It would appear that the nervous system
is so highly tuned at such times, that it does not respond to
reflex irritations as readily as in the absence of excitement.
Instances of Survival after Cardiac Injuries.--We briefly cite
the principal interesting instances of cardiac injuries in which
death has been delayed for some time, or from which the patient
ultimately recovered.
Pare relates the case of a soldier who received a blow from a
halberd, penetrating the left ventricle, and who walked to the
surgeon's tent to have his wound dressed and then to his own tent
260 yards away. Diemerbroeck mentions two instances of long
survival after cardiac injuries, in one of which the patient ran
60 paces after receiving the wound, had complete composure of
mind, and survived nine days. There is an instance in which a man
ran 400 paces after penetration of the left ventricle, and lived
for five hours. Morand gives an instance of survival for five
days after wound of the right ventricle. Saucerotte speaks of
survival for three days after injury to the heart.
Babington speaks of a case of heart-injury, caused by transfixion
by a bayonet, in which the patient survived nine hours. Other
older cases are as follows: l'Ecluse, seven days; the
Ephemerides, four and six days; Col de Vilars, twelve days;
Marcucci, eighteen days; Bartholinus, five days; Durande, five
days; Boyer, five days; Capelle, twenty six hours; Fahner, eleven
days; Marigues, thirteen days; Morgagni, eight days; la Motte,
twelve hours; Rhodius, Riedlin, two days; Saviard, eleven days;
Sennert, three days; Triller, fourteen days; and Tulpius, two and
fifteen days; and Zittman, eight days.
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