The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-11-24
BR,ANCH'S INJURY,
..CONTRE-COUP'
Blows to Skull On One Side
Forced Brains Again st Walls,
Causing Compression.
tBy Associated Press.

49, (I3y Associated HPreas.) sf5ss ss5.t4i ~
sl ANN POIIS, MD, Move N Ger 23.-Ihe
prosecution used Its heavy artiilely III
Sthe line OF med cal testimony during to-.
3Ht1av,s session OF tho ccurt-murtial, which
A IL is i rylnE Midshpman Msrwelhera Tor
ia n 81 aug hter IN connection with death OF
Midshipman Branch. importa mt Witness
,$ess a1sinE DR.. a. NJ. r. FinneS, chief sur.
peor. OF the Johns Hopkins University
Of Baltimore DR. Henry Al. Thomas.
neurologist, of the same institution ana
a. Byrnes, the chief OF the medica
;nff,ca attached to the Naval Academy.
The operation upon Mtdsnipnan
Branch. consisting of lifting and folding
over a portion Of the skull In order TO
" remove such blood clots as might be
formed, was performed by Dr. finneS
& and Or. Thomas, the specialist IN that
4 line, came to Annapolis at Or. IlnneS
& request in order to locate from the synp-
toms tho proper place for the operation.
Slor. Byrnes was called in consultation
with Dr. Stone shortly afr Branch mad
been brought to the hospital.
Medical Viewpoints.
Z Much evidence of q deeply interesting,
y though sometimes technical, character
@swas given by the medical men. One
point of interest brought out in e&piana-
ton of the fact that the skull was open
ed on the right side, although the paraly-
f sis appeared on the left side OF the body,
was that the nerves control one side OF
Tia body across from the opposite side
Of the BRAIN while the nerves ccntrol.ing
" the facial muscles do not. 1T was fur
Their brought out that the injury, though
on the right SIDE was occasioned by
the successive fist blows on the left SIDE
Of the head. The injury was or the ma
ture medically known as "contre coup,
The blows to the skull on one side OF the
head having the effect OF forcing the
brains against the walls OF the skull and
causing compression In that way.
5a: All the medical officers gave 1t as their
very positive conviction that Branch dled
from tho effect Of the blows he had re-
ce!red in his fight with MeriWether. the
cross commandments fer the purpose OF
proving that deatll.nrigft have been due
TO I organic weakness in Branch or to
tho unskilled treatment he received from
his friends after the fight and tho delay
sin giving him into the care OF the ply
eicians. Stress was laid on the fact that
no autopsy was held, and the admission
was elected that more certain opinion
AS TO the immediate cause OF the death
could be given ii tho autopsy had been
4 held
However, the physicians testified most
positively that 1t was their professional
opinion that the blows, and morning.
else. had contributed to his DEATH 4ne
medical witnesses also beAttled any pos
sble effect of the treatment Branch re-
ceiyed after the fight. and gave II as
their opinion that no treatment could
have saved his life, The absence Of an
autopsy was explained by Surgeon
Byrnes, who stated that Branch's father
refused his permission.
The witnesses called during the morn
Ing session were Surgeon u. +, Stone, Of
Z the Naval Academy STAFF Lieutenant
Commander II. j, ZieEemier and Hospital
Steward John i. Mahnake, Zegemiei
was called to prove that the articles
for the government of the navy which
ccntain the prohibitions against lighting,
We're read 10 all midshipmen during The
summer cruise, during which the witness
commanded the Hartford, on which Meri-
swethel WAS stationed.
Hospital Steward Mahnako tod of being
4 summoned to Bancroft Hall seeins
Branch and recognizing his serious corr
dition This he reported TO DR. Stone
and was ordered to bring Branch to tht