Ars chirurgica a compendium of the theory and practice of chirurgery in seven books ... shewing the names, causes, signs, differences, prognosticks, and various intentions of curing all kinds of chirurgick diseases ... : to which is added Pharmacopoeia chirurgica, or, The medical store, Latin and English ... / by William Salmon ...

II. By External Suffocation.

X. Several who have been se∣cretly Suffocated by a Murtherer, do not presently afford any Sign of it: Wherefore, he that is re∣quired to make a Report in such a Case, ought not rashly to judge, but be very considerate, lest he lay the fault where truly it ought not to lie.

XI. Now this may be caused by Drowning, or forcibly stopping of the Mouth and Nose, or a String, or the Inspiration of a Sulphurous Air. Now by Suffocation, I mean such a Violence done to the Instruments of Breathing, which hindring the Office of Re∣spiration, introduces Death.

XII. If a Person be Drowned, there is an unusual Swelling and Flabbiness of the whole Body; the Belly is chiefly swelled, some mucous Excrements come out of the Nose, and frothy stuff out of the Mouth, and the Fin∣gers ends seem as if they were worn: For such as are Drown∣ed, though at bottom of the Water, strive to get out, where scratching and scrabbling in the Sand, or Gravel, they wear their Fingers.

XIII. Now the swelling of a Body in a drowned Person, is not so much from receiving in the Wa∣ter, as from Wind, into which the Humours thereof are turned by a putrid Heat, and secret Fermen∣tation; for which reason, this Swelling shows not it self till after some considerable time; upon which, the Body is then said to swim.

XIV. If one be Suffocated, by a forcible stopping of the Mouth and Nose; as with a Pillow, or any thing put into them, or a Cord, you will find this, which is com∣mon to all such as are thus Suf∣focated, that they will froth at Mouth, and sometimes at the Nose too: For the Expiration of

fuliginous Steams being stop'd, they are all violently impelled; for which reason, some of the proper Humidities are expelled together with them.

XV. But if one be Strangled with a Cord, or Rope, the Print of it will appear, chiefly where the Rope crosses. The Head of the Aspera Arteria will be many times bruised, and there will be a Luxation of the second Vertebra of the Cervix, or Neck; the Arms, Legs, and Face will be livid, the Brest swoln, and Urine voided.

XVI. The Reasons of which Ac∣cidents are these: The Swelling of the Brest, is from many Fumes arising from the contained Breath within. The Urine flows, be∣cause of an unequal straining of the Muscles, which conspiring for the common safety, are con∣tracted towards their Original; and the Sphincter growing dead, whereby it loses its Use and Office, lets the Water go. Also the Face, and other Parts of the Body are red, or livid, because the Violence of Strangling is such, that the Expulsive Facul∣ty of the whole Body is so irri∣tated, as to force all the Blood, and other Juices to the Skin, especially to those Places, which have the larger Vessels, as the Face, Back, Arms, Thighs, &c.

XVII. And opening the Body, you will find the Lungs full of pu∣rulent Froth, though the rest of the Viscera may be in good order: And the Head and Brest will be found full of Blood: And if the Breath is stopt by any other way, you may observe the same Signs, except the Print of the Rope.