haste, when in a condition of extreme prostration, to Penge, where she died, on the day succeeding her removal, in a state of extreme exhaustion and emaciation. Fat was absent from every part of the body; the stomach and intestines were empty, contracted, and their walls were greatly thinned. A small deposit of tubercle was found at the summit of the left lung and a recent deposit of miliary tubercle beneath the arachnoid, upon the surface of one of the cerebral hemispheres. No other tuberculous deposits were found. The opinion given by the physicians making the post-mortem examination was that death resulted from starvation. This opinion was shared by Professor Virchow, of Berlin, who stated that the tuberculous deposits found could not explain the cause of death. In this case the extreme emaciation, entire absence of fat, thinning of the intestinal walls, etc., were the determining conditions. While extreme emaciation alone is not sufficient to decide the case to be one of starvation, its existence, taken in connection with some of the conditions found constantly in persons known to have died of starvation, is a strongly corroborative fact. Nor can its absence be taken as conclusive evidence that death occurred from other cause than starvation, since in some cases of death from inanition emaciation has not been extreme and in a few cases not at all marked.' of this character are reported by Taylor and others. DISEASES PRODUCED BY STARVATION. Instances The effect of insufficient alimentation in the production of disease has long been recognized. It is understood that this result follows the deficiency in either quality or quantity. The so-called "famine fever," prevalent in times of dearth, has afforded extensive opportunity for observation of the effects produced. The symptoms developed are those directly referable to impoverishment of the blood. Pallor, emaciation, nervous depression, derangement of the digestive organs, and muscular enfeeblement appear in every case. The development of strumous, herpetic, and cutaneous diseases generally is marked. Of the secondary effects, the cachectic condition induced ex 1 The case of Reg. v. Jacobs and wife. presses itself in pulmonary phthisis largely, while in infants and very young children intestinal disorders are specially frequent. Organic diseases already existing are seriously aggravated; wounds fail to heal, become ulcerative and sometimes gangrenous; while all degenerative processes are rapidly hastened to a fatal issue.' 'Holland, "On Morbid Effects of Deficiency of Food," London, 1839. INDEX. (For Index of Laws Regulating the Practice of Medicine, see pp. 709- ABDOMEN, post-mortem examination of, . ABORTION, at common law, ACTION FOR MEDICAL SERVICES, common-law rule as to maintenance of, elements to be proved in, license prerequisite to, . measure of recovery the reasonable worth, PAGE 852 74, 75, 76 11 47 18 45 46 19-22 value, how proved, ACTION FOR PRACTISING MEDICINE WITHOUT A LICENSE, (See also: Synopsis of Subjects, pp. 709-774.) BOARDS OF HEALTH, Physicians to report contagious diseases to, State and local, powers governed by special statutes, BONES, identification of human, old or recent? . BRAIN, post-mortem examination of, BURIAL OF DEAD BODY, law of, BURNS, by acids, burning oil, corrosives, flame, fused metals, petroleum,. cases of, . |