Experimental rescearches on the post-mortem contractility of the muscles, with observations on the reflex theory / by Bennet Dowler.

  • Dowler, Bennet, 1797-1879.
Date:
1846
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Experimental rescearches on the post-mortem contractility of the muscles, with observations on the reflex theory / by Bennet Dowler. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    the fore-arm and elbow-joint are stiff and immovable, while the biceps may be powerfully contractile, its belly swelling up into a hard lump ; relaxing and contracting repeatedly, and unavailingly, owing to the rigidity at and below its insertion in the arm. Here, it is evident that the indurated swelling is not owing to the approximation of the two extremi- ties of the muscle, for they are fixed. The increase of volume seems to be owing to an expansion with rigidity among its elementary fibres ; a zigzag oscillatory motion upon the summits of the contracting masses is visible to the naked eye. Much evidence might be produced besides the following : Cases of Post-Mortem Muscular Contraction without shortening in yellow fever Subjects. Case XXI.—H. F., a German, aged 28. Dead four hours, and dis- sected. The fingers and toes flexed and rigid ; tlie biceps and gastrocne- mius contracted, but without causing motions, as the limbs were rigid at their extremities. Case XXll.—R. P., an Irishman, aged 24. Dead ten hours; fore-arm rigid ; the biceps contracted strongly, but the rigidity in and below the elbow-joint prevented flexion. Blows with the knuckles over the pecto- ral muscles caused them to heave up into knotty masses. Sometimes, post-mortem rigidity sets in during the paroxysm of contrac- tion, producing a very singular phenomenon, a hard mass, which, con- tinuing for hours, feels like bone. I have known this to be mistaken for a fracture badly set, or for a bony tumor. Case XXI11.—J. C., an Irishman, aged 26. From one to three hours after death, the arms performed complete flexions and extensions ; heat from 109°. to 102°; six hours after death, the arms could not be ex- tended without cutting the muscles, which were indurated and elevated at the site of the blows, having assumed the same arrangement as at the maximum of contraction. Cases illustrative of the Increase, Declination, and subsequent Resuscitation of Post-Mortem Contractility ; all being yellow fever except the last. Case XXIV.—From four to five hours after death, and two hours after dissection, and the removal of the entire viscera, the cadaver being warm and rigid, great force was found necessary to extend the arm to a right angle with the body—extensions, flexions, and frictions were used, after which, a blow caused the fore-arm to rise until the hand pointed to the zenith ; the motion was slow and equable ; a second blow caused a | slight motion without elevating the arm. ' Case XXV.—A. G. G., a New Yorker, aged 30. In a few minutes after death, presented but feeble contractions, which, in half an hour ceased for a time. But soon after the contractile function returned to the same arm with much force, but after repeated blows it was exhausted a second time. Again, after a similar interval, it returned with a like force a third time. In three hours the rigidity, beginning in the neck, extended itself to most parts of the carZaver. The blows were found to have caused well-marked contusions, cellular ecchymoses, &c. Case XXVI.—C. L., an Irishman, aged 31. Was observed from five minutes to an hour after death ; the contractility was found to be. i active, but after appending a weight of 2 to 3 lbs. to the hand, the arm i 1