The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1900-12-25
ONE SURE SIGN OF DKArH.
Fky-.siss who say. ~ hss rsiss y
IL Mere Than . Theusand
Cases.

tign OF death has troubled mankind
from ancient times. II has been most
variously answered. but never 70 entire
satisfAction. The difficulties We meet
with. says DIR. Theodore Deckee, in the
Utica Press, are; First, that not al or
ganI Of the body die In one moment;
aud second, that the action OF some OF
The utal organs may be 50 diminished
that by ordinary means II appears al
most impossible 20 decide whether the
ufe IN them is In fact extinot.or not.
The actual causes Of physiological
death are three: First, cessation OF
brain function; second, cessation OF
respiration or failure OF the lungs
third, failure Of the heart
The first involving immediate death
Of the central or animal nervous sys-
tenn only, Is not at once fol,owedb by the
Inactivity OF the peripheral nervous sys-
tenn and its special, so-called, vegeta-
tive centers, as long ago was demon
strsted by Brown-sequard, Schiff ana
others. So the lungs may continue to
contract and expand, the heart may
tontiuue to beat, even with greatly di-
minished power. We know further that
the life OF the skin is not extinct; hair
and nails continue TO grow; the stem
ach continues to digest the liver to
secrete bile, etc. Respecting the second
cause OF death, we well know that rs@pi-
ration may cease for quite awhile if
the brain is not affected and the cir
culation not interrupted. And of the
third cause, By heart failure, the same
may 5e said So we see that we may
speak OF true absolute physiological
death only after the cessation of func-
tion of the three organs together, or
at least Of two of them, the lungs and
the heart. without the life action OF
which the brain certainly cannot oper'
ate.
Now, as regards respiration, we have
very simple means to demonstrate its
cessation. So remains, in fact, as the
only one to show its true death, the
heart. This to prove indeed with abb
solute certainty is quite difficult prob
lem Upon the absence, therefore, OF
any and all traces of circulation in the
body have been concentrated most ex-
periments. And as regards the same
we have to take into consideration that,
by disease, the heart beats might be
diminished to but so few faint pulsa-
tions per minute, might become so i'm
perceptible, that without the aid OF spe-
cial instruments and long-continued
observations nothing OF their existence
may be detected.
In the following I shall give the sim
pie means by which any person easily
enough may convince himself of the abb
sende or presence even of the slightest
traces of circulation.
If we ligate tight member OF the
body, best, foy example, a finger be-
tween the first and second joint, in the
living we will soon notice beginning al
most at once a reddish coloration of the
portion above the ligature. It becomes
darker and darker red, and finally as
sumes dark blush red color. The en-
tire upper portion will be thus affected,
and only directly around the ligature
there will be small, colorless white
ring. Now, as sure as this discolora.
ton will be observed in the living be-
ing, as sure will all traces of it be alb
sent in the dead. The blush discolora-
tion occasionally observed of and
around the finger nails in some corpsea
is of no influence upon, nor does it in
terfere in the slightest with the phe'
nomenon and its correct interpreta'
tion.
The phenomenon, of course, is easily
enough explained in the living by the
stagnation of the blood in the veins and
capillaries when new supply through
the arteries and the back flow through
the veins is cut off by the ligature. The
white ring around the latter is pro
duced by the partial arterial, partia
venous anaemia
In place of finger, If, as it at times
may happen, the skin becomes too thicl
and horny to show the phenomenon
plainly-thOugh this will but seldom
occnr-one may use the toes, the ear
laps, even the tip of the nose, if desired
The member must be only thin enough
In order to make the ligature as tigh
and perfect as possible.
I have used this means in about l,0S
20 1,O4O cases previous to post-morten
examinations.
in one case only observed the men
toned discoloration, though 1t was i'm
possible to notice any heart action b,
any means. l at once resorted TO vine
section, and, sure enough, the bloc
flowed, and after a short time fain
heartbeats up TO seven minute coul
be distinguished. Everything wa