An epitome of juridical or forensic medicine ; for the use of medical men, coroners, and barristers / By George Edward Male.

  • Male, George Edward.
Date:
1816
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An epitome of juridical or forensic medicine ; for the use of medical men, coroners, and barristers / By George Edward Male. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

    150/220 (page 136)
    dered ; but it is possible, that swinging himself off with some violence, with the view of speedily destroying life, the rope may have broken, the body falling to the ground may have been w^ounded, and the unfortunate person had resolution again to suspend himself. These circumstances, though they rarely occur, should be taken into consideration, when the life and honour of a suspected person are at stake. Circumstantial evidence will elucidate many facts which may be obscure to the medical ob- server. The rope should be kept, the situation of the body and surrounding objects accurately observed and noted down. As the medical man is generally among the first called in on these occasions, and his evidence being always required, it is proper that this should be done' by him. It has been supposed by writers on this subject, that when the cord is extremely tight round the neck, it is an evidence of assassina- tion, as the weight of the body will not in general be sufficient to pull it very tight: but this, I think, ii^ a great measure depends upon the situation of the noose: if placed at the side of