Judge Lynch of the
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court argued that death by dehydration symptoms was "cruel and violent" in his opinion on this case because such a death involved: • The mouth would dry out and become caked or coated with thick material. • The lips would become parched and cracked. • The tongue would swell, and might crack. • The eyes would recede back into their orbits and the cheeks would become hollow. • The lining of the nose might crack and cause the nose to bleed. • The skin would hang loose on the body and become dry and scaly. • The urine would become highly concentrated, leading to burning of the bladder. • The lining of the stomach would dry out and the sufferer would experience dry heaves and vomiting. • The body temperature would become very high. • The brain cells would dry out, causing convulsions. • The respiratory tract would dry out, and the thick secretions that would result could plug the lungs and cause death. • At some point within five days to three weeks, the major organs, including the lungs, heart, and brain, would give out and the patient would die. ==See also==