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in that thorax, he would, probably, have bled more internally than
externally; a body ceasts to bleed very soon after death, except from
the veins.
DE. JAMES W. STONE, sworn. - I concur in the report that was
drawn up and signed by Drs. Lewis, Gay and myself, and which
has been read. The hair on the back of the body examined was
much more, and longer, than usual, and of a sandy gray color. The
muscles of the lower extremity were more developed than one would
naturally expect from the general size of the body, indicating that
the individual had been accustomed to much exercise in walking.
In front, on- the left side, the skin was burnt, and the hair singed,
so that its length could not be determined. On the other side, in
front, the skin was not burnt, but decomposition had commenced near
the right arm-pit. Judging from the skin, hair, and general appear-
ance of the remains, the body belonged to a person from fifty to sixty
years of age. The amount of ossification of the arteries would seem
to indicate that the individual was nearly or quite sixty years of age.
There was nothing in the light color of the skin, the sandy gray hair,
the muscular development of the lower extremities, or the apparent
age, which would conflict with the idea that it was the body of Dr.
Parkman; yet, had I not known that Dr. Parkman was missing, I
should not have suspected that these remains were portions of his body.
I have been well acquainted with Dr. Parkman for five or six years;
he has visited me several times, and I have often been to see him.
He was a great and a fast walker.
My impression is, that the individual who separated the remains
had some anatomical skill. It is difficult for a person who has never
done it to remove the sternum, or breast-bone. I have seen good physi-
cians, in a post-mortem examination, even when there was no ossifi-
cation of the cartilages, give up the attempt to separate the sternum
from the first rib and collar-bone, and break it off, leaving the upper
part of the breast-bone unremoved. In this case, the incision through
the skin and muscles was made, as usual, in the median line from
the neck downwards, and the sternum properly removed, by separating
it from the clavicle, or collar-bone, and by dividing the cartilages close
to the ribs. The divisions at the joints were rightly made, though
somewhat irregularly.
There was but little appearance of these remains having been
parts of a subject for dissection. That which looked more like dis-
sectioq than any other part was mentioned in our report; viz: an
incision through the anterior portion of the external coats of the last six
inches of the intestine, and a separation of them from the mucous coat.
In preparing bodies for dissection, sometimes one injection into the
arteries only is made; at other times, two or more. The first injection
is made in all the subjects for antiseptic purposes. It is fluid, Ana
usually consists of an arsenical solution, one of the chloride of zinc,
or some similar preservative substance. This fluid is absorbed, so
that it is difficult to recognize it, except by chemical tests. The sec-
ond injection is solid, and is usually of glue or wax, so as to dissect
for the arteries. That can be easily distinguished. There was in
these remains no solid injection.
Cross-examination. We examined the aperture between the ribs, to
ascertain if it had been caused by a knife, as it was suggested that
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