Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1846-02-12
after ten O'Clock. when Doctors D.

after ten O'Clock, when Doctors D
and F. called according to appoint
ment. explained to them, in few words
what designed, and as they opposed nc
objection, saying that the patient was alrea-
dy in the death agony. proceeded with
out hesitation-exchanging, however, the
lateral passes for downward ones, and dl-
recting my gaze entirely into the right eye
of the sufferer.
By this time his pulse was imperceptible
and his breathing was stertorous, and at IN
tervals of half minute.
This condition was nearly unaltered for
quarter of an hour. At the expiration Of
this period, however, natural although very
deep sigh, escaped the bosom of the dying
man, and the stertorous breath ceased-that
is to say, its stertorousness was no longer
apparent; the intervals were undiminished.
The PATIENTS extremities were OF an icy
GOODNESS.
At five minutes before eleven perceived
unequivocal signs of the mesmeric influence.
The CLASSY roll of the eye was exchanged
for that expression of uneasy i1aavard exlmi-
nation which is never seen except in cases
Of sleep-walking, and which it is quite i'm
possible to mistake. With few rapid late
raj passes made the lips culver, as in in
cipient sleep, and with few more closed
them altogether. was not satisfied, how
ever, with this, but continued the manipu-
lations vigorously, and with the fullest ex-
ertion of the will, until had completely
|stfiened the limbs of the slumberer. after
placing them in a seemingly easy position.
The legs were at full length; the arms were
nearly so and reposed upon the bed at a
moderate distance from the loins. The head
was very slightly elevated.
When had accomplished this it was full
ly midnight, and requested the gentlemen
present to examine NJ. Valdemar's condition.
After very few experiments, they admitted
him to be in an unusually perfect state of
mesmeric trance. The curiosity of both the
physicians was greatly excited. DR.. D.
resolved at once to remain with the patient
all night, while DIR. F. took leave with
a!promise to return at day-break. Mr. Il
and the nurses remained.
We left NJ. Yaldemar entirel y undisturbed
until about three O'Clock in the morning,
when approached him and found him in
precisely the same condition as when DIR.
F. went away-that is to say, he lay
in the same position; the pulse was imper-
ceptble; the breathing was gentle Scarcely
noticeable, unless through the application
of mirror TO the lips the eyes were closed
naturally; and the limbs were as rigid and
as cold as marble. Still, the general appear
ance was certainly not that Of death:
As | approached M. Valdemar made a
kind Of half effort to influence his right
arm into pursuit of my own, as passedthe
latter gently to and fro above his person.
In such experiments with this patient |
never perfectly succeeded before, and assur-
edIy had little thought of succeeding now;
but to my establishment, his arm very readi-
ly, although feebly, followed every direc-
ton assigned it with mine. ] determined
to hazard few words of conversation.
ssM. Valdemar,n said, care you asleep?''
He made no answer, but perceived tre-
NOR about the lips, and was thus induced to
repeat the question, again and again. At It's
third repetition, his whole frame was aglta-
ted by very slight shivering, the eye-lids
Enclosed themselves so far as to display a
white line of the ball; the lips moved slug
gishly, and from between them, in barely
audible whisper, issued the words:
"Yes;-asleep now! Do not wake me
let me die sop
here felt the limbs and found them as
rigid as ever. The right arm, as before.
obeyed the direction of my hand. ques-
toned the sleep-waker again:
"Do you still feel pain in the breast, nj
Valdemar?"
The answer now was immediate, but even
less audible than before:
mo pain am dying"
! did not think it advisable to disturb him
further lust then, and nothing more was said
or done until the arrival of DIR. F., who
came little before sunrise, and expressed
Iunbounded astonishment at finding the pa
tient still alive. After feeling the pulse and
applying a mirror to the lips, he requested
me to speak with the sleep-waker again. ]
did SO, saying:
I'M. Valdemar, do you still sleep :"
As before, some minutes elapsed ere a
reply was made; and during the interval the
dying man seemed to be collecting his en-
ergies to speak. At my fourth repetition
of the question, he said, very family, almost
inaudibly:
eyes; still asleep-dying."
1t was now the opinion, or rather the
wish, of the physicians, that M. Valdemar
should be suffered to remain undisturbed in