Lincoln's 1865 Autopsy Report and Death Certificate

[maharba]

Thanks Eva for posting the autopsy material on Abraham Lincoln. And the
internal links to RJN sites do work for me. Many others don't, my old system is dialup, still it pulls in many sites for me. And I appreciate the information on the 'swollen right hand of Lincoln" at the time of the 1860 plaster cast mould done. So far, the only non-head physical reference in the Woodward autopsy was that Lincoln appeared to be in fairly good condition. I also reread all the posts in this thread, and looked back at what I could on the open net, and then I referenced some of my scrapbook material.

So what about my question or information Lincoln right hand was greatly swollen on the night he was executed. I see this a few times, with slight variations, in old newspaper clippings and the source is the Reverend Noyes W. Miner. Apparently Rev N.W.Miner began delivering 'reminiscences of Lincoln' in a few lectures from about 1872-1882. Did he publish a book or a tract on the 'personal reminiscences'? I don't know. And Noyes Miner likely got his information on this topic from Mary Todd Lincoln (if any of this ever took place, at all). But the Reverend says that on that day of April 14 1865 it had been a long day of congratulatory handshaking, his
right hand was very sore and swollen, his right arm almost lame. And in one clipping, either the Reverend or someone else expanded on that (swollen hand) to say that this was noted by the folks who attended to Lincoln --either in his final illness or his autopsy. The right hand very noticeably larger than the left, from the swelling. But, thanks to the information provided by helpful folks here, I can say that I do not see that is noted in any of the autopsy material, at all.

Did Lincoln really ever know a Rev N.W.Miner or ever invite him to the White House, did Mary Todd Lincoln ever even speak to a Reverend Miner or tell Miner the intimate details of the day and night of the assassination? Or, is that only more of the examples of folks coming forward long after the fact and claiming they were friends with Lincoln? That...I do not know.