75. Hofmann: “Lehrbuch,” p. 538.—A father hung his five children, the eldest 9 years. Another man hung two children, the eldest 13 years.
See also Tidy, “Med. Juris.,” Cases 40, 48, 51, 57(?), 58(?); “Hanging after Death,” Case 50.
Judicial Hanging.
76. MacLaren: Indian Med. Gaz., 1873, viii., p. 234.—Three cases of judicial hanging; hung at the same time and cut down and necroscopy begun forty minutes afterward; drop twelve inches. In the first and third there were reflex movements for a few minutes after drop fell. First man, age 40; pupils slightly dilated; no protrusion of tongue or eyeballs; mark of cord above thyroid cartilage; no discharge of semen or fæces; ecchymosis under cord, left side; dislocation of atlas from axis; odontoid ligaments ruptured; transverse ligament uninjured. Brain and membranes much congested; clear fluid in lateral ventricles. Lungs collapsed, anæmic; one ounce straw-colored serum (measured) in pericardium; dark fluid blood in both ventricles of heart; liver much congested.
77. Second man, age 16; pupils widely dilated; eyeballs protruding. Marks of cord same as in preceding case. No discharge of fæces or semen. No ecchymosis under cord; dislocation and rupture of ligaments between axis and third vertebra. Brain did not show well-marked congestion. Lungs collapsed and anæmic. One and one-quarter ounces serum (measured) in pericardium. Heart normal; dark blood in both ventricles; liver normal.
78. Third man, age 20; pupils slightly dilated; eyeballs and tongue not protruded. Marks of cord as in preceding. No discharge of fæces or semen. Slight ecchymosis under cord; mark in front of neck. Dislocation of occipital bone from atlas. Brain and membranes much congested. Lungs collapsed and anæmic. Half ounce serum in pericardium. Heart normal; dark fluid blood in both ventricles; liver normal.
79. Cayley: Ibid., p. 122.—Man, age 35; executed by hanging. Scarcely any convulsive movements after drop fell. Necroscopy two hours afterward. No congestion or protrusion or swelling of the tongue; no muscular rigidity or contractions. About half-way around the neck was indentation of cord, obliquely directed; hardly perceptible in front; its surface appeared rubbed and compressed; no discoloration; no ecchymosis under skin. Cord lay across upper part of thyroid cartilage. Larynx and trachea not injured. Fracture and dislocation of upper cervical vertebræ. Lungs collapsed, not congested. Pericardium empty; heart distended, left side with red blood just beginning to clot; right side with fluid black blood. Liver and other abdominal organs much congested. No discharge of fæces or semen.
80. Garden: Same journal, 1880, xv., p. 12.—Man, age 40, weight about one hundred and twenty pounds; drop two feet; was in a fainting condition, and had to be supported; was not probably fully conscious when platform fell. There were spasmodic retractions of arms and legs for about two minutes; forty seconds after the drop his jungeas fell off; his penis was in strong erection, and the ejaculatory movements were seen. Necroscopy one and one-quarter hours after drop fell. Head and limbs cold; eyes open, natural; tongue not protruding; fingers clinched; superficial veins contained fluid black blood. Mark of cord extended from just below left mastoid process, where the knot was applied, across the thyro-hyoid membranes to a place on right side about two inches below ear. There was scarcely a trace of it behind. Skin dark and ecchymosed, but no ecchymosis of subcutaneous connective tissues. No discoloration nor fracture in neck. Subarachnoidal fluid in excess; puncta vasculosa unusually numerous. Under surface of epiglottis reddened and showed two small dark red ecchymoses; mucous membrane of larynx and trachea pale. Lungs showed venous congestion; no infarctions or small ecchymoses; right lung emphysematous; the left showed old firm adhesions throughout. Heart large, flabby, pale, a very little blood in each ventricle; subpericardial ecchymosis one-fourth inch square anteriorly, another larger one posteriorly; extensive pericardial adhesions. Liver and kidneys congested.
81. See two cases of judicial hanging by Wilkie, same journal, 1881, xvi., p. 275.
82. Porter: Archiv. Laryngol., New York, 1880, i., p. 142.—Redemier hung. Drop five feet. Pulse beat rapidly a few minutes, then lessened in frequency and stopped beating in fifteen minutes. During this time there was violent spasm of muscles of thorax and upper limbs. Necroscopy, dark groove around neck crossing larynx just below pomum Adami. Brain congested. Lungs emphysematous. Cricoid cartilage fractured diagonally. Laryngeal mucous membrane showed ecchymosis and œdema. Vertebræ neither fractured nor dislocated.