ries, or from bleeding from the
lungs, stomach, uterus, or other internal organs. (2) _Asthenia_, or
failure of the heart's action, met with in starvation, in exhausting
diseases, such as phthisis, cancer, pernicious anaemia, and Bright's
disease, and in some cases of poisoning--for example, aconite.

The symptoms of syncope are faintness, giddiness, pallor, slow, weak,
and irregular pulse, sighing respiration, insensibility, dilated pupils,
and convulsions.

Post mortem the heart is found empty and contracted. When, however,
there is sudden stoppage of the heart, the right and left cavities
contain blood in the normal quantities, and blood is found in the venae
cavae and in the arterial trunks. There is no engorgement of either lungs
or brain.

2. =Asphyxia=, or death beginning at the lungs, may be due to
obstruction of the air-passages from foreign bodies in the larynx,
drowning, suffocation, strangling, and hanging; from injury to the
cervical cord; effusion into the pleurae, with consequent pressure on the
lungs; embolism of the pulmonary artery; and from spasmodic contraction
of the thoracic and abdominal muscles in strychnine-poisoning.

The symptoms of this condition are fighting for breath, giddiness,
relaxation of the sphincters, and convulsions.

Post mortem, cadaveric lividity is well marked, especially in nose,
lips, ears, etc.; the right cavities of the heart and the venae cavae are
found gorged with dark fluid blood. The pulmonary veins, the left
cavities of the heart, and the aorta, are either empty or contain but
little blood. The lungs are dark and engorged with blood, and the lining
of the air-tubes is bright red in colour. Much bloody froth escapes on
cutting into the lungs. Numerous small haemorrhages (Tardieu's spots) are
found on the surface and in the substance of the internal organs, as
well as in the skin of the neck and face.

3. =Coma=, or death beginning at the brain, may arise from concussion;
compression; cerebral pressure from haemorrhage and other forms of
apoplexy; blocking of a cerebral artery from embolism; dietetic and
uraemic conditions; and from opium and other narcotic poisons.

The symptoms of this condition are stupor, loss of consciousness, and
stertorous breathing.

The post-mortem signs are congestion of the substance of the brain and
its membranes, with accumulation of the blood in the cavities of the
heart, more on the right side than on the left.

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