St. Clair County Obits

MRS. L.L. DAVIDSON

Osceola Sun
10 June 1880
By request of relatives of the late Mrs. Davidson, formerly of this place, Dr. E. Parker called to inspect the body at her father’s residence, and the following is a copy of his written opinion, which seemed to satisfied those interested:
1. That the present condition of the body of Mrs. L.L. Davidson as well as the mode of death on June 4th, was probably occasioned by a paralysis of the lungs or collapse, together with a weakened state of the heart, producing death by congestion.
2. As to symptoms of poisoning, they are too slight from external appearances to base a positive opinion.
3. Some poisons can produce a sudden death, but not more sudden than from the above described mode, and might have been accidentally and innocently taken.
4. As to any premeditated violence of course I could not say, not knowing the circumstances or surroundings before or at the time of decease; but individually would have to believe Mr. Davidson innocent.
5. The action of the jury on the inquest will have to stand in the case. “A professional can ascribe the cause of a sudden death to various abnormal changes, generally of an organic character, as, likely in this case, there was disease of the left side of the heart, whereby the blood was impeded in its return from the lungs, causing pulmonary apoplexy, or, another term, apnea (privation of breath), which latter case would account for the continued pulsations after all other signs had ceased. Either of these conditions or terminations predisposed according to the peculiar diathesis of the person, as scorbutic, rheumatic or phthisical. Also, the rupture of an annuerism would likely have produced the phenomena described in this case. The rapid decomposition, etc., of a body is much modified by the state of the weather, being rapid in warm weather, and especially so when the blood of the person is poor and vitiated.”