In homicide, in addition to the marks on the neck, there is likely to be evidence of a struggle and marks of violence elsewhere on the body. It is important, therefore, to notice any evidence of such a struggle.

The nature of the cord may assist in identifying the assailant.

It must be remembered that homicidal strangulation may be committed without disturbing noise even when other persons are near.

Simulation.—False accusations of homicidal strangulation are on record. Tardieu[796] states that a distinguished young woman (for some political purpose) was found one evening at the door of her room apparently in great trouble and unable to speak. She first indicated by gestures and then by writing that she had been assaulted by a man who tried to strangle her with his hand, and also struck her twice in the breast with a dagger. She was absolutely mute—did not even attempt to speak—quite contrary to what is always observed in unfinished homicidal strangulation. On examination by Tardieu, no sign of attempt to strangle was found, and the so-called dagger-openings in her dress and corset did not correspond in position. She confessed that she had attempted deception.

The celebrated Roux-Armand[797] case was another instance of attempted deception. A servant named Roux was found on the ground in the cellar of his employer Armand; his hands and legs were tied and there was a cord around his neck. He was partly asphyxiated, but after removal of the ligature from his neck he rapidly recovered, except that he was weak and voiceless. He stated by gestures that he had been struck by his employer on the back of the head with a stick and then bound as described. The next day he could speak. Armand was imprisoned. Tardieu examined carefully into the case and the results may be stated as follows: The asphyxia was incipient, else he could not have so rapidly recovered. The cord around his neck had not been tied—simply wound around several times; the mark was slight and there was no ecchymosis. Although the legs and hands were tied, the hands behind the back, there was no doubt but that Roux could and did tie them himself. He had stated that he had been eleven hours in the cellar, in the situation in which he was found. This could not be true, for a very much shorter time, an hour probably at the furthest, would have caused death, in view of the condition of asphyxia in which he was found. Again, if his limbs had been bound for so long, they would have been swollen and discolored; but they were not. Again, if the ligature had been around his neck so long as he said, the impression of it would have been more marked. Again, if his stertorous breathing had lasted long it would have been heard by neighbors. The injury on the back of the head, said to be due to a blow, was believed by Tardieu to be due to dragging him on the ground. He further had stated that when he received the blow on the head he became unconscious, and yet he also described how Armand bound him after knocking him down. Again, he had made no outcry; but if he had been strangled while partly unconscious and afterward recovered his senses, he would have been unable to give an account of the matter; if, however, he had been strangled while conscious, there was no reason why he should not have cried out. His inability to speak the first day was assumed, because what was a simulation of absolute mutism should have been simply a loss of voice. The innocence of Armand was ultimately established.

ILLUSTRATIVE CASES.

Homicide.

1. Cullingworth: Lancet, May 1st, 1875, p. 608.—Woman. Believed to have been intoxicated. Face, especially right side, swollen and livid; a little blood had oozed from mouth, nose, and inner angle of each eye. Immediately over (in front of?) larynx and on each side of middle line were marks of irregular outline such as might be caused by pressure of thumb and fingers. Several dark, bruise-like discolorations on flexor surface of each forearm. Hands clinched. Elbows flexed. Discharge of fæces by rectum. Necroscopy: Brain and membranes normal. Hyoid bone and laryngeal cartilages uninjured. Mucous membrane of larynx and trachea congested and covered with frothy mucus. Lungs intensely congested. Several hemorrhages; masses of tissue of each lung, chiefly toward base, were solidified by effused blood. All the heart cavities empty. Stomach normal, empty. No congestion of abdominal viscera.

2. Taylor: “Med. Jur.,” Am. Ed., 1892, p. 412.—Man and woman. Strangled by cord, tied so tightly that there was hemorrhage from mouth and nose.

3. Harvey: Indian Med. Gaz., December 1st, 1875, p. 312.—Hindoo woman, age 45. Strangled with the right hand. Necroscopy: Two contusions and abrasions on temple. Neck discolored from right to left jugulars; marks of thumb on right side and three fingers on left, extending from jugulars to windpipe. Eyes half protruded. Tongue discolored. Blood-vessels full of clots. Brain congested (?) and showed external hemorrhages (?). Lungs normal. Heart empty. Liver ruptured to the extent of four inches, with adherent blood-clot. Spleen, stomach, and intestines normal. Muscles of chest, both sides, congested, discolored, and there were clots of blood over and under them. First six ribs of left side and first three of right fractured.