PEOFESSOB THOMSON" ON DISTOKTED UUMAJf SKULIS. 405 



should contain some antiseptic vegetable principle in solution, to 

 prevent tlie too rapid decay of the animal matter. I do not say that 

 distortions might not occur under other circumstances, but all these 

 evidently favoiu'able conditions exist specially in the peaty virgin soil 

 which forms most barrows, and which fills most cists. The plan of 

 modern burial is very unfavourable to any such chronic changes in 

 form. The head receives no support in the cofl&n during the progress 

 of decay. The moisture soaking through the rank earth of a grave- 

 yard promotes instead of checking decomposition. There is no 

 drainage or absorption, and bones and braiu sink into one softening 

 putrifying mass; and, finally, the head is relieved from all vertical 

 pressure by the coffin lid, until either the bones have become 

 thoroughly disintegrated, or until they are so dry and carious as to 

 break rather than to yield. Of course, the undeformed skulls in vaults 

 and catacombs do not enter into the question, as they have been 

 subjected to no vertical pressure. 



I am weU aware that this shoi^t notice is anything but exhaustive. 

 I believe, however, that the subject is worthy of some investigation, 

 and I mean to take every opportunity of extending observation and 

 of increasing our meagre stock of facts. It is my present conviction 

 that many, most probably all, of the old skulls which have been found 

 in Europe, and whose distortions have been referred to artificial 

 compression during life, will be found to owe their deformity to some 

 variety of tomb-pressure. 



P.S. — The above communication was in the hands of the pub- 

 lishers before the appearance of the last number of the " Review," 

 but too late for publication. I, therefore, had not the advantage of 

 Mr. Davis' ingenious paper, a paper which derives additional value 

 from the author's great experience. 



Mr. Davis believes that he can thoroughly eliminate the results of 

 posthumous pressure ; it is remarkable, however, that the parieto- 

 occipital flatness referred by him to the use of cradle boards, should 

 correspond so perfectly with a form of distortion which I had not had 

 an opportunity of studying, but whose frequent occurrence I had 

 anticipated from a totally different cause. 



In discussiug the subject of posthumous distortion, the question 

 has frequently arisen — Wliy is the distortion usually so sHght ? 

 Why, when the depressing force has been sufficient to alter the form 

 of a series of bones, individually so strong, and so firmly united 

 together, has it not gone on to its complete disruption? It must 

 always be remembered that, inmost cases, the head has been completely 

 surrounded and fiUed, supported from within and from without by soil; 

 that, therefore, no compressing force was applied to the skull alone, 

 but that the compression or subsidence acted equally upon the whole 

 mass, skuU and soU. Sand, or soil consisting entirely of inorganic 

 matter, is capable of but little compression. Vegetable soU, on the 

 other hand, and especially peaty or virgin soil, may be considerably 



