Comments on Corpulency, 281 



The mechanical obstruction to the functions of an organ 

 essential to life were so great, that the wonder is, not that he 

 should die, but that he should live. In very many cases of 

 sudden death, charged to the account of apoplexy, I am per- 

 fectly convinced that the previous symptoms would be found, 

 on inquiry, to be referrible to the heart and circulation, and 

 the head has often been examined for causes which ought to 

 have been sought for in the region of the hypogastrium. A 

 sudden palpitation excited in the heart of a fat man has often 

 proved as fatal as a bullet through the thorax ; and that it was 

 the cause of death here is most probable. There was no 

 organ or viscus diseased, nor can even the immense deposition 

 of fat in this case, as far as simple animal organization is con- 

 cerned, be considered as disease. 



There are many fatal diseases connected with the accumula- 

 tion of fat about the heart, particularly angina pectoris. 



In Dr. Blackall's cases of angina pectoris, we find, Case 3, 

 " the heart large and fat ; " Case 4, ** a great deal of fat in the 

 anterior mediastinum." The same occurs in Dr. Wall's case 

 and Dr. Fothergill's in the Medical Observations and Inquiries. 

 Also in a case by Mr. Paytherus. 



Dr. Black, in a case of angina pectoris, in vol. vii. of Medico- 

 Chirurgical Transactions, says, *' the first striking appearance 

 was the degree to which the cellular membrane was loaded with 

 fat. The heart was loaded with fat." The same in the case of 

 Mr. M'Cormick, ibid. ; and the Doctor notices, p. 82, the rela- 

 tion to obesity. 



Case VIII. 



A worthy, fat, hypochondriacal bachelor sent for me one day 

 to tell me that he was dying ; that he had left directions I 

 should open him for the benefit of mankind ; and that, if it was 

 important, it might be done immediately after the breath was 

 out of his body, only taking care to pierce him through the 

 heart to prevent resuscitation. This scena was repeated at 

 least once a year for twenty years ; at last he died, with as 

 good viscera as any gentleman of seventy-nine years of age 

 was ever blessed with. He was one of those who studied the 

 art of self-tormenting, a comfort which, unfortunately for 



