At the autopsy it was found that a foreign body, seven cm. long
had perforated the pericardium, causing a suppurative
pericarditis. Dagron reports a unique instance of death by
purulent infection arising from perforation of the esophagus by a
pin. The patient was a man of forty-two, and, some six weeks
before he presented himself for treatment, before swallowing had
experienced a severe pain low down in the neck. Five days before
admission he had had a severe chill, followed by sweating and
delirium. He died of a supraclavicular abscess on the fifth day;
a black steel pin was found against the esophagus and trachea.
In connection with foreign bodies in the esophagus, it might be
interesting to remark that Ashhurst has collected 129 cases of
esophagotomy for the removal of foreign bodies, resulting in 95
recoveries and 34 deaths. Gaudolphe collected 142 cases with 110
recoveries.
Injuries of the neck are usually inflicted with suicidal intent
or in battle. Cornelius Nepos says that while fighting against
the Lacedemonians, Epaminondas was sensible of having received a
mortal wound, and apprehending that the lance was stopping a
wound in an important vessel, remarked that he would die when it
was withdrawn.
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