ST. HELENA 231 



fat, and on exposing the stomach the viscus was found the seat 

 of extensive disease. 



Strong adhesions connected the surface, particularly about the 



pyloric extremity to the concave surface of the left lobe of the 



liver ; and on separating these, an ulcer, which penetrated the 



coat of the stomach, was discovered, one inch from the pylorus, 



sufficient to allow the passage of the little finger. The internal 



surface of the stomach to nearly its whole extent was a mass of 



cancerous disease or schirrous portions advancing to cancer ; this 



was particularly noticed in the pylorus. The cardiac extremity, 



for a small place near the termination of the oesophagus, was the 



only part appearing in a healthy state. The stomach was found 



nearly filled with a large quantity of fluid resembling coffee grounds. 



The convex surface of the left lobe of the fiver adhered to the 



diaphragm. With the exception of the adhesions occasioned by 



the disease in the stomach, no unhealthy appearance presented 



itself in the liver. 



The remainder of the abdominal viscera were in a healthy state. 

 A slight peculiarity in the formation of the left lobe kidney was 

 observed. 



(Signed) Thomas Short, M.D., and principal Medical Officer. 

 Arch. Arnott, M.D., Surgeon 20th Regiment. 

 Chas. Mitchell, M.D., Surgeon of H.M.S. Vigo. 

 Francis Burton, M.D., Surgeon 66th Regiment. 

 Matthew Livingstone, Surgeon E.I.C. Service. 



At an exhibition held in the Mechanics' Hall, Dumfries, 

 some years since, there was shown by Major Young, of 

 Lincluden, a lock of hair, cut from the head of the great 

 Napoleon after death, together with a letter which is 

 of some historical value. Hitherto, French writers have 

 asserted that the post-mortem examination of Napoleon's 

 body was an unwarrantable liberty taken in opposition to 

 the deceased's wish. The letter, together with the lock of 

 hair, was discovered by Major Young in a secret drawer of 

 an old writing desk belonging to his father, to whom the 

 epistle had been written by Dr. Short (a native of Dum- 

 fries), who held the office of Principal Medical Officer of the 

 British Staff at St. Helena, and who superintended the 

 dissection, as stated in Sir Hudson Lowe's letter to Earl 

 Bathurst. 



St. Helena, 



May 7th, 1 82 1. 



My dear Sir, — You will no doubt be much surprised to hear of 

 Buonaparte's death, who expired on the 5 th of May after an illness 

 of some standing. 



His disease was cancer in the stomach that must have lasted 



