Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-11-26
M.cuLLouGH.s MALADY.

The Cause of the Death of the Eminent
ragedian Scientifically SettIed--Dr. En-
gels Theory Proven to Have Been Cor
rect, and Blood-Poisoning From CIotted
Arteries the Active Agent of Death.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, November 19--An
autopsy on the brain of the late John Nc
Cullough was held yesterday morning in
the receiving vault at Monumental Gene
terry. 1t was conducted by DIR. Hugo
Engel, professor of nervous diseases and
clinical medicine at the Medico-C hirurgi-
cal College, of this city, who attended
the tragedian after his removal to this
city from the Bloomingdale Asylum, as
sisted by Chas. X. Mills, NJ. D., lecturer
on nervous diseases at the University of
Pennsylvania and Professor of the Poly
clinic, and by Frank Woodbury.,
M. D., Professor of Therapeu-
tics at the edio-Chirurgical
College, and editor of the Philadelphia
Medical Times. There were present
number of other physicians and surgeons
connected with the colleges and hospitals
of the city, including J. NJ. Burton, of
Jefferson College; j. H. Lloyd, instructor
in nervous diseases at the University of
Pennsylvania; DIR. +. B. Hardy, of Cali
fornia; N. l.. Hummel, NJ d., editor of
the Medical Bulletin; w. r. d. Black
wood, late of Jefferson College, and
others. John Mccullough, the actors
oldest son, was present as representa-
tive of the family.
The brain was removed, and with
scalpel and scissors DIR. Engel and DR..
Mills made careful examination. On
its coating numerous granulationS were
found and the brain was found to be con-
gested. Beneath this coating was a
whitish gray deposit, which DIR. Engel
declared carried out his theory that the
cause of death was blood poisoning, and
not progressive insanity, as had been as
serted by the Bloomingdale Asylum
physicians. The matter over the
cerebellum was thick and murky, and
the tissues were very adhcrent, it
being almost impossible to separate the
two anterior lobes of the brain. The re-
moval of the pia mater from the anterior
lobe was found extremely difficult, and
the walls of the brain were much harder
than is normal. The right and left mid
die cererbrals and the basilar artery
were taken out and retained for micros-
copical examination. All the main arter-
les were fully onc-half less in caliber
than is normal.
The brain was not half as soft as is
usually found in persons dead as long as
forty eight hours. 1t was unusually large.
and the skull very thick. The skull cap
was symmetrical and the brain was very
highly developed. There were no marks
of what is termed general paresis. At
the conclusion of the examination con-
sultation of the physicians present was
had and the following statement was is
sued from them as official:
disease Of the blood vessels of the brain due
to blood poison, and that the basiar artery
and the middle cerebral arteries were the
ones affected that the pia mater was opaque
over a larger part of the convexity of the
brain and was adherent, especially in the
front parietal region near the brocas con
various places on attempting to strip the
pia mater it was found that small fragments
of coritical fragments came away with the
membrane. Neither tumors nor abscesses
were discovered. The morbid conditions
found fully explained the symptoms evinced
during life.
The autopsy is stated to have fully SUBJ
stantiated DR.. Engel's theory that Nc
Cullough's mind alteration was due to
the disease known as "Thrombusis,'
which is the gathering of a thrombus OF
clot of blood in one of the arteries, thus
blocking the free circulation of the blood
through the brain. DR.. Engel always con-
tended that the formation of one of these
thrombii was the primary cause of the
trouble. He was confident that If he could
carry Mccullough through thirty days
without the formation of a second throm-
bus he could eventually cure him, but at
the end of two weeks the second obstruc-
ton was formed and death ensuel.