Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-27
SIGNS OF DEATH.
Evidences on Which Physicians Rely to
Determine Absence of Life.

When Carlyle Harris was killed by electrlcit
the other day the physicians present mad'
haste to examine the body as quickly as tn
current was shut of. Their interest in settling
the question as to whether life was extinct o.
not was augmented by the recently published
statement Of distinguished French authority
to the effect that the appearances Of death pro
duced by this mysterious fluid are deceptiv E.
in other words, that the victim retains the vital
spark, though rendered in Q manner torpid
Nevertheless, it was promptly decided by all
the witnesses at hand that the murderer OF
Helen Potts was absolutely and irrecoverably
dead.
So deceptive are many Of the ordinary evi
dences of death that medical science has giveI
to this subject q great deal of attention. L
used to be supposed that people were OTTER
buried alive tn rough accident, and writer's o.
romance have dive It upon this species of horror
with much JUNCTION. During the war Of the
rebellion many soldiers were said to have been
inferred while living who were merely in a
lethargy or stupor arising from loss OF blood,
exhaustion. cold and fear. Bodies have often
been found turned over in collins, as II the
occupants had walked up and tried to get out
In numerous other cases Of a similar sort the
tongue has been discovered protruding from
the mouth, as if from suffocation, and there
have been stains from bleeding on the burial
clothing.
Now, such facts as these were amply sufficient
in former days to convince the most skeptical
that the persons concerned had been Inferred
alive. But it is now known that such phe-
nomena are exhibited by dead bodies under
conditions wholly normal. The turning OF a
corpse in its coffin is brought about by the ex-
pansion Of the gases of putrefaction. The pro-
lection of the tongue from the mouth is an
effect OF the same cause. Bleeding often oc-
ours after death. In fact: such a hemorrhage
is known to have taken place eight days after
the demise OF the individual. In this instance
the bleeding was from wounds inflicted during
life.
The stoppage of the hearts beating is not
regarded as a satisfactory evidence Of death.
In some cases on record that organ has appar-
entity ceased to perform its function for as
much as fifteen minutes. vet the person has
revived. Tidy, the great English authority
speaks OF the instance of a certain Col. Towns
bend. who was seemingly able to die at will
and to come to life again when he chose. On
a number of occasions he had deliberately
suspended his own vital processes for short
time. Finally. he consulted physicians ON the
subject, deeming his ability to do this a sufli-
ciently abnormal symptom to be somewhat
alarming. In the presence Of the doctors he
voluntarily iapsed into a state of torpidity. his
heart stopping and his breathing also, a mirror
held at his mouth showing no dimness.
This case was apparently unique. At the
same time, the peculiar faculty developed by
Col. Townshend-who died that same night for
good and all-bears seeming likeness to the
peculiar power exhibited by certain fakirs of
India. For centuries it has been a familiar
trick for certain of these fakirs who possessed
the accomplishment to permit themselves to be
buried alive for months, coming to life again
after being dug up. That this remarkable feat
is wholly bona fide has been satisfac torily
demonstrated II has been repeatedly per-
formed in the presence OF most skep.ical wit
Desses, under circumstances which preclude all
possibility OF deception. 1t is artificial sus-
pension of vitality, bearing some relation to
the natural liberation Of bats and other
animals.
II the finger of person ii whom the vital
spark still fingers be tightly bound with piece
of string, the end of the finger will soon be-
come red and then blush. But, If the indi-
vIdual be dead. no such effect will be produced
by the application of ligature. II during
life clean and bright needle be thrust into the
muscles OF the body, the steel rapidly rusts on
being Withdrawn. After death no such oxyda-
ton takes place. it is said. However, the GER
tainty OF this latter test is disputed. One of
the most familiar methods of determining alb
sence Of life is that of producing blister by
heat. as with the flame of a candle IL the
skin beneath and around the blister becomes
red. the individual lives; otherwise, he is dead.
One of the most reliable tests of this ques-
ton is made by holding the hand of the sup
posed cadaver between the eye and the light
q,
the hand of living person has a rosy color
between the fingers. This is not the case with
u corpse. Only few days ago woman was
found dead in bed at a hotel in Chicago, with
pistol in her hand and bullet hole in her
temple. man who Is supposed to have left
her few hours previously was accused of
having murdered her, but the corener's Jury
decided that II was a case of suicide So far
as the newspaper reports indicated, the jury
did not pay attention to one most important
IN h .xr,I h.
tightly grasped in the dead woman's hand she
must have committed suicide. 1t is not posi-
BILE for another individual to tighten the re-
Taxed grip of a dead person upon the han die OF
u weapon.
II the person has committed suicide the
weapon will be found rigidly grasped with
fingers stiffened by the rigor norris. But after
death the fingers cannot be made to take grip
firmly This is regarded as q most inpor tan
point from the medico-legal standpoint. 1t
has determined the fate Of an accused prisoner
in many a trial. Army surgeons say that the
expressions on the faces of soldiers killed in
battle reveal the causes OF death. Those who
have persisted from sword wounds have look
of repose, while there is an expression of pain
on the countenances Of those slain by bullets
1t is rather an odd fact that the heart of a dy-
ing man ordinarily continues to beat. for four
or five minutes after breathing has ceased
Owing to the fact that bacteria cannot de-
velop at a temperature above 2I2 degrees or
below thirtv-two degrees, the processes of
putrefaction are arrested beyond these limits
either way. The body of Prince Menschikoff,
favorite Of Peter tae Great, on being ex-
humed after ninety-two years burial in the
frozen soil OF northern Siberia was found to
have undergone hardly any change. Corpses
inferred in hot sand do not decay but become
mummifed There is no other way In which
body can be preserved SO long-leaving
freezing and naturalization out of the 9ues-
tlOn-as oy burial in lead coffin. II the re-