The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1914-10-28
SIGNALS OF DEATH.
They Give Assurance That Life Is
Really Extinct. y
TESTS THAT WILL NOT FAIL.
Apart From Rigor Mortis. a Positive
Sign Of Death, the Artery Opening
and FIuorescein Tests Provide Bar
Against Premature Burial.

Against Premature Burial.
When the doctor prOuounces the
patient dead. Is &c sure: And. II not.
what tests can remove all doubt? This
question, thougl, not often spoken, is
probably present In he minds of
friends and relations ut every death
bed
As death is the worst Of all disasters
and no mistake could be more awful
than premature burial, 1t Is not merely
Interesting. but important for people
to know what tests are conclusive and
what ure not.
When the breathing stops and no
sound OF heart beat or pulse can be de-
tected there Is little doubt Of death
But the little doubt is i'm itself so dread
full that these common signs are not
enough. IL the body grows slowly
but steadily cool the doubt is lessened,
but by no means removed. Nor is it a
sign of life If after dropping the tenn
perature it suddenly rises again.
The placing of II mirror in front of
the mouth and nostrils is u well known
test. The theory is that even the faint
est breath will dim the mirror. This
test is not only worthless. but likely
TO cause false hopes. Gases generated
In the body very frequently issue from
the mouth and form a., mist upon the
mirror.
Steel needles are sometimes thrust
Into the muscles for u period OF an
hour and then examined If the per-
son is alive the oxygen Of the blood
should rust the needle. If dead should
not. This test in actual practice is
unreliable. and no faith can be placed
In it.
Another cause Of false hopes is the
custom of placing glass Of water
filed to the edge on the breast. The
slightest movement of the lungs will
cause a drop to spill. This. too. Is
valueless. because after death there
nre invariably certain movements of
the muscles known as 'cadaveric
spasms." which are often energetic
enough to spill the water
Probably one of the most infallible
tests is the opening Of an artery. In
life the arteries are full of blood I'M
der pressure. In death the arteries
drain into the veins. This is very
fortunate fact, as it prevents the I'M
dertaker from making any mistake.
The embalming fluid is injected by
opening an artery Should blood flow
he knows that life still persists and is
warned in time.
r..kA -. III. iii
low from the veins proves nothing. as
It often flows MS late as three days
litter death.
The y ray. when it is available. pro-
vides an excellent proof of death. \
photograph of n live being shows the
heart with blurred outline. This is
caused by even the faintest movements
Of the organ. An y ray exposure of
dead person reveals the heart clear
cut and sharp.
There are numbcrless so called tests
Of the eye. its shrinkagc in size. the
dimming and Jogging Of the trans
parent part and other signs. These
signs are not sufficient proof. nor, Is
the test OF flashing bright light in
the eye to see il the pupil contracts.
Even atropine dropped on the eye
ball brings no evidence. II has been
proved that the drug will dilate the
eye some time after death.
Many persons think electricity APP
piled in the form of shocks is test.
Ii is of no avail. as the muscles usually
respond to the current for three hours
or more after DEATH
Proof beyond question is supplied
when the stiffening known as ''rigor
mortis" sets in. Hysteria, catalepsy
and other states often simulate that
stiffness. Rigor mortis begins in one
part OF the body. usually the muscles
Of the throat. and gradually extends
throughout the body while the various
living FORMS of muscle stiffness come
on instantly and belong to all the
muscles.
The SO called "diaphanous' test Is
unreliable. II you hold your hand
close to candle or other bright light
the fingers show certain rosy trans
iucency. the bones appearing rs dim
shadows. After death the fingers
usually become as Opaque as II made
Of marble. But exceptions are ~fre-
quent enough to make the test worth
lees.
A harmless hut very powerful dye
called fluorescein will settle all doubts
very quickly. II n hypodermic syringe
Ii used To infect II little OF this dye
under the skin II has no result on
dead person. But II this be done to
,ne in whom there is the slightest trace
Df circulation there follows mt once an
unmistakabe and startling result. The
entire skin becomes n golden yellow
and the whites of the eyes turn an
emerald green. The effects pass away
soon after the pulse ana breathing
are restored. This and the test OF open
ing an artery are probably the only In
'aliibe death tests.-New York Press.
To Prevent Accidents.