The principles of forensic medicine, systematically arranged and applied to British practice / By John Gordon Smith.

  • Smith, John Gordon, 1792-1833.
Date:
1821
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The principles of forensic medicine, systematically arranged and applied to British practice / By John Gordon Smith. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    59/544 (page 37)
    To begin with the most common of these morbid causes of death, 1 may mention Apoplexy, which carries off so many members of civilized society. The phenomena of this formidable disorder are generally well defined, and very well known; and where its attack is perceived, judicial interference may perhaps scarcely ever be thought necessary. But it sometimes varies from the ordinary course of its appearance, and may either be mistaken for some other state of the system, Jess dangerous, or even unconnected with danger, or it may come on, and terminate fatally in situations that preclude any observation of the event. We must suppose a case, therefore, in which there has been no professional interference. | «? . A person may be carried off by apoplexy, under circumstances calculated to excite suspicion either as to the conduct of the deceased himself, or that of others, and to throw a mystery over the event, which a judicious examination may entirely remove. For instance, the usual turgidity and discoloration about the countenance may be wanting, while wounds and bruises appear in various parts of the body ; and all this, upon careful examination, may admit of easy and natural explanation. A man may be overtaken with an apoplectic paroxysm in a place where there are hard or sharp objects, upon which he falls, as against furniture in a room, or among stones out of doors; he may thus receive wounds that appear extensive, and may lose a considerable