Parrot has observed a child who died by the
penetration of chyme into the air-passages. The bronchial mucous
and underlying membrane were already in a process of digestion.
Behrend, Piegu, and others cite analogous instances.
The presence of a foreign body in the larynx is at all times the
cause of distressing symptoms, and, sometimes, a substance of the
smallest size will cause death. There is a curious accident
recorded that happened to a young man of twenty-three, who was
anesthetized in order to extract a tooth. A cork had been placed
between the teeth to keep the mouth open. The tooth was extracted
but slipped from the forceps, and, together with the cork, fell
into the pharynx. The tooth was ejected in an effort at vomiting,
but the cork entered the larynx, and, after violent struggles,
asphyxiation caused death in an hour. The autopsy demonstrated
the presence of the cork in the larynx. A somewhat analogous
case, though not ending fatally, was reported by Hertz of a woman
of twenty-six, who was anesthetized for the extraction of the
right second inferior molar. The crown broke off during the
operation, and immediately after the extraction she had a fit of
coughing. About fifteen days later she experienced pain in the
lungs.
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