Ripper Anatomy Class

[kjab3112]

A well deserved resurrection for a casebook newbie.

Alice did have abdominal wounds but they seem be to described as either "not unduly deep" or "superficial scratches" which I assume is the reasoning for not being included in the C5

[emlodik]

And here's Alice Mackenzie. I Haven't done Frances Cole's injuries yet, but I probably will. I'm afraid Martha Tabram is impossible to even attempt as the descriptions were too vague.

Jane

xxxxx

But didn't Alice Mackenzie also have some cuts/stabs to the abdomen?

[protohistorian]

Thanks Debs! I mention it because the last person seen with Elizabeth Jackson is described as having steel marks. Dave

[Debra A]

Does anyone in the class know what a steel mark on a hand might be? Dave

Oooo, me Sir, me Sir!

The marks left on the arms/hands by carrying out Millstone grinding.
I think there's a well known saying that connects to this occupation too, 'Show your metal'
I haven't time to check my research on this or I would. No doubt someone will google it and post if I'm wrong in the meantime.

[protohistorian]

Does anyone in the class know what a steel mark on a hand might be? Dave

[protohistorian]

This graph appears on page 39 of Poor Women's Lives byAndrew August. It reflects 1881 totals. Dave

[protohistorian]

Working off this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_proportions

Here is what I come up with for victim necks off the ground sans shoes in a vertical position.

Methodology: since the body can be divided into 8 equal parts I have divided the Macnaghten victims heights by 8. This gave a value for each unit of each victim. Since the neck is contained in unit 7 chin to nipples, I have taken the value of 7 units of each victim and subtracted 2/3 of the value of 1 unit. This yields the span between the chin and 2/3 of the way to the nipples, or the neck approximately. ( all units in inches)

Vic height 1 unit 7 units’ neck
M1 62 7.75 54.25 54.25-49.14
M2 60 7.5 52.5 52.5-47.55
M3 66 8.25 57.75 57.75-52.35
M4 60 7.5 52.5-47.55


Dave

[protohistorian]

As far as i can discer they are the same. Celluar structure prohibits a skin only representation, and so requires a sub dermal signature. A faint one is, I SUPECT, a pressure mark. Dave

[Garza]

I believe the modern vernacular is hemetoma. The vicorian nomenclature seems to be a less than defined thing. Dave

Thanks dave but I thought hametoma was bruising, these apparently were not bruises, but pressure marks.

[protohistorian]

I believe the modern vernacular is hemetoma. The vicorian nomenclature seems to be a less than defined thing. Dave

[Garza]

Great thread btw dave!

Out of interest do you have the medical name for the "pressure marks" on Stride's shoulders, I tried to find it but couldn't, they were not bruises. Also wondering if anyone as made a drawing of the area of these pressure marks?

[protohistorian]

whitehall torso

Mary Kelly gets a lot of play as being done wrong, and she was. Why does this victim get no play? Red lines are points of severance. Dave

[protohistorian]

Whitehall limb removal

The first image is a contemporary press clipping showing a rendition of the torso. Of note in this image are the arm stubs.

We now turn to the medical description of arm removal as described by Dr. Bond, "The arms had been removed at the shoulder joints by several incisions, the cuts having apparently been made obliquely from above downwards, and then around the arm."

The next image shows the most efficient path (in blue) with and obligatory deviation (in red) to separate the joint proper.

This selection of paths is based on this comment from Dr. Hibberd,"The arm had apparently been separated after death.
[Coroner]Did the arm seem to have been separated easily? - The operation was performed by a person who knew what he was doing - not by an anatomist, but by a person who knew the joints. "

Dave

[protohistorian]

whitehall lower torso

Described by Dr. Bond as, "The lower limbs and pelvis had been removed, and the four lumbar vertebrae had been sawn through by a series of long, sweeping cuts. " and the image, with the vertebra marked 4 being the 4th Lumbar. Dave

[protohistorian]

Whitehall head severance

Described by Dr. Bond as, "The sixth cervical vertebra had been sawn through in removing the head from the trunk." and the image. Dave