Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1837-07-26
Extraordinary Case of Death, and suspended
Animation.

OdinIorc, delaware county, OF TINS Stdc, was pass
ing out of his yard, on his wagon drawn by two
horses, on Friday week last about half past six in the
afternoon Py some accident he fell from the wagon
between the fore and hind wheels The hind wheel
struck the back of his neck but he did not feel Sc
verely at the moment He got up, shut the gate and
remounted his wagon again. At this momen, he fell
back and swooned away Having been observed in
this situation by some Of his family, he was taken
from the wagon and conveyed into the house As he
appeared 10 be insensble physician was sent for
In some time, his consciousness returned slowly. He
recognised every friend present-and gave an account
of the accident that had befailen him. While talking
in this way, he asked
Where my arms! Can you tell me where
, are my arms? ?"
His friends and the physician thought, and very
naturally SO, that he derous. Yet he conversed
senslby on every topic, frequently however, making
the inquiry
"Where my arms ? where are my arms? 7"
He was shown his arms, which were laying by his
side.
81 do not feel as if had them" said he.
From Friday evening, he continued in this state
ill Sunday week last At half past nne on that
morning, he died, leaving highly respectable family
dsconsola,e for his loss.
the spinal marrow, which runs near the surface, on
the back of the neck, separated. His heart beat
all the time he was living but pulse detected
in any of his limbs, except slight one in Of his
fact
From the new discoveries in electrical science, it is
now believed that the fluid generated in the brain
which is a galvanc battery, is the great agent of
life and motion. The spinal marrow is the great
ducor from the brain, throughout the system, the
nerves smaller conductors When Mr. Bars spinal
marrow was broken, the phenomena that we have
related was produced. His head only was alve-all
communication between that and the body being cut
off. Hence the very natural enquiry, "where are
my hands-where my hands z"
But in order to understand the ofthese singu
lar phenomena is necessary to 60 into expa-
nation of the physiology Of the human system. The
body is indeed composed Of two entire and perfect
systems, intimately connected, and each necessary
to the prolonged existence Of the other but either of
which ma exist for limited time, while the other is
suspended.
One is called the system of vegetatve life, and IS de-
pendent upon the nervous ganga about the region of
the heart and stomach. BY heinuence of these all the
nsensibe processes of nature are carried on-such as
digestion, naturalization, circulation, the growth and
nutriment of every part Of the body, and in part the
process of respiration All these important functions
are carried on Independent of the will and without
sensation making perfect system of vegetatve life
The BRAIN the great organ Of sensation, thought and
voluntary motion, with the nervous system connect
ed with it, rsake system of animal, sensitive life,
superadded to the former and bots acting together,
form the perfect system. There cases where chill
dren otherwise of perfect formation, are born with
any brain, and even exist for several days. There
are also cases related where the body has existed,
and all its involuntary functions carried on with per-
feet regularity where the brain and nerves dependent
upon il, have had their action destroyed by compress
sion, and even by disease.
| The spinal marrow IS busdle Of nerves coming
from the BRAIN and distributed through every part of
the SYSTEM These are of three kinds-the nerves OF
sensation, which have the power of conveying pain
or pleasure TO the bran-the Of voluntary mo-
! ton. which excite The muscles to perform whatever
the intellect Dictates and as Sir Charles Bell has de-
monsrated, a third SET whose office is to convey to
the sensorium a sensation OF notion a conscious
ness of The position of the limbs and muscles.
In the case above detailed all the nerves Of the SPIT
nal column appear TO have been separated, or so COM
pressed as to destroy their action or course all the
voluntary and sensible functions of the system were
suspended below the point of separation, while the
patient had perfect command of his intellectual ia
culties and the muscles of his face and throat. tie
conversed scnsibly, but was utterly unconscious Of
the existence Of his lower exremi,ies. II must also
be noted that the action ofthe lungs is partly invoun-
tary and partly dependent upon the will. The great
sympathetic nerve connects the brain with the ner-
vous gangla Of the chest and lungs and the action
of this, which does not appear to have been injured
may have kept up respiration sufficiently for the pur
pose Of conversation.
There is another curious idea connected with this
subject II has been repeatedly asserted, and many
circumstances are brought prove that thosght and
consciousness remain in the brain after decapta-
ten. This fact goes to favor that hypothesis. When
the terrible gullotn was daily and nightly at work.
in the reign Of terror, circumstances Of this kind mo.
tons of the eyes, the lips and expressions Of the fea
lures, constantly observed. 1t is even probable
that in Of violent death, the brain retains
its consciousness long after the body has stiened-
We have records of cases Of suspended animation,
where persons, though presenting all the outward
phenomena DEATH have retained perfect conscious
of all that was passing and have afterwards de-
scrbed their feelings and sensations 1t is even posi-
ble-nay, it is probabe-ihat in cases where the BIO.
dies of convics used Immediately after execution
for galvanc experiments and the nervous or palya-