The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-07-22
THE GUITEAU AUTOPSY.


Under the date Of July 10 a Washington
Associated Press telegram says:
The report of Drs Sewers and Hartigan upon
The Guiteau autopsy Is completed. In the pref
ace to the r. port the physic ans say:
$50 much contention has grown out of maxi
ing this autopsy. and recently there hts been
so much controversy made public through the
press concerning it, that we are constrained
TO give brief history of the case
Drs. Sewers and Hartigan then tell their
story and it differs little from the story already
told for them I'm the newsp 'pers From the re-
port of the autopsy the follow ng is taken:
BRAIN MEMBRANES
THE dura mater was quite strongly adhe-
rent in places to the inner surface of the skull
viz: near the trunks of the middle menin-
geal arteresl also near the longitudinal sinus
in front, but could be stripped ceanly from the
bone at all these points of attachment, as there
was no roughenng of the skull here or else
where. There was no emulation on any part
of the inner surface of the dura mater Quite
number of pacchion an granulations was
distributed along the course of the sinus, and
the cerebral sinuses contained but little if any
blood. The dura mat n, pia mater and brain
were ndherent to each other ON both sides
along limited portion of the longitudinal fis-
sures adjacent to the pacchiOniun granula-
tons.
There were very well marked milky opaci
ties of the arachnoid, but no apparent thicken-
ing extending over the upper portion of the
convex surface of the hemispheres only. AS
elsewhere the membrane was perfectly nor
nal. These opacties were confined to the
upper portion of the sulci in this vicinity ex-
clusively, and were such ms are often found
without previous history of disease. The sub
arachoid space contained very little fluid.
The mia ms wing Str oil
parts of the brain. The blood vessels of the
membranes and brain were empty, and
the general appearance of the brain
was anemic or bloodess Both of those con-
dtinns can be readily accounted for by the
unfortunate removal of the lungs and heart
and the severing of the large blood vessels by
DIR. Lamb, before the brain its membranes
were exposed or examined, and, this ac-
count, nothing of Importance was attached to.
this condition, as the blood that was in the
brain at the time the autopsy was commenced
had an opportunity at least of making its exit
into the chest cavity. Sufficient examination
was made of the large blood-vessels of the
brain to determine that they were in a healthy
condition.
BRAIN.
"The brain entire, with portion of the dura
mater attached, weighed forty-nine and half
ounces, about an average weight for an adult
male. Just how much more it would have
weighed had it not been drained of its blood,
and had the scales been more delicate, we are
unable t. say, but certainly it is safe to assert
1t would have been considerable more. The
consistence of the brain was normal. Its spe-
cific gravity and the measurements of the
chords and arcs could not be obtained, owing
to the lack of facilities. There was no appnr-
ent asymmetry of the two hem spheres. As
regards contour and shape exact studies were
not made, and the comparative weights of the
different parts were not obtained. The cere-
bellum was well covered. The occipital lobes
were not noticeably blunt in shape"
Drs. Hartlgan and Sewers say in conclusion:
ave were not in accord with DIR. Lamb in
the order adopted by him in making the all-
topsy. We did not object at the moment for
the reason that it had been agreed that he
Lamb should do the cutting, and, after this
agreement, we did not feel at liberty to inter-
pose an objection at the very instant of begin
ming the work, with a number of gentlemen
present to witness the operation. We thought
then, and think now, the brain should first
have been opened and examined: instead of
which the first incision made by Lamb was in
the region Of the heart; and when the
thoraic cavity was laid open we had
no idea it was the intention of the OPP
orator to sever the large vessels which
must necessarily be cut in the removal
of the heart before the examination of
the brain was had The cutting of these yes
sells was the work of an instant, an1 was done
before objection could be ntarposed. That
the brain had been cut in two pieces, and parts
distributed and this before its examination
under the microscope, is true II was done
without consultation or authority from u.s.
and furnishes another instance of what has
been apparent all through this proceeding
viz: the unwarrant d assumption of author
ity and responsibility by DR.. Lamb"
A Washington special of the 18th says: "This
report, which is by the majority of the COM
mittee, ought to settle the question as to Gut
teau's sanity. Drs. Sewers and Hartigan, in
short, find Guiteaus brain in Il generally
healthy state"