Then the body was cut open
and thorough and complete examination
made. with view to determining all the
physiological facts of interest in connection
wi it'll the case. The brain was founl to he
in a normal condition and weighed ~ ounces.
The heart weighed little over nine ounces
and was in a healthy condition, as were all
the other internal organs. DIR. NJ. c. Will
liams, the first physician to leave the room,
said there was nothing far as he conld see
about the brain that was abnormal. The
general viscera, he said, was in perfect con-
ditiOn. At 3.5J the autopsy adjourned until
evening, when the brain will be taken to the
medical museum where more minute and
critical examination will be made of it, The
physicians are disincined to go into details
in regard to the results thus far reached. Dr.
Gooding, who has maintained that Guiteau
was insane, said when asked the result of
the autopsy, 81 have nothing to say more
Another physician remarked, 1--WE all have
nothing to say"
All the physicians agree that there were
lympha in the brain and hardening of dura
nf
tive opinion until after the examination shall
have been completed. At 40 the autopsy
upon Guiteau's brain was continued at the
Army Medical Museum in the presence of a
number of surgeons and physicians. The
operations were directed by DIR. Lamb. 1t
has beer the intention to begin by taking q
plaster cast of the brain, bnt this was found
impracticable and resort was had to photo
graphy. A number of negatives were taken
OF it from various points of view with more
or less success. The anatomical examina-
ton of the brain was then resumed This
examination, which will include careful
microscopic study of the tissues and struc-
tural characteristics of the organ, certainly
will not be finished before tomorrow after
noon and may occupy several days.
RESULT OF THE AUTOPSY
The autopsy upon the body of Guiteau, as
far as can be learned, tonight, from the sur
eeons present, may be briefly stated as follows:
After surveying the body externally the sur
geons proceeded to open the brain cavity and
thorax and to examine the organs therein
contained. The brain is well formed and
presented no external evidence of disease or
lesion. The lungs and heart were in nor
NAL condition, but there was slight ruffiing
OF aorta in the vicinity of the heart The
mt IL xol e.
supposed, but death resulted from suffocation
and not from dislocation of the spinal verte-
br@. partial examination was made of
the abdominal viscera, but it has not been
completed at the time the autopsy suspended
The spleen was found to be considerably en-
larged in weight, being Is ounces more than
twice that Of a normal spleen. The other
abdominal organs as far as examined pre-
sent no unusual features.