Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-07-27
GuITEAU,s BRAIN.
:. p.rort Of Drs. Sewers and HarAxan.

GUITEAU'S BRAIN.
rhe Report OF Drs. Sewers and HsrtSan.
Under the date of July 10 Washington
Associated Press telegram says;
The report of Drs. Sewers and Hartean upon
the Guiteau autopsy is completed- hlne pref
ace to the re port the physicians say.
$50 much contention has grown out or max
,np tb,s autopsy, and recently there has been
80 much controversy made public through the
vress 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 stsryalready
told for them in the newspapers From the re-
port of the autopsy the following ie taken:
BRAIN MEMBRANES
1.-THE dura mater was quite strongly adne-
rent in places to the inner surface or the skuiE
viz: near the trunks of the mhidfe menin-
9eal arteries! also near the longitudinal SINUS
in front, but could be stripped cleanIy from the
bone at all these points of attachmene, as tnere
was no roughening of the skull here or else
where There was no emulation on any part
of the inner surface of the dura mater. Quite
q number of pacchionian granulations was
distributed along the course Of the sinus, ana
the cerebral sinuses contained but ftsie II any
blood. The dura mater. pia mater anu Dram
were adherent to each other on both sides
along limited portion of the longitudinal MS
tons.
ARACHNoID.
"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 opacities were confined to the
upper portion of the sulci in this vicinity ex-
cusively, and were such as are often found
without previous history of disease. The sub
arachoid space contained very little nuid.
The pia mater was easily stripped from all
parts of the brain. The blood vessels or the
membranes and brain were empty. and
the general appearance Of the brain
was ansemic or bloodless. Both of those con-
ditions 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 thesbrain or its membranes
were exposed or examined, and, on 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.
1.-THE brain entire, with portion of the dura
mater attached, weighed forty-nine and half
ounces, about an average weight for sn 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 to say, but certainly it Is safe to assert
it would have been considerable more. The
consistence of the brain was normal. Its spe-
cffic gravity and the measurements of the
chords and arcs could not be obtained, owing
to the lack of facilities. There was no appar-
ent asymmetry of the two hemispheres. 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 ocoipitai lobes
were not noticeably blunt in shape"
Drs. Hartigan and Sewers say in conclusion:
1--WE were not in accord with DR.. Lamb in
the order adopted by him in making the au-
topsy. We did not object at the moment, for
the reason that it had been agreed that he
tLamb) should do the cutting, and, after this
agreement, we did not feel art liberty to inter-
pose an objection at the very instant of begin
ming the work, with number of gentlemen
present to witness the operation. We thought
then, and think now, the brain should first
have been opened and examineds instead of
which the first incision made by Lamb was in
the region of the heart; and when the
tl,oraic 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, and was done
before objection could be interposed- That
the brain had been cut in two pieces and parts
distributed, and this before its examination
under the microscope, is true. 1t was done
without consultation or authority from us,
and furnishes another instance of what has,
been apparent all through this proceeding
viz: the unwarranted assumption Of author-
ity and responsibility by DR.. Lamb
Washington special of the 18th says: ''This
report which is by the majority of the COM
mittee, ought to settle the question as to Gui-
teaus sanity. Drs. Sewers and Hartigan, in
short, find Guiteau's brain in q generally
healthy state.''