A handy-book of forensic medicine and toxicology / by W. Bathurst Woodman and Charles Meymott Tidy.

Date:
1877
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A handy-book of forensic medicine and toxicology / by W. Bathurst Woodman and Charles Meymott Tidy. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    fat, and abounding in fibrous tissue), exposed to a dry air, and protected from moisture,-are likely to be preserved longest. As regards hair, teeth, shin and bones, there seems scarcely any limit to the time they may be preserved under favourable conditions. We have ourselves examined portions of skin, the history of which was that they belonged to Danes, who had been flayed (probably alive) for piracy, more than 1000 years ago. Analogous facts are presented by specimens from the vegetable kingdom in our museums and horti sicci. Order in which the Signs of Death succeed each other. The rapidity of decomposition in some cases, and the length of time during which it is retarded in others, renders it very unsafe to give any general formula which shall settle the time a body has been dead. Your opinion must be founded upon the condition of all the organs— the mode of death, and the surroundings—including in the latter term the season of the year, the amount of heat and moisture, and the quantity of clothing, depth of grave, <fcc. But Casper’s rules will be found correct in the majority of cases. With slight alteration, these are as follows (loc. cit. vol. i. pp. 15—40) :— I. Signs of death present in bodies dead from ten to twelve hours at longest. 1. Complete cessation of Respiration and Circulation—no evidence of either, even by auscultation. 2. The eye has lost its lustre, the pupil is immovable, and the globe has lost its normal tension. 3. No stimulus has any power of producing reaction. [In previously healthy subjects who have met with a violent or sudden death, Galvanism (interrupted currents or shocks from any electric machine), may, however, produce movements, as in Galvani’s well-known experiments for some hours after death.] _ 4- The body is ashy white, [Except in jaundice, or yellow coloura- tions from poisons, and in persons with very florid complexions. Tattoo- marks, the edges of ulcers, bruises, and wounds inflicted during life, and extravasations, as in Purpura, must be excepted also.] 5. Most bodies are quite cold in from eight to twelve hours (vide antea). 6. There is a state of general relaxation and flaccidity (unless rigor- mortis be present, and sometimes even then), with flattening of 'the nates, calves, &c., when subjected to the pressure of then- own weight, and this is strikingly shown in the globe of the eye. 7. Dependent or posterior portions of the body begin to exhibit a bruise-like condition, known as post-mortem staining, or hypostases internal and external. II. Signs of death present in bodies dead from two to three days. In addition to all, or nearly all the preceding, especially the post-mortem stains, we get 8. Coagulation of the blood (see before), and 9. Iiigor-mortis is either present, or has passed off', p. 18, for rules and exceptions.) (See before,