SOS 



temperature of muscles is diminished before death, their irritability 

 lasts long after death, cadaveric rigidity sets in late and lasts long, 

 and putrefaction appears late and proceeds slowly. 



3rd. Influence of death by lightning and galvanism on cada~ 

 veric rigidity and putrefaction. It is well known that J. Hunter 

 thought that cadaveric rigidity cannot take place after death by 

 lightning ; but many facts have been recently published, showing 

 that in animals and men killed by lightning, cadaveric rigidity has 

 existed, and there can indeed be no doubt of its occurrence in such 

 cases. At the same time there is reason to believe that in some 

 instances of that mode of death cadaveric rigidity has either not set 

 in, or has been of so short a duration, that it has not been possible 

 to ascertain its existence. It appears difficult at first sight to recon- 

 cile facts which seem to be so much in opposition one with the 

 other ; but it will be seen that the contradiction is apparent only. 

 Death by lightning may be the result of, 1st, a syncope by fright, 

 or in consequence of a direct or reflex influence of lightning on the 

 par vagum ; 2ndly, haemorrhage in or around the brain or in the 

 lungs, the pericardium, &c. ; Srdly, concussion or some other altera- 

 tion of the brain. "When death by lightning is due to these causes, 

 cadaveric rigidity may, of course, appear after death, and even last 

 long, much in the same way indeed as when death results from these 

 causes in persons who have not been struck by lightning. But 

 lightning may kill in another way : it may destroy life as galvanism 

 does, by producing such a violent convulsion of every muscle in 

 the body that muscular irritability ceases almost at once ; and the 

 ensuing rigidity may then be of so short duration as to escape notice. 



The following experiments show the powerful influence of gal- 

 vanism on muscular irritability, cadaveric rigidity, and putrefaction. 

 We will at first give the results of the galvanization of one 

 limb : 



I. General Result of Experiments on acMf Rabbits \ 



Galvanized limb. Limb not galvanized. 



Durat. of irritability 7 to 20 minutes 120 to 400 minutes. 



Durat. of cad. rigidity . . 2 to 8 hours 1 to 8 days. 



Futref. much advanced . . within a day only after several days. 



