The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-08-07
The Kemmler Autopsy.

AUBURN, N. Y, Aug. CDR. Shrady to-
night gave out the following as the result
of the autopsy: The body was fairly well
nourished, the rigor morris was marked
particularly in the muscles of the
jaw, neck and throat, and gradu-
ally extending from above, down
ward, involving the feet and legs of the
body and extending up as far as anterior
aXlllary line. Also on the pendant surface
of the upper and lower eztremities. The
upper extremities are partly fiaccd and
rotated outwards, the nails showing post
mortem levidity. There was an oval de-
preston of the scalp upon the vertex, be-
ginning at the anterior har line and
measuring inches in its lorg and 315 inches
in its shorter diameter. On incislng the
skin over the sternum the blood which es-
capped was unusually dark and fluid
and remained SO in exposure. There
was no hernicular action of the
intestine on exposure to the
air. The diaphragm extended from the
fifth intercostal on the left and fourth on
the right. Blood from out the surface Of
the liver was of a crimson-like color. The
abdominal organs were more normal in po-
sition and appearance. The muscles of the
thorax were of the usual color. Tar
dieu spots were noticed on the posterior
border of the lower lobe of the left lung.
in water, showing marked emphysmalous
condition. The brouchials were normal in
appearance and contained mucous and air
bubbles. The right lung was adj
herent throughout the diaphragm
In the middle lobe of this there
were numerous well marked spots
The spleen was normal in size and appear
ance. The left kinney weighed three and
half ounces and the right kidney three
ounces. Both were intensely congested.
The heart weighed five and three-quarter
ounces. The valves were healthy; the
bladder was contracted. The scalp
on being removed showed the
vortexu of the skull to be in a
| dlssicated condition, corresponding
| with the contact of the electrode as previ-
ously noted, but of larger area, being 4
inches by 4 inches, the zone of the scalp
being only 215 by 3 inches, the long diane
ter being antero- posterior. On removal of
the skull cap the dura was normal in tex
ture, somewhat dull in color, particularly
over the area corresponding with the zone
| of contact. In the pre-rolandic region, the
| meningeal vessels, measuring a long
convexity anterio-posteriorly of 4 inches
on the left side and 3 on the right, were
| filled with carbon. The blood on the in
ternal aspect of the calvarism meningeal,
| the vessels in the dura, the contents and
coats appeared to be black and carbonized.
The carbonized vessels were so brit
tie that their ends were torn
off with calvarinm and presented a
broken, crummy appearance. This car
bonization was limited in an abrupt man
ner. The other meningeal vessels CON
tanned blood Of crimson like.lue of CORES
ponding to the outer burn previously de
scribed. The pia and eyer themselves
were of pale buff color, the rest had the
| ordinary rosy injection of the ordinary
| corte.
While observing tn anaemic area it was
noticed that its blood vessels began to fill.
The pia and arachnoid or convexity were
perfectly normal. Interesting it was to
observe on handling the paus meduma in
that they were found to be warm by Their
mometer inserted in the fourth ventricle
| The temperature was noted at ~ F. This
corresponds with the area of temperature
on the back of the neck, which was noted
as SO f, two hours after death, and 97115 f
| three hours post mortem. The brain cor
tex in the area of contact was sensibly
hardened to one-sixth of its depth where
there was a broken line of vascularity
The vessel over the corpus streatum showed
engagements in different parts of theil
ramitications. The pans was slightly
softened. The burned integument OF
the back on being removed showed
the spinal muscles underneath to bt
cooked, like ''overdone beef" their entire
thickness. The blood taken immediately
after death showed under the microscope ;
markedly granular condition, almost sug
costing an elect-holylic dissolution Of thu
red corpuScleS.