omenon is gradual, so that if a body
is left in one position for a few
hours, and later turned to a new
position, the discoloration will be
evident in both postures, telling the
investigators that the body was
moved.

In the examination of suspects for
blood stains, a mere cursory search
of the clothing is insufficient for a
thorough inspection. The suspect's
hair, shoe strings, and eyelets in the
shoes, necktie, seams of all clothing,
garments worn next to the skin, and
so on should be carefully examined,
if possible by an ultra violet light.

In cases of death by burning,
sometimes there is a doubt in the
mind of the investigator, whether
the person died as the result of an
accidental fire, or whether the victim
was murdered and the fire set to cover
up the crime. Here again blood
plays an important part, for if the
body is not too badly burned to
leave fluid blood, the pathologist
can determine whether there is any
carbon monoxide in the blood. It is
well known that this gas is a prod-
uct of combustion and is present at
all fires. It is lethal and will kill
more rapidly than the fire itself. So
if the person is alive when the fire
burned down the premises, whether
the victim is conscious or uncons-
cious, he will be breathing air laden

with CO, and the presence of this
om

Salute !

TO A SPLENDID FORCE

(PSI OROWYS:

PASS COAL G@;

LIMITED

FERNIE, BRITISH COLUMBIA

Page Fifty

gas in the blood will prove the vic-
tim alive when the fire occurred.
However, if there is no CO in the
blood, then it is an indication that
the person was not breathing, and
therefore dead before the fire started.

We have mentioned before that
blood can supply information in
cases of suspected foul play when the
victim is apparently drowned. ‘The
question that faces the investigator
is, “‘Was the person already dead
when he or she entered the water?”
Dr. Gettler, of New York City, dis-
covered a technique of great value
in determining whether a person was
still alive when immersed. The liv-
ing person, whether conscious or
unconscious, continues to breathe
under water and inhales large quan-
tities of fluid. The fluid naturally
goes to the lungs and there is taken
up by the blood. The technique is
to remove about 10 cubic centimeters
of blood from both the right and
left ventricle of the heart. Blood nor-
mally has sodium and other chlor-
ides. The dilution of the chlorides
in the left ventricle compared with
the chloride content of the right ven-
tricle, would suggest that the victim
had inhaled fresh water thereby di-
luting the blood coming into the
heart. On the other hand, if there
is a greater chloride content on the
left side than in the right ventricle,
the indication naturally would fol-

Two Surgeons
Cut Out the
Crime Cells

Two surgeons op-
erated on the brain
of Charles Hinkley,
25, accused of pass-
ing forged cheques
in Miami, Florida.

Afterwards they
announced: ‘‘The
Operation to rid his
mind of criminal
tendencies was a
complete success.

NEST

“But for a time
he will have the
outlook of a baby,
may even ask per-
mission before do-
ing such simple
things as smoking
a cigarette or hay-
ing a drink.”’

The surgeons said
that in a few weeks
Hinkley would ap-
pear much as he did
before the operation
but would have to
be re-educated.

low that the person was drowned in
salt water, thereby increasing the
chloride content of the blood enter-
ing the heart. Further research on
this subject shows that the magne-
sium content of the blood is a more
reliable indicator when dealing with
bodies immersed in sea water.

ALCOHOL

In cases where alcohol is involved,
the blood will furnish very reliable
information on the degree of intoxj-
cation. Let us say that a man has
been struck down by an automobile,
and the driver of the car says that
the victim staggered out from the
sidewalk right in front of the car
without affording the driver any op-
portunity of stopping. A sample of
the dead man’s blood taken prompt-
ly will probably indicate the degree
of intoxication present. The conduct
of the imbiber is affected by alcohol
being transmitted through the blood
to the spinal cord and the brain. The
rapidity with which it is absorbed
by the blood stream is shown by
producing an effect within a matter
of ten or fifteen minutes. The hu-
man body, on an average. is capable
of metabolozing, or using up, 10
cubic centimeters of alcohol an hour.
However, alcohol has a cumulative
effect, and more or less “‘piles up’’ in
the human system. The authorities
are agreed that the following table is
representative of the degree of in-
toxication in average individuals
with a given percentage of alcohol
in the blood:

Percentage in

Blood: Behavior Reactions
0.0 -0.11 SUB-CLINICAL. Nor-
mal by ordinary obser-
vation. Slight changes
detectable by special
tests.
0.09-0.22 EMOTIONAL ST A-

BILITY. Decreased in-
hibitions. Slight mus-
cular inco-ordination.
slowing of responses to
stimuli.

IEJe Isle a ILE NC

JEWELER - WATCH REPAIRS
Fernie, B.C.

TRITES-WOOD CO. LTD.

K. N. STEWART, Managing-Director

Department Store
FERNIE, BRITISH COLUMBIA

THE SHOULDER STRAP