sound. At the bottom of the
stomach appeared an inflammation, which increased as it extended to
the intestines. The ileum looked of that dark and livid hue, which is
observed in membranous parts tending to mortification. The colon was
not above an inch in diameter, the rectum was smaller still, but both
appeared sound.--From these appearances, we were at no loss to fix the
cause of this gradual palsy in the alteration of the medulla spinalis
and oblongata."

Dr. Bellett offers the following explanation of these changes. "I
conceive, that, by this accident, the head being violently bent to the
right, the nervous membranes on the left were excessively stretched
and irritated; that this cause extended by degrees to the spinal
marrow, which being thereby compressed, brought on the paralytic
symptoms, not only of the left arm, but at last in some measure also
of the right. This induration seems to have been occasioned by the
constant afflux of the nutritive juices, which were stopt at that
place, and deprived of their most liquid parts; the grosser ones being
unable to spread in the boney cavity, by which they were confined,
could only acquire a greater solidity, and change a soft body into a
hard and nearly osseous mass. This likewise accounts for the increase
of the medulla oblongata, which being loaded with more juices than it
could send off, swelled in the same manner as the branches of trees,
which will grow of a monstrous size, when the sap that runs into them
is stopt in its progress. The medulla oblongata not growing so hard as
the spinalis, was doubtless owing to its not being confined in an
osseous theca, but surrounded with soft parts, which allowed it room
to spread. The obstruction from the bulk of this substance must have
affected the brain, and probably induced the thickening of the pia
mater, the hydatids, and the beginning of suppuration, whereas the
dura mater, being of a harder texture, was not injured[11]."

[Footnote 11: Medical Observations and Inquiries, Vol. III.
p. 257.]

In some of the symptoms which appeared in this case, an agreement is
observable between it and those cases which are mentioned in the
beginning of these pages. The weakened state of both arms; the power
first lessening in one arm, and then in a similar manner in the other
arm; the affection of the speech; the difficulty in chewing and in
swallowing; as well as of retaining, or freely discharging, the
spittle; the convuls