anomalies and curiosities of medicine-第130部分

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　really　dead；　was　kept　a　preposterous　length　of　time　before　burial。

The　literature　on　this　subject　is　very　exhaustive；　volumes　having　been　written　on　the　uncertainty　of　the　signs　of　death；　with　hundreds　of　examples　cited　illustrative　of　the　danger　of　premature　interment。　The　foregoing　instances　have　been　given　as　indicative　of　the　general　style　of　narration；　for　further　information　the　reader　is　referred　to　the　plethora　of　material　on　this　subject。

Postmortem　Anomalies。Among　the　older　writers　startling　movements　of　a　corpse　have　given　rise　to　much　discussion；　and　possibly　often　led　to　suspicion　of　premature　burial。　Bartholinus　describes　motion　in　a　cadaver。　Barlow　says　that　movements　were　noticed　after　death　in　the　victims　of　Asiatic　cholera。　The　bodies　were　cold　and　expressions　were　death…like；　but　there　were　movements　simulating　natural　life。　The　most　common　was　flexion　of　the　right　leg；　which　would　also　be　drawn　up　toward　the　body　and　resting　on　the　left　leg。　In　some　cases　the　hand　was　moved；　and　in　one　or　two　instances　a　substance　was　grasped　as　if　by　reflex　action。　Some　observers　have　stated　that　reflex　movements　of　the　face　were　quite　noticeable。　These　movements　continued　sometimes　for　upward　of　an　hour；　occurring　mostly　in　muscular　subjects　who　died　very　suddenly；　and　in　whom　the　muscular　irritability　or　nervous　stimulus　or　both　had　not　become　exhausted　at　the　moment　of　dissolution。　Richardson　doubts　the　existence　of　postmortem　movements　of　respiration。

Snow　is　accredited　with　having　seen　a　girl　in　Soho　who；　dying　of　scarlet　fever；　turned　dark　at　the　moment　of　death；　but　in　a　few　hours　presented　such　a　life…line　appearance　and　color　as　to　almost　denote　the　return　of　life。　The　center　of　the　cheeks　became　colored　in　a　natural　fashion；　and　the　rest　of　the　body　resumed　the　natural　flesh　color。　The　parents　refused　to　believe　that　death　had　ensued。　Richardson　remarks　that　he　had　seen　two　similar　cases；　and　states　that　he　believes　the　change　is　due　to　oxidation　of　the　blood　surcharged　with　carbon　dioxid。　The　moist　tissues　suffuse　carbonized　blood；　and　there　occurs　an　osmotic　interchange　between　the　carbon　dioxid　and　the　oxygen　of　the　air　resulting　in　an　oxygenation　of　the　blood；　and　modification　of　the　color　from　dark　venous　to　arterial　red。

A　peculiar　postmortem　anomaly　is　erection　of　the　penis。　The　Ephemerides　and　Morgagni　discuss　postmortem　erection；　and　Guyon　mentions　that　on　one　occasion　he　saw　14　negroes　hanged；　and　states　that　at　the　moment　of　suspension　erection　of　the　penis　occurred　in　each；　in　nine　of　these　blacks　traces　of　this　erectile　state　were　perceived　an　hour　after　death。

Cadaveric　perspiration　has　been　observed　and　described　by　several　authors；　and　Paullini　has　stated　that　he　has　seen　tears　flow　from　the　eyes　of　a　corpse。

The　retardation　of　putrefaction　of　the　body　after　death　sometimes　presents　interesting　changes。　Petrifaction　or　mummification　of　the　body　are　quite　well　known；　and　not　being　in　the　province　of　this　work；　will　be　referred　to　collateral　books　on　this　subject；　but　sometimes　an　unaccountable　preservation　takes　place。　In　a　tomb　recently　opened　at　Canterbury　Cathedral；　a　for　the　purpose　of　discovering　what　Archbishop's　body　it　contained；　the　corpse　was　of　an　extremely　offensive　and　sickening　odor；　unmistakably　that　of　putrefaction。　The　body　was　that　of　Hubert　Walter；　who　died　in　1204　A。D。；　and　the　decomposition　had　been　retarded；　and　was　actually　still　in　progress；　several　hundred　years　after　burial。

Retardation　of　the　putrefactive　process　has　been　noticed　in　bodies　some　years　under　water。　Konig　of　Hermannstadt　mentions　a　man　who；　forty　years　previous　to　the　time　of　report；　had　fallen　under　the　waters　of　Echoschacht；　and　who　was　found　in　a　complete　state　of　preservation。

Postmortem　Growth　of　Hair　and　Nails。The　hair　and　beard　may　grow　after　death；　and　even　change　color。　Bartholinus　recalls　a　case　of　a　man　who　had　short；　black　hair　and　beard　at　the　time　of　interment；　but　who；　some　time　after　death；　was　found　to　possess　long　and　yellowish　hair。　Aristotle　discusses　postmortem　growth　of　the　hair；　and　Garmanus　cites　an　instance　in　which　the　beard　and　hair　were　cut　several　times　from　the　cadaver。　We　occasionally　see　evidences　of　this　in　the　dissecting…rooms。　Caldwell　mentions　a　body　buried　four　years；　the　hair　from　which　protruded　at　the　points　where　the　joints　of　the　coffin　had　given　away。　The　hair　of　the　head　measured　18　inches；　that　of　the　beard　eight　inches；　and　that　on　the　breast　from　four　to　six　inches。　Rosse　of　Washington　mentions　an　instance　in　which　after　burial　the　hair　turned　from　dark　brown　to　red；　and　also　cites　a　case　in　a　Washington　cemetery　of　a　girl；　twelve　or　thirteen　years　old；　who　when　exhumed　was　found　to　have　a　new　growth　of　hair　all　over　her　body。　The　Ephemerides　contains　an　account　of　hair　suddenly　turning　gray　after　death。

Nails　sometimes　grow　several　inches　after　death；　and　there　is　on　record　the　account　of　an　idiot　who　had　an　idiosyncrasy　for　long　nails；　and　after　death　the　nails　were　found　to　have　grown　to　such　an　extent　that　they　curled　up　under　the　palms　and　soles。

The　untoward　effects　of　the　emotions　on　the　vital　functions　are　quite　well　exemplified　in　medical　literature。　There　is　an　abundance　of　cases　reported　in　which　joy；　fear；　pride；　and　grief　have　produced　a　fatal　issue。　In　history　we　have　the　old　story　of　the　Lacedemonian　woman　who　for　some　time　had　believed　her　son　was　dead；　and　who　from　the　sudden　joy　occasioned　by　seeing　him　alive；　herself　fell　lifeless。　There　is　a　similar　instance　in　Roman　history。　Aristotle；　Pliny；　Livy；　Cicero；　and　others　cite　instances　of　death　from　sudden　or　excessive　joy。　Fouquet　died　of　excessive　joy　on　being　released　from　prison。　A　niece　of　the　celebrated　Leibnitz　immediately　fell　dead　on　seeing　a　casket　of　gold　left　to　her　by　her　deceased　uncle。

Galen　mentions　death　from　joy；　and　in　comment　upon　it　he　says　that　the　emotion　of　joy　is　much　more　dangerous　than　that　of　anger。　In　discussing　this　subject；　Haller　says　that　the　blood　is　probably　sent　with　such　violence　to　the　brain　as　to　cause　apoplexy。　There　is　one　case　on　record　in　which　after　a　death　from　sudden　joy　the　pericardium　was　found　full　of　blood。　The　Ephemerides；　Marcellus　Donatus；　Martini；　and　Struthius　all　mention　death　from　joy。

Death　from　violent　laughter　has　been　recorded；　but　in　this　instance　it　is　very　probable　that　death　was　not　due　to　the　emotion　itself；　but　to　the　extreme　convulsion　and　exertion　used　in　the　laughter。　The　Ephemerides　mentions　a　death　from　laughter；　and　also　describes　the　death　of　a　pregnant　woman　from　violent　mirth。　Roy；　Swinger；　and　Camerarius　have　recorded　instances　of　death　from　laughter。　Strange　as　it　may　seem；　Saint…Foix　says　that　the　Moravian　brothers；　a　sect　of　Anabaptists　having　great　horror　of　bloodshed；　executed　their　condemned　brethren　by　tickling　them　to　death。

Powerfully　depressing　emotions；　which　are　called　by　Kant　〃asthenic；〃　such　as　great　and　sudden　sorrow；　grief；　or　fright；　have　a　pronounced　effect　on　the　vital　functions；　at　times　even　causing　death。　Throughout　literature　and　history　we　have　examples　of　this　anomaly。　In　Shakespeare's　〃Pericles；〃　Thaisa；　the　daughter　to　Simonides　and　wife　of　Pericles；　frightened　when　pregnant　by　a　threatened　shipwreck；　dies　in　premature　childbirth。

In　Scott's　〃Guy　Mannering；〃　Mrs。　Bertram；　on　suddenly　learning　of　the　death　of　her　little　boy；　is　thrown　into　premature　labor；　followed　by　death。　Various　theories　are　advanced　in　explanation　of　this　anomaly。　A　very　plausible　one　is；　that　the　cardiac　palsy　is　caused　by　energetic　and　persistent　excitement　of　the　inhibitory　cardiac　nerves。　Strand　is　accredited　with　saying　that　agony　of　the　mind　produces　rupture　of　the　heart。　It　is　quite　common　to　hear　the　expression；　〃Died　of　a　broken　heart；〃　and；　strange　to　say；　in　some　cases　postmortem　examination　has　proved　the　actual　truth　of　the　saying。　Bartholinus；　Fabricius　Hildanus；　Pliny；　Rhodius；　Schenck；　Marcellus　Donatus；　Riedlin；　and　Garengeot　speak　of　death　from　fright　and　fear；　and　the　Ephemerides　describes　a　death　the　direct　cause　of　which　was　intense　shame。　Deleau；　a　celebrated　doctor　of　Paris；　while　embracing　his　favorite　daughter；　who　was　in　the　last　throes　of　consumption；　was　so　overcome　by　intense　grief　that　he　fell　over　her　corpse　and　died；　and　both　were　buried　together。

The　fear　of　child…birth　has　been　frequently　cited　as　a　cause　of　death　McClintock　quotes　a　case　from　Travers　of　a　young　lady；　happily　married；　who　entertained　a　fear　of　death　in　child…birth；　although　she　had　been　safely　delivered；　she　suddenly　and　without　apparent　cause　died　in　six　hours。　Every　region　of　the　body　was　examined　with　minutest　care　by　an　eminent　physician；　but　no　signs　indicative　of　the　cause　of　death　were　found。　Mordret　cites　a　similar　instance　of　death　from　fear　of　labor。　Morgagni　mentions　a　woman　who　died　from　the　disappointment　of　bearing　a　girl　baby　when　she　was　extremely　desirous　of　a　boy。

The　following　case；　quoted　from　Lauder　Brunton；　shows　the　extent　of　shock　which　may　be　produced　by　fear：　Many　years　ago　a　janitor　of　a　college　had　rendered　himself　obnoxious　to　the　students；　and　they　determined　to　punish　him。　Accordingly　they　prepared　a　block　and　an　axe；　which　they　conveyed　to　a　lonely　place；　and　having　appropriately　dressed　themselves；　some　of　them　prepared　to　act　as　judges；　and　sent　others　of　their　company　to　bring　him　before　them。　He　first　affected　to　treat　the　whole　affair　as　a　joke；　but　was　solemnly　assured　by　the　students　that　they　meant　it　in　real　earnest。　He　was　told　to　prepare　for　immediate　death。　The　trembling　janitor　looked　all　around　in　the　vain　hope　of　seeing　some　indication　that　nothing　was　really　meant；　but　stern　looks　met　him　everywhere。　He　was　blindfolded；　and　made　to　kneel　before　the　block。　The　executioner's　axe　was　raised；　but；　instead　of　the　sharp　edge；　a　wet　towel　was　brought　sharply　down　on　the　back　of　the　neck。　The　bandage　was　now　removed　from　the　culprit's　eyes；　but　to　the　horror　and　astonishment　of　the　students　they　found　that　he　was　dead。　Such　a　case　may　be　due　to　heart…failure　from　fear　or　excitement。

It　is　not　uncommon　that　death　ensues　from　the　shock　alone　following　blows　that　cause　no　visible　injury；　but　administered　to　vital　parts。　This　is　particularly　true　of　bl