MUMMY

MUMMY, a dried dead body of a human or animal. The word 'mummy' is Arabic and means 'asphalt.' It came into general use through Byzantine writers; the corresponding Egyptian word is 'sahu.' Mummies are natural and artificial, obtained through embalming (see Embalming of the corpse). Natural mummies are found fairly often in dry sandy soil, deserts, cemeteries, crypts, in the open air, on attics, etc. In sandy deserts, not only individual mummies are found, but sometimes entire caravans of people and animals, buried in sand during a sandstorm and well preserved in a mummified state. In natural mummies, all or almost all internal organs are usually absent; besides the skeleton, the skin, muscles (mainly intermuscular connective tissue), tendons, ligaments, and in places the connective tissue basis of internal organs are preserved. The transformation into a mummy apparently occurs as follows. In the first days after death, with favorable air temperature, putrefaction proceeds extremely quickly _g and soft, loose, blood-rich parenchymatous organs colliquesc, i.e., turn into a liquid mass. The latter, along with blood serum and lymph, accumulates in the lower parts of the corpse and then flows out through rotten, flabby, and in places disintegrated walls of cavities. The fluid that has flowed out is absorbed by dry sand and generally by dry, well-ventilated soil. As a result of the outflow from the corpse of serum and liquefied internal organs, it loses a significant part of the liquid contained in it and becomes drier. A corpse containing only a small amount of water is an environment little suitable for the vital activity of putrefaction bacteria that cause decay. The latter slows down or stops, and the corpse, with high t° and dry air, begins to dry out quickly and after a short time becomes completely mummified (Minakov). Besides soil, climate, degree of ventilation, individual peculiarities of the corpse are also of importance in the formation of mummies. Immature fruits, corpses of lean, anemic persons more often undergo mummification. Under favorable external conditions, fruits can undergo mummification in two to three weeks, and adult corpses in approximately three months. In some cases, the so-called relics are actual mummies, and their occurrence is explained by the above-mentioned causes. The Christian religion widely used the phenomenon of the transformation of a corpse into a mummy for the purpose of deception and exploitation of the masses of believers. Numerous studies of 'relics' have shown, however, that they often consist only of individual bones with all the postmortem changes characteristic of bones. In addition, many cases of the complete absence of any remains and their replacement by the most diverse objects having no relation to skeletal remains have been discovered (for example: crushed brick, cotton wool, women's stockings and other objects). Using the circumstance that the masses of believers could not check the contents of the reliquaries, the clergy organized pilgrimages to the 'relics.'

Z. Morgenstern. MUMMY FEVER. Streptococcus pyogenes tropica purulenta acuta, pyomyositis tropica, a febrile disease of tropical countries with rheumatoid pains and b. or m. high t°, leading in prolonged fever to the formation of abscesses in the muscles. The etiology of M. fever has not yet been sufficiently clarified; some (Appel) consider it to be sporotrichosis, other researchers - pasteurellosis. The staphylococcal theory has significantly more supporters. Stevenel found tetragen-like cocci; Steenis, besides staphylococci, found cocco-bacilli. M. fever is widespread mainly in hot countries: in various places in tropical Africa (Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Uganda, etc.), in the Dutch East Indies, on the Samoa Islands, in Tonkin, on the West Caroline Islands, on the Fiji Islands and in Brazil. There are no statistical data on the prevalence of this disease in the above-mentioned places. - Pathological anatomy has been studied by Appel. In the striated muscles, fatty degeneration is observed, as well as cellular infiltrates in the perimisium; later a granuloma forms, which can become purulent. In the pus, Staphylococcus pyogenes albus is often found. Cases of acute myositis are observed, which pass without the formation of abscesses. - The course of the disease is variable. Trauma often precedes the development of the disease. In typical cases, rapidly increasing high fever appears with pains in the neck, muscles of the trunk and limbs, with weakness. The tongue is coated; there are vomiting, and sometimes constipation; bronchitis with shortness of breath, pleurisy, endo- and pericarditis. The spleen is not enlarged, but in it, as in other organs, the same changes were observed as in the muscles. The fever is of the remittent type. At the end of the first week of the febrile state, small spindle-shaped infiltrates are palpated in the depths of the painful striated muscles, which very quickly become purulent; they almost always contain staphylococci, and in old abscesses also diplococci, which are differently colored according to Gram. With prolonged course of the disease for several months, new abscesses form. The localization of abscesses is mainly large muscles, gluteal muscles, calf muscles, thigh extensors; extremely rarely m. ilio-psoas, where chronic abscesses form. - Diagnosis is based on the course of the disease, on deep muscle pains and, when necessary, on trial puncture. - The prognosis is usually good - it depends on the localization of abscesses and concomitant diseases. - Treatment is symptomatic; in mild cases, spontaneous resolution of the focus can be expected; with rapid growth of the abscess, surgical intervention is required. Small abscesses heal quickly after incision, which cannot be said of old ones with thickened walls (Appel). Of medicinal agents, colloidal silver and gold, according to Hager's Salvarsan, Trypaflavin were recommended. Staphylococcal vaccines and serums often proved useless, while potassium iodide was used with good results.