9. Signs of Death.—Presence or absence of the rigor mortis
or supervening putrefaction.
10. Condition and Contents of the Hands and Nails.—
(a) In the drowned: weeds, sand, and signs of long immersion.
(b) In those shot:scorching or blackening of the hand from powder,
or injury from recoil of the weapon.Is the weapon grasped firmly
in the hand? Cadaveric spasm? Cadaveric rigidity?
11. Condition of the Natural Openings of the Body—Nose,
Mouth, &c.—(a) Presence of sand or weeds in mouth
of those found in the water. (b) Presence of marks of
corrosive poisons. (c) Presence or absence of the
signs of virginity, or of recent injury about the parts.
12. Condition of the Neck.—(a) Presence of marks of strangulation.
(b) Condition of the upper cervical vertebræ.
(c) Dangers to be avoided in determining the fracture or dislocation
the cervical vrtebræ. Great mobility of neck, sometimes present,
not due to injury of the bone.
- 2. Internal Inspection
- A. Cranial Cavity.
- 1. Condition of the bones of the skull.
- 2. Condition of the membranes and sinuses of the brain.
- 3. Condition and appearances of the brain substance.
- 4. Contents of the lateral ventricles.
- B. Thoracic Cavity.
- 1. Position of the organs on opening the chest.
- 2. Condition of the heart, large blood-vessels, and pericardium.
- 3. Condition of the larynx, trachea, lungs, pleura, pharynx,
- tongue, and gullet.
- C. Abdominal Cavity.
- 1. Position of the abdominal organs.
- 2. Healthy or diseased condition of the liver, spleen,
- stomach, intestines, pancreas, bladder and ureters,
- prostate, kidneys and supra-renal glands, uterus and
- ovaries, blood-vessels and peritoneum.
- 3. Contents of the stomach and bladder.—Should it be
- necessary to remove the stomach and intestines, two
- ligatures should be placed at the cardiac extremity of the
- stomach and also at the pyloric end, and cut between the two
- ligatures, then the stomach may be removed intact; and other
- ligatures at the end of small intestines, also the rectum,
- and the bowels then removed as conditions demand.
- 4. Condition of the blood-vessels.
- 5. Condition of bones and joints.
II. THE REASONED OPINION
In this portion of the Report the inspectors state the nature of the conclusion at which they have arrived, and their reasons.
Recapitulation of the foregoing Rules.—It may be of advantage here to restate, in a tabular form, a few suggestions as to the composition of the Report:
N.B.—1. Let the Report be as short as possible, but state your views with clearness and distinctness. After stating the nature of the disease in any organ, report “all other organs healthy,” if they have been found so. To specify some organs, omitting others, may lead to a pressing inquiry from counsel as to the condition of the supra-renal capsules, or some other organ, and an unfounded doubt cast on the Report of the examiner.
2. Always avoid the use of technical terms as far as possible, so that you may be saved the annoyance of having to explain your meaning in the witness-box.