Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-11-24
THE TESTIMONY
In Court Martial Of Mid
shipman Meriwether
At Annapolis, Shows That Young
Branch Came to Death
As Result Of Repeated Blows on Head
During the Prize Fight.


line of medical testimony during to-
days session of the court martial which
| is trying MidShipman Meriwether for
| nanslaughter in connection with the
death of Midshipman Branch, import
| ant witnesses being Dr. J. M. II. Fin
ney, chief surgeon of the Johns Hop
kins University of Baltimore; DR.. Hem
~ M. Thomas, neurologist of the same
institution, and J. c. Byrne. the chief
medical officer attached to the Naval
Academy.
The operation upon Midshipman
Branch, consisting of lifting and fold
Ing over a portion of the skull in order
to relieve such blood clots as might be
formed, was performed by DR.. Finney
and DR.. Thomas, the specialist in that
line, who came to Annapolis at DR.. Fin
ney's request in order to locate from
the symptoms the proper place for the
| operation. DR.. Byrne was called in
consultation with DR.. Stone shortly af-
ter Branch had been brought to the
hospital.
Much evidence of a deeply interest
| ing, though technical, character was
| given by the medical men. The injury
| was of the nature medically known as
|
on one side of the head having the eff
feet of forcing the brain against the
walls of the skull on the other side and
| causing the compression in that way.
| All the medical officers gave it as
| their very positive conviction that
Branch died from the effect of the
blows he had received in his fight with
| Meriwether. The cross-eXamination
l ,S hat t1,n
| death might have been due to organ
| ic weakness in Branch or to unskilled
| treatment he received from his friends
| after the fight and the delay in giving
| him into the care of the physicians.
Stress was laid upon the fact that no
autopsy was held and the admissions
| elected that more certain opinion as
| to the cause of death if the autopsy
had been held. However, the physicians
| testified most positively that it was
their professionally opinion that the
| blows and nothing else had contributed
to his death. The medical witness also
| denied any possible effect of the treat
| ment Branch received after the fight
| and gave it as their opinion that no
| treatment could have saved his life.
The absence of an autopsy was OK
planned by Surgeon Byrnes, who stated
that Branch's father refused his per-
mission.
The principal witness called was
Surgeon +. p. Stone. of the Naval Acad-
| envy staff who was the first medical Of
| ficer to see Branch after he had receiv-
| ed his injuries and who had much con-
| nectiCn with the case from that point
| to his oath. gave detailed account OF
| Branch's system, his treatment and the
| charges leading up to his death. Death.
| he said. was primarily due to cedema
Of the vessels of the brain, though this
was not disclosed by the operation and
no autopsy was performed as Branch's
| parents would not consent to one.
The cross-examination of DIR. stone
by Lieutenant Commander Robinson.
counsel for the defense, was searching
and several members of the court also
| asked questions on DR.. Stones test-
| mony.
| A large part of the time of the SOS
| sion, this morning. was taken up in
| reading over and verifying the record
| Of yesterdays proceedings. This is re-
| uuired by the naval regulations.
| DR.. stone said in his testimony that
| Branch came under his care at the hos
| pital ut about half-past eight. Monday
| morning. He was absolutely uncon-
| scious he said, the left side of his head.
| left temple. his forearm. right eye and
| lips were much swollen and discolored
| and both eyes were closed and the left
arm and leg were paralyzed and there
| was a convulsive movement in the
| right arm and leg. There was slight
| fever but the pulse was normal The
| witness said that he realized that
| Rranch's condition was very serious
and called DR.. Byrnes chief surgeon of
the academy. into consultation. Drs.
Finney and Thompson Of Baltimore ar
| rived during the day and with the con-
| sent of Branch's father. an exploratory
| operation was determined upon.
| The right side of the head was open
cd and Immediately there were three
hemorrhages from the brain. The
| membrane of the brain appeared much
| distended and there was a free flow of
| serum when it was divided. There was
also return of pulsations in the YES
sells of the brain. Only a few small
clots of blood were found toward the
vertex of the brain and were washed
ont. Several needle incsions and one
exploratory incision was made into the
brain substance but it was not deemed
wise to further expose the BRAIN
After that operation the paralysis Of
the limbs was somewhat relieved and
the general condition seemed slightly
improved. Branch died at 1905 the fol-
III lowing morning.
From the symptoms and what was
disclosed during the operation DR..
Stone was confider& that the condition
had been brought about by external in
Juries to the head such as might have
been caused by blows of the fist
III On cross-examnation DR.. Stone said
that similar condition of the brain to