The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1883-11-23

short time q hard, clear concrete,
resembling flint, or rather trans
parent quartiz, yielding sparka on
being struck against steel.
THE CAUSE OF TUE rRTRlFAorIoN.
The pathology In the case, while
1t is very striking, is very plain, al
though differ with my confrers in
regard 10 the hual or ultimate
cause. II is we'll known ss a geo
logical fact that petrifsctions are
due 10 the innltration OF siliceous
earth or lime into tho interstitial
spaces OF tho subsistence undergoing
tho process. 1t ia well known also,
as q physiological fact, that various
substances, usually medicinal
agents, when taken into the stom.
ach arc rapidly conveyed to every
portion OF the human body, In some
Instances in the space Of two min.
utes. In this instances tho flint or
quartz (calcareous earth) was held
in solution and being swallowed
was rapidly conveyed everywhere
throughout the body, filling the in.
terstitial spaces, aud the necessary
result was almost instantaneous
petrifactlon, solidifying the tissues
and ending in death, the process
being that Of inllltratlon.
This IS the geological view, and
while it is in the main correct, ii
wholly fails TO explain why 80
small an amount OF tho solution
should petrify so largo body and
should do so in such u brief time.
do not believe that OH the by
pothesis OF iniltration alone petri.
faction would take place so rapidly.
There is no doubt OF the absorption
Of the dissolved silica and of its
rapid conveyance to every part of
tho body, but that the petrifaction
is owing TO the infiltration l cannot
admit. II must be explained upon
DIFFERENT HYPOTHESIS.
1t IL we'll known BY psychologists
that those protile 0OmpOunds--
alhmen, fribrip oasein and gluten
arc to pr0ximate or orgapic ele,
ments, along with some other ulti.
mate or inorganic elements, which
constitute the oomponents of the
human body. Tho protinc com.
pounds are formed by carbon, hy,
drogen, nitrogen, aud oxygen IN
definite proportions, according tc
my distinguished countryman Prof
Kolllker thus: Q 40 Ii 81 lN5O12
each having a different amount Of
phosphorus and sulphur; this com
bination forming so many NAL
) ecules.
Now SILICA is compound OF OK
ygon aud siiieR. In q very small
amount OF SILICA the number of at
oms of silicon is immense. The
very moment the SILICA enters the
circulation andis disturbed through.
out the capillaries it parts with Its
oxygen, and each atom OF silicon
being set free, combines with q pro
teine molecule. These protinC
molecules which form respectively
the albumen, the fribriu, the casein,
and the gluten, at once these or
ganic elements into what might bt
termed petrlfaotive elements, des
troying, as it werc, the vital germs
and substituting inorganic pro
tenacious principles. submit
this as the most philosophical
rationale.
TO ALL 1NoUIRERs.
ln conclusion l would say that
have invariably answered all col
respondents who have sought III
formation from me in regard to thi
case who have written in a candi
manner searching after truth an
who did not seem to write out {
mere idle curiosity. One CORES
pondent went so tar as to as
whether the body could be obtaine
. for exhibition, Offering q large SUI
/ Of money. Such unfeeling wretche
!. are not worthy of being replied t
0 ! will add that ] may be still a,
7 dressed ut Marksville, La, but til;
) after the LIST of March ! shall
= for the greatest part Of next year Q
0 Parchim, in the province OF MeCl
Q lenburg Schwerin.
l s. GHYwR JoRsCHK, M. d.
1 p. S,-That this ease is not a
i together anomalous / will cite
| passage from DIR. Austin Flint's I,
q cent "Treatise upon the Practie
Q Of Medicine" page 81:
|, A change in composition, due
!. the deposit of earthly salts, In moi
q or less abundance, constitute
]. what is called cdlcdrous degener
n t,on, calciicstion of cretefactiol
4 AS just stated, this is apt to supe
0 vene upon tho atheromatous d
posits in the large arteries on
within the heart, leading in IL
latter situation to various deform
o tons of the valves. The term o
y sifcation is in general incorrect
o applied to this change. yircho
J. prefers the name petrifaotioa.
It The italics are the authors ow
Q Further down on the Same page
!, odds:
n I hare met With q case of 0
pleuritis 10 which tho plcura b,
p become hardened by calcarcous
lt posit to such an extent that it "
N removed entire, with several qual
. pf liquid rempyed it did not Q
of lapse, but retained the form of
10 solid box.
80