John H. Walker graduated from the University of Michigan School of Medicine in June 1940, and entered the U.S. Army sixteen months later.
Although Fort Lawton had two hospitals, doctors were relatively scarce, and young Captain Walker was named head of three departments: Laboratory, Radiology and Pathology.
The corpse of Guglielmo Olivotto was Walker's thirty-third Army autopsy, and the first homicide.
After the war, Walker became a nationally-known physician and the Chief of Radiology for Seattle's Virginia Mason Hospital.
NOTE: THE TERM "PROSECUTOR" REFERS TO THE PHYSICIAN CONDUCTING THE AUTOPSY AND IS UNRELATED TO ANY LEGAL POSITION OR PROCEEDINGS
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1. STRANGULATION BY HANGING. How incurred undetermined.
Where: from cable attached to tree near West Point, Fort Lawton Staging Area, Fort Lawton, Wash., at approximately 2400 14 August 1944.
2. Abrasions, superficial, mild, anterior surface of thighs and legs; how, where and when incurred as in #1 above.
(See Investigating Officer’s Report)
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM: Unremarkable
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM: Pulmonary edema.
SPLEEN & HEMATOPOLETIC TISSUES: Splenic fibrosis, minimal
GASTROINTESTINAL SYSTEM: Unremarkable
LIVER: Unremarkable
PANCREAS: Unremarkable
GENITOURINARY SYSTEM: Unremarkable
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM: Unremarkable
ENDOCRINE GLANDS: Unremarkable
BONES AND JOINTS: Unremarkable
MISCELLANEOUS:
1. ABRASION, NECK, MARKED.
2. Abrasions, multiple, skin of anterior surface of both lower extremities.
3. Old scar of scalp, right vertex.
4. PLETHORA OF HEAD AND NECK, MARKED.
No admission.
No previous history obtainable.
Date and hour of death: Approximately 2400 on 14 August 1944
HEART: The heart weighs 450 grams. It is relatively the size of the corpse’s clenched fist. The pericardium, myocardium, valve leaflets and endocardium are not remarkable. The coronary arteries are widely patent throughout. Measurements of the valve orifices are as follows: Mitral, 90 mm.; Pulmonary, 55 mm.; Aortic, 65 mm.; Tricuspid, 120 mm. The left ventricular myocardium measures 12 mm. in thickness, and the right 3 mm.
AORTA AND VESSELS: Unremarkable.
SPLEEN: The spleen weighs 300 grams. Its consistency is slightly firmer than normal. The capsule is not thickened. The cut surface is more pale than normal and the markings are distinct and the parenchyma is slightly elevated on cut section. The pulp does not scrape with ease. This is indicative of a mild fibrosis.
LIVER: The liver weighs 1890 grams. The surface is smooth. It is normal in all respects. The gallbladder contains approximately 10 cc. of dark greenish bile. Its structure is unremarkable. The ducts are patent.
PANCREAS: The pancreas weighs 115 grams. It is unremarkable.
ADRENALS: Unremarkable.
GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT: Unremarkable.
GENITOURINARY TRACT: The left kidney weighs 290 grams. It is entirely unremarkable with exception of increased fetal lobulation. The right kidney also weighs 290 grams and is similar in all respects to the left. The ureters are normal. The bladder is not distended. It contains approximately 100 cc. of clear, straw-colored fluid. The mucosa is pale. The wall is not thickened.
SEMINAL VESICLES: Unremarkable.
PROSTATE: Unremarkable.
TESTICLES: Unremarkable.
HEAD: The scalp is unremarkable except for a small 5 cm. healed scar of the right vertex. The calvarium is thin. It shows no localized thickening or erosion. The dura is unremarkable. The blood within the blood sinuses is extremely dark in color. The leptomeninges are unremarkable and there is no apparent increase in the fluid; no exudates. The cerebral vessels are not dilater nor congested.
BRAIN: The brain weighs 1590 grams. The convolutions and sulci are unremarkable. The consistency is normal. The lateral ventricles are not dilated.
CORD: The cord is not removed.
EAR: Unremarkable.
EYE: Not removed.
GENERAL EXAMINATION: The body is that of an adult white male, approximately 70 inches in height, weighing approximately 155 lbs., and appearing approximately 30 years of age. There is no evidence of recent or chronic weight loss. Postmortem rigidity is marked. Postmortem lividity is marked in the area of the entire face, neck and scalp. There is no other postmortem hypostasis. No postmortem decomposition is noted. The hair is abundant, thick and black in color. There is an old healed 5 cm. scar of the scalp at the right side of the vertex. The pupils are round, equal, and slightly dilated, measuring 6 cm. in diameter. There is a deep blue plethora of the skin of the face, scalp and neck. Entirely surrounding the superior portion of the neck is a band-like abrasion measuring 12 mm. in width. This abrasion deeply indents the skin for a depth of 3 to 4 mm. There is no other evidence of identifying scars. Multiple superficial abrasions and scratches are present over the skin of the anterior surface of both thighs and legs. The soles of the feet are covered with dry, dusty dirt. Some dry dirt is contained in the superficial abrasions of the lower extremities. No other evidence of recent or old trauma is visible. The superficial vessels and lymph nodes are not remarkable. External genitalia are of a normal male adult.
PRIMARY INCISION: The usual “Y” type of primary incision is employed. Subcutaneous fat is scarce and measures approximately 2 mm. in thickness over the thorax and 5 mm. over the anterior abdominal wall. The muscles are fairly well developed. The peritoneum is smooth and glistening over all. Omentum and intra-abdominal fat are not remarkable. No adhesions nor fluid are noted. The position and relation of the abdominal viscera are normal. The intra-abdominal and mesenteric lymph nodes are not remarkable. The diaphragm rises to the level of the 4th interspace on the right and the 5th on the left. No pleural fluid is noted. Multiple continuous, dense, pleural adhesions entirely encompassing the right lung, firmly fixing the visceral with the parietal pleura are found. These adhesions are torn with extreme difficulty and require cutting for removal of the right lung. The pericardium is normal. The thymus gland is not enlarged. There is no evidence of hemorrhage. The mediastimun is not remarkable except for multiple anthracotic lymph nodes. The thyroid gland is unremarkable. The parathyroids, larynx and pharyngeal structures are unremarkable.
LUNGS: The left lung weighs 720 grams. It is of normal size. Its consistency is slightly more firm than normal. There are several small adhesions at the extreme apex which are torn with ease. The pleural surface is otherwise smooth. The color is dark purplish blue with dispersed black mottling. The cut surface of each lobe shows normal lung with the exception of increased tissue fluid. There is no evidence of exudates. The bronchi and hilar structures are unremarkable. The lymph nodes are slightly enlarged and contain deposits of anthracotic material. The right lung weighs 780 grams. The visceral and parietal pleura are firmly adhered and cannot be separated. In other respects it is similar to the left.
BONE MARROW: Bone marrow removed from the ribs and sternum is unremarkable.
BONES AND JOINTS: Unremarkable.
MUSCLES: Unremarkable.
BACTERIOLOGIC EXAMINATION: None
CHEMICAL EXAMINATION: None
NOTE: It is the opinion of the Prosecutor, who examined the body shortly after discovery, that death resulted from strangulation by hanging from the neck, the instrument being a rope noose. It is also the opinion that the deceased did not drop from a great height, since there was no evidence of cervical spine fracture or dislocation.
JOHN H. WALKER
Capt., M.C.,
PROSECUTOR
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