Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1836-06-10
A DEATHS HEAD.

|
stance, of the following auecdote, as
we had it from the lips OF the gentle.
man concerned, who was then and is
now an eminent physician, not given
to the marvellous hot addicted even
10 the embellishments Of facts.
1t will be recOllected that in the
summer of 1923, the Yellow Fever ap
peared in Nachez and its vicinity in
its most terrific rnaliguity. The last
stage Of this disease is almost invaria-
lily attended with delirium, during
which, we can speak from expert.
ence, the patient, sometimes at least,
suffers all that we can conceive Of the
torments oft damned-hot SO much
from the consciousness of bodily pain,
but from the burning fever ofthe brain
which coniures up scenes theniost hor
ribIe.
1t was a case like this, at the hospi
tai. 10 which the medical aid of DR.
-----z-was called in requisllon. BE.
fore he arrived, however, the individ
ual was dead. He had died, like ma
ny others during the panic usually al
tending this terrible destroyer, with
out the attendance even of nurse,
From the distorted appearance Of the
face, the mouth and eyes widely dis
tended like those Of maniac, it was
evident that the disease {only Of six
or seven hours duration, had been of
the most malignant type, and had ter.
minated with high stage of inRama'
tion of the brain. The Doctor then
young in practice, and who has since
spared no exertion in collecting pro.
Eessional information, commenced at
once an examination Of The body. BE.
fore he had concluded the dissection,
however, his services were REQUIRED
at the house Of a planter near Nat
chez. Determined to examine the
brain Of The subject, the DR., severed
The head from The trunk, enveloped il
in his handkerchief and took it with
him. 1t was now dark, and as he ap-
preached the house Of his patient, he
was at loss to determine what 10 do
with the head. His eye at length
was attracted by a hen-coop in the
yard, and there he made The deposits
Not many minutes had elapsed, be-
fore another messenger arrived 10 beg
his immediate aid In another direc'
tion. The doctor leaving lie house
with much haste, and being naturally
a little distracted, forgot the head.
The next morning. however; the
, DR.. on visiting the patient, was dis.
covered by one oflhe Nervants, some
what superstitlodsIy beeplns into the
hen coop aforesaid. This led OF course
10 an inquiry for The "bdhdle," which
the DIR. stated he had deposited there
the night before, and that it had been
removedG The negro, smiling signif
cantly at the idea that The DR.. had
made free with his masters hen. coop,
replied that he knew nothing Of The
bundle, but added that two turkeys
had been stolen The night before and
so it turned Outs The same day the
''bundle," and the turkeys were found
side by side in the corner ola fence
about quarter of a mile from the
house. In consequence Of rain a few
hours before the robbery Of the coop;
the ground was soft, and The negro
, concerned in the theft was easily track
ed 10 neighbOring plantation. Elm
quiry being Immediately made in re,
3 ation to the circumstances the negro,
, not yet having recovered from his
fright, came forward and confessed
himself The thief, It appears, that in
taking lhe turkeys, he added The
| "bundle," in question to the pIdnder,
but had not proceeded far before his
E curiosity induced him 10 ascertain its
/; contents. Tying the legs of the tdr'
/ keys togethet he laid them upon the
. ground, and seating himself he COM
/ menced The examination! He threw
open the folds of the handkerchief
] the head stood erect upon the stump
r of the neck and The moon just then
: breaking from the clouds, revealed ia
e the almost petrified negro the ghastly
3 countenance as if still struggling in the
I last dgonieS Of death, TIE negro; in
I describing his tetrorS, said, all he
$ could recolIecl Of the moment was,
Y that he though, the devil had thrus
i his head up through the earth--'tha
d he distinctly saw fire and smelt brim'
. stone. And he thinks so 10 this day