The Cadaver of Gideon Wyck by Alexander Laing

Author:Alexander Laing [Laing, Alexander]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Horror
ISBN: 9781933618364
Publisher: Farrar & Rinehart
Published: 1934-01-01T07:00:00+00:00

Nineteen

To my vast relief, the jurors were filing out. Dr. Kent said, “Mr. Saunders, Dr. Alling requested that I permit you to make a copy of the post-mortem findings. As it will be filed in the town records, where any citizen can inspect it, I see no reason for opposing the request.”

I set to work, under the eye of the sheriff, and made the following transcript:[1]

POST-MORTEM EXAMINATION, of the body of Gideon Wyck, M.D., Æ 66/67 years, found dead and embalmed in vault of the Maine State College of Surgery, on Sept. 2, 1932.

External Peculiarities. 1. An incision in the region of the left groin, leading to the femoral artery. (Made presumably to inject embalming fluid.)

2. An ante-mortem puncture wound in the suboccipital region, penetrating the space between the first and second cervical vertebrae, and transecting the spinal cord at this juncture. This wound was presumably inflicted by means of a sharp, scalpel-like instrument in the hands of a person with knowledge of anatomy.

3. A group of six minute scars in the left anticubital fossa.

4. An ancient scar, ten centimeters in length, in the lower right rectus region of the abdominal wall.

Internal Peculiarities. 1. A carcinomatous growth of medium malignancy at the neck of the bladder, capable of causing death within a year.

2. Early carcinomatous metastasis to the bones of the skull.

3. Evidence of pronounced internal hemorrhage in skull cavity and spinal cord.

4. An atrophic and scarred area underlying the rectus scar, with adhesions to the peritoneum but outside the peritoneal cavity.

Chemical Analyses. 1. Analysis of stomach and intestinal contents demonstrates presence of approximately 8 grams of diethylbarbaturic acid (veronal), enough to have caused death when absorbed.

2. Analysis of other organs shows the presence of the above drug and leads to the presumption of a general distribution of the drug, the quantity probably under 4 grams. Enough to indicate possible chronic poisoning. Probably not enough to have caused death.

Cause of Death. Transection of the spinal cord in the region of the first cervical segment, due to a wound inflicted by a sharp instrument. The nature and position of the wound indicate homicide. The other circumstances lend a strong presumption of truth to the idea that the fatal incision was inflicted while the victim was unconscious from the action of the poison.

Time of Death. Due to the time elapsed, and to the fact that embalming must have occurred within four hours after death, no time of death can be determined by anatomical inspection.

Signed,

HATHAWAY KENT, M.D.

Coroner, Alton County.

Witnesses:

Eliphalet Smith, M.D.

J. B. Otis

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