FUNCTIONS OF MUSCULAR TISSUE. 333 



334. This phenomenon is rarely absent ; though it may be so slight, and may 

 last for so short a time, as to escape observation. The period which elapses be- 

 fore its commencement, is as variable as its duration ; and both appear to be in some 

 degree dependent upon the vital condition of the body at the time of death. 

 When the fatal termination has supervened on slow and wasting disease, occa- 

 sioning great general depression of the vital powers, the rigidity usually develops 

 itself very early, and lasts for a short time. And the same is the case, when 

 the muscular Irritability has been exhausted previously or subsequently to death, 

 by repeated and powerful stimulation. Thus M. Brown-Sequard, 1 having been 

 desirous of ascertaining the influence of electricity upon the development of the 

 rigidity, subjected the bodies of four rabbits of the same age and vigor, which 

 had been killed by the removal of the heart, to electro-magnetic currents of dif- 

 ferent intensities ; a similar animal, killed in the same manner, being reserved 

 for comparison. The following were the results : 



i. Not electrized. Rigidity came on in 10 hours, and lasted 192 hours. 

 ii. Feebly electrized . . 7 " " 144 " 



in. Somewhat more electrized . 2 " " 72 " 



iv. Still more strongly electrized . 1 " " 20 " 



v. Submitted to a powerful current 7 min. " 25 min. 



Thus it appears that the more powerful the electric current, the earlier does 

 the rigidity appear, and the shorter is its duration; and hence we can readily 

 understand that, when an animal is killed by a stroke of lightning, the rigidity 

 may supervene so rapidly, and may depart again so early, as to pass completely 

 unnoticed ; and we may even admit the possibility of the vitality being so com- 

 pletely and immediately destroyed, that the rigidity shall not occur at all. M. 

 Brown-Sequard has further ascertained, 3 that the application of the electric cur- 

 rent previously to death speedily induces the rigidity, which on its departure is 

 followed by rapid putrefaction. Thus, one of the posterior members of a rabbit 

 was subjected for half an hour to a powerful electro-magnetic current, and the ani- 

 mal was soon afterwards killed; in about two hours and a half, cadaveric rigidity 

 had already commenced in the electrized limb, while the other member was still 

 supple; about two hours afterwards, the rigidity had already begun to diminish 

 in the electrized limb, whilst it had scarcely commenced in the other ; at the 

 end of two days, the electrized limb was already in incipient decomposition, whilst 

 the other was still rigid : eight days after death, the electrized limb was far ad- 

 vanced in putrefaction, but the other limb was still rigid; and its rigidity con- 

 tinued until the ninth day, putrefaction not supervening until the twelth. If 

 the irritability be exhausted previously to death, by other causes, the effect is 

 the same. Thus it was affirmed by Hunter, that animals hunted to death do not 

 stiffen : and although subsequent inquiry has shown that this statement is not 

 precisely correct, yet the rigidity comes on very early in such cases (a few minutes 

 after death), and lasts but for a short time. 3 So, it has been remarked by M. 

 Brown-Sequard, that when animals die from the effects of poisons which produce 

 convulsions, the rigidity appears earlier and departs sooner, in proportion to the 

 violence of the previous convulsive action. The same is the case, moreover, in 



than that in which it would probably have been at the moment of death. There were also 

 marks of violence, and many other suspicious circumstances ; but the prisoner was ac- 

 quitted, chiefly from want of evidence against him. What seemed to indicate that the 

 rigidity was of the ordinary cadaveric nature, was, that there was no evidence of the body 

 having become flexible and again stiffened ; as it would probably have done, had the rigidity 

 been of the spasmodic character. (See "Annales d'Hygiene," torn, vii.; and "Watson on 

 Homicide," pp. 70, 266.) 



1 "Gazette Medicale," 1849, No. 45. 2 Op. cit., Dec. 22, 1849. 



3 See Mr. Gulliver " ( 0n the state of the Blood and Muscles in Animals killed by Hunt- 

 ing and Fighting," in "Edinb. Med. and Surg. Journ.," Oct., 1848. 



