The last two are the most important to be understood in connection with the subject of persons found dead.
In death from apoplexy, the sudden inva sion of the brain by effused blood destroys innervation, by which the circulation is ar rested. Death from apoplexy is disclosed by the appearances revealed by dissection, par ticularly in the brain.
Death by asphyxia is still More important to be understood. It is limited to cases where the heart's action is made to cease through the interruption of the respiration. It is accomplished by all the possible modes of excluding atmospheric air from the lungs. The appearances in the body indicating death from asphyxia are, violet discolora tions, eyes prominent, firm, and brilliant, ca daveric rigidity early and well marked, ve nous system of the brain full of blood, lungs distended with thick dark-colored blood, liver, spleen, and kidneys gorged, right cavi ties of the heart distended, left almost empty.
Many indications as to whether the death is the act of God or the result of violence may be gathered from the position and cir cumstances in which the body is found. As thorough an examination as possible should be first made of the body before changing its position or that of any of the limbs, or varying in any respect its relations with sur rounding bodies. This is more necessary if the death has been apparently caused by wounds. Then the wounds require a special examination before any. change is made in position, in order from their nature, char acter, form; and appearance to determine the instrument by which they were Inflict ed, and also their agency in causing the death. Their relations with external objects may indicate the direction from which they were dealt, and, if incised, their extent, depth, vessels severed, and hemorrhage pro &Iced may be conclusive as to the cause of death.
A. thorough examination should be made of the clothes worn by the deceased, and any parts torn or presenting any unusual ap pearance should be carefully noted. A list should be made of all articles found on the body, and of their state and condition. The body itself should undergo a very careful examination. This should have reference to the color of the skin, the temperature of the body, the existence and extent of the cadaveric rigidity of the muscular system, the state of the eyes and of the sphincter muscles, noting at the same time whatever swellings, ecchymoses, or livid, black, or yellow spots, wounds, ulcers, contusions, fractures, or luxations, may be present. The
fluids that have exuded from the nose, mouth, ears, sexual organs, etc., should be carebilly examined: and when the deceased is a female, it will be proper to examine the sexual organs with care, with a view of I ascertaining whether before death the crime of rape had or had not been committed.
Another point to which the attention should be directed is, the state of the body in reference to the extent and amount of decomposition that may have taken place in it, with the view of determining when the death took place. This is sometimes im portant to identify the murderer. The period after death at which putrefaction supervenes became a subject of judicial examination in Desha's case, reported in Dean, Med. Jur. 423 et seq., and more fully in 2 Beck, Med. Jur. 44 et seq. Another interesting inquiry, where persons are found drowned, is pre sented in the inquiry as to the existence of adipocere, a compound of a yellowish-white color, consisting of calcareous or ammoni acal soap, which is formed in bodies immers ed in water in from eight weeks to three years from the cessation of life. Tayl. Med. Jur., Hartsh. ed. 542; 1 Ham. Leg. Med. 104.
Another point towards which it is proper to direct examination regards the situation and condition of the place where the body is found, with the view of determining two facts : First, whether it be a case of homi cide, suicide, or visitation of God ; and sec ond, whether, if one of homicide, the murder occurred there or at some other place, the body having been brought there and left. The points to be noted here are whether the ground appears to have been disturbed from its natural condition ; whether there are any, and what, indications of a struggle; wheth er there are any marks of footsteps, and, if any, their size, number, the direction to which they lead, and whence they came ; whether any traces of blood or hair can be found; and whether any, or what, instru ments or weapons, which could have caused death, are found in the vicinity ; and all such instruments should be carefully preserved, so that they may be identified. Dean, Med. Jur. 257; 2 Beck, Med. Jur. 107, nn. 136, 250. As the decision of the question relating to the cause of death is often important and difficult to determine, it may be proper to no tice some of its signs and indications in a few of the most prominent cases where it is induced by violence.