The Portland daily press., 1899-12-13
POST.MORTEM PTOMAINES.
The Form of Poisoning Most Dreaded
by Physicians--Enect Upon the Vic-
tim.
IN. Y. SUM-

IN. Y. SUM-
Some time ago newly elected Coroner,
who had had little opportunity to famil-
isrize himself with the various and often
curious phases Of his office, was called
upon to act In the case Of the death OF q
friend who had died under peculiar cir
oumstanoes. 1t happened that the Coro-
ners' Physician for his district was inos-
pacitated by illness, SO, being personally
interested, he sent word to one OF the
othsr ply ysicians connected with the Cor
oner's office, asking him to come as sooa
as possible. An hour later the doctor ap-
pe.red, and asked what was wanted OF
him.
"I want you to perform an autopsy,
DOCTOR" said ths Coroner
81 was afraii 1t was that when got
your message" was ths reply. IL can't
do 1t today"
"Can't do itY' said the Coronsr, In
surprise. "What's the matterf
"I've cut my hand" was the reply.
"That's queer reaso L." observed the
iusx psrience1 Coroner. "Lets $50 the
OUT
The ply sician removed his glove and
showed scratch. barely visible to the
naked eye, on this inside Of one II his
fingers.
'sDo you call tnat cuta" cried the cor
oner, wrathful BY the Delief that the
doctor was trying to shirk. "1hat
wouldn't inoapacltate aea."
"But 1t would be as much as my life Is
worth to perform an autopsy while 1t 10
there" replied the doctor.
eth be as muoh az youv job Is worth
not toll" roare the Coroner, whereupon
the other quietly departed.
In the course of time anotner physi-
cian came, and the autopsy was per-
formed. The case amounted to nothing.
as the cause of death prove to be apo-
plexy; but the Coroner went down town
on the following da y to have the pbysl
clans cfficial head cut of. when he had
stated the case to his fellow-oorcners,
they promptly told him. to his vast sur
prise and wrath, that he was all wrong
and the dr. ctor was all right, and they
poisoning that added materially to bis
stock OF wisdom. The physician did not
lose his job. but got an apology from the
inexperienced coroner.
1t Is not generally known that dead
body ID simply q mass OF virulentiy pois-
onous matter almost Immediately after
death, and long before apparent dsoom-
position sets In. Every medich man
knows this from his medical college days,
for 1t 10 one of the tock warnings TO
medical students, and one which they not
infrequently disregard. Occasionally one
pays the price Of his carelsssness with his
life. There Is probably no long -estah-
= lishsd disseoting room In the country
that hasn't in Its records at least one
such death. Sometimes the victim Of the
poison recovers, as in the case Of DIR.
Hamilton Williams, ons OF the coroners'
physicisps, who 10 now in Kentucky con-
va1esoing from the effects of blood poison
ing contracted while performing an au-
topsy about six weeks ago. After the
autopsy he noticed that he had slight
abrasion of the skin on his left hand. He
used the sDtiseptic wash at once, which
probably diminished the effects OF the
toxine, but the poison had entered his
system, and three days later he was
serious condition.; then the poison seemed
to settle in hts legs, and altar an opera
tion was performed on both legs he began
to mend, and was soon able to travel; but
1t may be q long time before he Is fully
recovered.
Poisoning Of this Kind Is from
ptomaines which are present within a
very brief period after life leaves the
body. Skin taken from q dying psrson
halt an hour before death can be grated
on patient and will grow and form
health tissue. Skin from the same person
half an hour after death might very like
ly kill the patient upon whom IL was
grated. There IL no form of blood polls
oniug considered hy ply s!cians TO be more
dangerous than poisoning by post-mor-
tenn ptomaines.
The smallss, prick or scratch will ad-
init auouch of the dead tiaGue to Causa
death. Often the wound 10 50 minute
that 1t is not noticed by the victim at
the time. He goes about bis bust ness as
usual for two or three days. Then he has
O sudden chill followed ty fever. If he
has any suspicion Of the truth he ex-
them he finds red lines indicating the
Emphatic veins; the unmistakable
symptom and Usually the signature OF his
death warrant. All that remains for him
to do 10 to send for the brother physician
In whom no has the most confidence. and
hope that his constitution ia strong
enough to Withstand the action OF the
ptomatnes. II the septic action Is very
virulent the arm and shoulders swell,
high fever with q temperature reaching
passes to the body which becomes discoi-
ored. the red traoings Of the ptomaines
make q network over the skin, and q
week or ten Gays after the venom has
entered the little, unnotsd scratch, the
patient falls iuto state Of coma from
which he never emerses.
A physician who has had many years OF
experience In medical colleges and the
dissscting room, In speaking TO Sun re-
porter Of post-mortsms, said:
"I have never failed. 80 far as can re-
member, to warn students about using
knives and needles, lest they scratch their