this distention sometimes happens before death, at other times soon after, and in bodies that are drowned after they lie under water.
Dr. Crell, sworn.—My Lord, it must be reading, as well as a man's own experience, that will make any one a Physician: for without the reading of books in that art, the art itself cannot be attained to: besides, my Lord, I humbly conceive, that in such a difficult case as this, we ought to have a great deference for the reports and opinions of learned men: neither do I see any reason why I should not quote the fathers of my profession in this case, as well as you gentlemen of the long robe quote Coke upon Littleton in others.
- * I shall only insist on what Ambrose Pare relates in
his Chapter of Renunciations. * *
Mr. Harriot (a Naval Surgeon) sworn.—* * When we threw men overboard that were killed, some of them swam and some sunk * * (when a dead body is thrown overboard) I always observed that it did sink. * *
Mr. Bartlet (a Naval Surgeon), sworn.—* * I never saw any bodies float, either of the men that were killed in our ship, or in the ships that have been near us; I have not seen a body on the surface of the water.
We have merely made comparatively short extracts from this trial, as more copious quotations, both of the evidence, and pamphlets subsequently published, would have occupied too great a space. The whole will be found in Howell's State Trials, and is well worthy of the attention of the Medical or Legal reader.
