Sudden Death-Autopsy.

REPORTED BY JAMES R. SMITH, M. D., SANDERSVILLE, GA,

year

On the night of the 11th of April I was summoned in haste to visit a negro man, the property of General T. J. Warthen. I saw him in less than an hour after his seizure, and found him dead. The deceased was in the 45th of his age, about six feet high, and remarkable for his extraordinary physical development; had always been unusually healthy, and was engaged during the day in getting tan-bark. He had walked more than a mile, after his day's work, in company with another negro and the overseer; and when within a few steps of his own door, while the overseer was looking at him, he suddenly fell. As he did not rise immediately the overseer went to him, and on attempting to assist him to rise he discovered that he was dead. A slight stertor, heard by one of the negroes, was all the sound made by him after his fall. Frictions upon the extremities and over the whole body had been perseveringly employed, and I found him covered with mustard. As there had been no appearance of resuscitation, and the body was cooling rapidly, having obtained permission to make an autopsy, I left him.

In company with Drs. Brantley, Turner, Cullens, Irwin, Hollifield and Newsome, I saw him the next day, fourteen hours after his decease. There was no appearance of injury, except a slight wound on the right side and lower edge of the inferior maxillary bone. This was superficial. The countenance was composed; abdomen distended with gas. Upon opening the chest we first directed our attention to the heart. This we found of normal size, with no appearance of disease. The lungs were then examined, and except a slight appearance of tuberculosis at one point, these presented no indication of disease. The liver and stomach were then removed. These we found healthy, the stomach containing about half a pint of a semi-fluid compound, seemingly of partially digested food. The bowels, kidneys and Aorta presented no appearance of disease, and gave no clue to the cause of death.

An examination of the brain was then had, and the substance of this organ appeared to be in a perfectly normal state. About a tea-spoonful of serum was found in the left ventricle. No appearance of diseased action could be discovered; and incision into both the cerebrum and cerebellum not only revealed no congestion or inflammation, but these organs were regarded as presenting every appearance of most perfect health. Some doubts having arisen as to whether in the fall he might not have injured his neck, free incisions were made upon the cervical vertebræ, but these were found, also, to be uninjured.

What caused his death? Frankly, I answer, I do not know. Had no examination been made, I could have assigned several causes: Rupture of the heart; ossification and rupture of the Aorta; aneurism and rupture; congestion, or effusion upon the brain. But the unusually healthy appearance of every organ examined, leaves the cause of death as much in the dark as ever.

"Doctor," said an unsophisticated friend, who heard the result of our examination; "may not his death have been caused by his breath having stopped?" The questioner was in earnest, and perhaps he was right. He might have died from a "stoppage of breath;" but what stopped his breath? The stereotyped cause assigned by coroners' juries: "A visitation of God?" Quien sabe?

Pneumonia-Death-Autopsy.

BY TOM W. NEWSOME, M. D., SANDERSVILLE, ga.

About twelve o'clock on Friday, early in February last, I was called to see a Mr. Jn, aged about forty-five years, full plethoric habit, laboring under an attack of Pneumonia. On inquiry in reference to the patient, I learned he had been, for a year or more, and was then, affected with gonorrhoea; and had been, for some time back, indulging very freely in alcoholic stimulants. The symptoms were as follows: Skin hot and dry; pulse one hundred and fifty; tongue coated brown, and red at the

tip and edges; cough troublesome, and aggravated by the least exertion; bowels constipated; pain in left side, very severe; great mental anxiety; flush of left cheek; lips livid; respiration quickened and difficult; slight expectoration, of a rusty character. Upon percussion, great dullness over left lung; and on auscultation without the stethoscope, the muco-crepitating rhonchus was well marked, and the sounds of the heart very distinct.

In conformity to the indications, I depleted freely, and applied a blister over the entire chest, which, owing to his disposition to exercise his own will, was kept on a short time with difficulty. I then administered Hydrargyri Chloride Mite in alterative doses, and ten grains of Dover's powder, to tranquillize the system, with a solution of Antimoni et potassæ tartras in one-eighth grain doses, directing to be given every four hours. Before leaving for home, I again examined him-found the skin moist-his breathing less difficult-expectoration free; and, as he assured me, "much better."

Soon after I left, I learned that he removed the blister, which was replaced, and by him again removed. Aware of the imminent danger he was in, and the difficulty, too, there was in controlling him, I felt great solicitude as to the termination of his malady.

At about seven o'clock in the evening, I am informed, his symptoms became aggravated; it was with difficulty he breathed at all, and at about half-past eight he breathed his last. Notice of his death reached me early the following morning, and, in company with Dr. Hollifield, I repaired to his house, and for my own satisfaction and that of some of the friends of the deceased, I made a postmortem examination with the following results:

Autopsy eighteen hours after Death.-Upon opening the thoracic cavity hepatization of the left lung was found to be almost complete; and so adherent was the pluræ pulmonalis to the walls of the thorax as to require force to separate it. In the upper lobe of the left lung was found. an abscess filled with purulent matter. The right lung was

much engorged, but no exudation. No tubercles were to be found in either lung. The heart was hypertrophied. Abdominal cavity. The liver was very much enlarged with fatty degenerations of the cells. Kidneys congested, but otherwise healthy. The other portions of the body were not examined. The hypertrophied state of the heart, and the diseased condition of the liver, were, no doubt, attributable to the intemperate habits of the deceased.

/From the disclosures of our examination we feel confident that, even had the patient followed our directions, the disease had so far advanced when we saw him as to be entirely beyond medical relief.

Belladonna in Hooping-Cough.

Extract from a letter to the Editors, dated

Another article has proved with me greatly beneficial in cases of hooping-cough. I refer to that remedy (the extract of Belladonna,) so highly recommended some years ago by Dr. Turnbull, I think, of Philadelphia. It will, in a majority of cases of this distressing and annoying affection, cut short the disease, and if the patient be careful, he will be entirely relieved from all symptoms of the malady in the course of ten or twelve days.

Whether my experience with this remedy will hold good in all cases of this character I am unable to say; but I have used it in many cases in my practice with marked. success, and am determined to continue the use of it in all affections of the kind which may come under my professional care, as I have never known any evil results from its employment. G. B. T.

SELECTIONS.

INTERMARRIAGE.

[From Owen's Key to the Geology of the Globe.]

Among the records of criminals, how few of them, comparatively, are found to be married! It is not contended that all are happy in the marriage state, but it is confidently asserted, that if the judgment is used in the selection of a suitable husband or wife before the feelings have become too much interested, and if ordinary pains are taken to live up to the duties incumbent upon that tie, the pure monogamic relationship is most in accordance with the laws of nature, most likely to secure health, happiness and tranquillity, and decidedly most tending to prevent crime. Marriage, for the sake of the female constitution and of the future offspring, should not be contracted at too early an age; but it should be fulfilled, as a general rule, sooner or later, by all who find partners apparently suited to promote their happiness through life.

Parents, when they interfere, should, as a matter both of expediency and justice, give only advice, and not continue. a useless opposition, still less disown their own offspring; who, if they act from feeling only, owe it, perhaps, to the fault of those parents in not inculcating early self-control.

But although marriage is recommended to all when circumstances favor, there is one rule to be observed regarding the tie, which brings us now to the most important point of all in the eye of the Physiologist and Philanthropist who desire to use their best endeavors in securing for humanity at large the greatest amount of sound physical, mental and moral qualities, individually and nationally.

The great rule, then, should be Non-Intermarriage with Blood Relations.

I do not expect the young man-for he has usually too much of self about him-if he has once loved with all the