The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-02-28
PHYSICAL PAIN OF DYING.


The act of dying is technically turned
"ihe agony" bnt the pain Of diving must be
distinguished from the pain Of the previous
disease, for when life: ehbe sensibilitv de-
clines. As death il the final extinction Of
corporeai feeling, sonumbness increases as
death comes on. The pros,rnti"n of DIS
ease, like healthful fatigue, engenders n
growing stupor-a sensation of snbsiding
softly into coveted rep"se. The tfansi
iion resembles what NAV be seen in those
l.,fiy mountains. whose sides exhibiting ev
cry climate 10 regular gradation. vegeta-
tion luxmrates at their base and dwindles
in the approach 10 the regions Of snow I'll!
it's feeblest manifestation IS repressed bv
the cold. The so-called agony can never
be more formidable than when the brain is
the last TO GO, and the mind preserves to
The end rational cognizance Of the state
Of the body. Yet persons thus situated
commonly attest thai there are few things
in life less painful than the close. "lf |
bad strength enough 10 hold pen," said
William Hunter, II would write how easy
and delightful il is to die."' "If this be dy-
ing," said the niece Of Newton Of Olney,
alt is a pleasant thing 10 die" "the very
expression" adds her uncle, "which anoth-
or friend Of mine made use Of on her death
bed few years ago." The same words
havo often been uttered under similar cir
cumst ances.
A second aad common condition Of the
diving il to be lost TO themselves and oil
around them in utter unconsciousness.-
Countenance and gestures might in many
cases suggest that however dead 10 the ex-
ternal world, an interior sensibiliiy still re-
mained. But we have evidence Of thosc
whom disease hns LEFT at the eleventh hour,
that while their supposed snffsrings were
pi,icd bysstheir friends, existence was q.
blank. Wherever there is sensibilty, vir-
tual death precedes death itself, and TO die
is tn awake in another world.
The faculties survive, though avsrse 10
even the faintest effort, md they boldly tes-
tify ia languid and broken phrases that the
torpor Of the body more than keeps pnce
with the inertness Of the mind. The same
report is given by those who hive advan-
ced TO the very border Of the country from
whenca no traveller returns. Mon,aigne
after BIZ accident passed for corpse, and
the first feeble indications Of returning life
resemb!ed some of the eommonest symp-
torns nf death. But his own feelings were
those Of man who is droping into the
sweets Of slumber, and his longing was to.
warts blank rest, and not for recovery
"Methoughf," he SAYS, s'my life only hung
upon my lips; and shut my eyes to help
thrust il out, and took pleasure in lar
gushing and letting my.elfgo." In many
Of these instances, in the cases Of stDpe.ac-
,ion, there are appearances which we have
learnt to associate with suffering because
constantly conioined with it,, A cnad per.
spiration bedews the skin, tho breathing is
harsh aud laborod and sometimes csrecial.
ly in delicate frames, death is ushered in
by convulsive movements which look like
the wrestling With an oppressive enemy.
But they are signs Of debility and falling
system which have no relation to pain.
Thers is not any situation in which stoa-
dy minds and sweet dispositions evince a
greater superiority over the hasty and SEN
scal pars ot matkind; ; hut selccontrol adap,s
itself TO the ordinary exigencics Of life, and
il surprised BY evils with which i has not
been accustomed to measure it's strength,
,tas firmest nerve and tho slnniest temper
are overcome by the sudden violence ofthe
assault. Unless tho understanding Is af-
fected, irritabiIity and waywardncss con-
stAntly diminish when experience has
shown the wisdom and duty Of patience,
and there soop springs up, with we:l-order-
ed minds, generous rivalry beswe N sub
mission on the ono lid. and forbearance
on the other. From the hour that sin and
death entered into the world, it was mercy
that disease and decny should enter too.
A sick room is school Of virtue, whether
we are spectators of tho mortality Of our
dearest connections Or are experiencing our