Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-08-07
POST MoRrEM EXAMINATION.
Condition of Kemmler's Organs After the
Execution.

AUBURN, n. Y, August 6.-Dr Shrady
this evening gave out the following as the
result of the autopsy: The body was fairly
nOurished; rigor mOrtis was marked par
tcularly in the muscles of the Jaw, neck
and throat, and gradually extending from
above downwards, inclOsing the feet last
The most mortem hyperstasis was marked
over the lower portion of the body and ex-
tending up as far as the anterior aXillary
line, also on the pendant surface of the upper
and lower eXtremities Theupper eXtremi-
ties are partly fieXed and rotated upwards,
the nails showing post mOrtem lividity
There was oval depression Of the scalp upon
the vertex, beginning at the anterior hair
line and measuring four inches in its long.
and three and half inches in
skin over the sternum the blood which
escaped was unusually dark and fluid, and
remained so on exposure TO the air or on
irritation. The diaphragm extended from
the fifth intercOstal on the left and the
fourth on the right The blood from the
cut surface Of the liver was of crimson
like color. Abdominal organs were normal
in position and appearance. The muscles
of the thOraX were of the usual color Tar
deu spots were noticed on the posterior
border Of the lower lobe of the left lung
Over half of the lung iiOated when placed
in water, showing marked emphysmalous
condition. The bronchi were normal in
appearance, aud contained mucous and air
bubbles. The right lung was adherent
through to the diaphragm. In the middle
lobe of this lung there were numerous well
marked tardieu spots. The spleen was
normal in size and appearance. The left
kidney weighed 3 ounces, and the right
kidney ouuces. and both were intensely
congested. The heart weighed so ounces,
and the valves were healthy. Bladder
contracted The scalp on being removed
showed the verteX of
THE SKULL TO BE DESICATED
corresponding with the contact Of cleo
trode, ms previously noted, but of larger
area, being four inches by four inches, the
zone Of the scalp being only % by inches,
the long diameter being neutrality-suspicious..
On removal of the skull cap the dura was
normal in texture, somewhat dull in
color. particularly over the area CORES
ponding with the zone of the contact
In the pre-rolandic region the meningeal
vessels measuring along convex intero-
pOsteriOrity of four inches on the left side
and three on the right were filled with
carbonized blood. On the internal aspect
of the calvarum, the meningeal vessels in
the dura, the contents and coats appeared
10 be black and carbonzed The carbon
lied vessels We're so brittle that their
ends were torn of with the calvarum
and presented broken, GRUMPY
appearance. This carbOnizatOn was
limited in an abrupt manner. The other
meningeal vessels contained blood of a
crimson like hue corresponding to the outer
burn previously described. The pia and
gyri themselves were of pale buff color,
the rest had the ordinary rosy injection of
the ordinary cOrteX. While observing this
anemic area il was noticed that its blood
vessel began TO fill The pia and
arachnOid on the cOnveXity were normal.
An interesting fact was observed in
handling the pous and medulla, in that
they were found to be warm. BY a ther-
mometer inserted in the fourth ventricle,
the temperature was noted as % +. This
corresponds with an area of tempera-
ture on the back of the neck which was no
ted as 90 degrees Fahrenheit two hour after
death and 97i5 degrees Fahrenheit three
hours after. The brain cortex in the area
of contact was senSibly hardened TO one
sixth of its depth, whore there was brok-
en- line Of vascularity. The vessels over
the corpus streatum showed en-
largements in different parts of
their ramiications. The pous was slightly
sOftened The burned integrement of the
back on being removed, showed the spinal
muscles underneath TO be cooked, like
"overdone beef throughout their entire
| thickness. The blood taken Immediately
after death, showed under the microscope
a granular condition almost suggesting an
electholitic dissolution of the red corpus
| cles