Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1851-02-13
How a MAN Feels with his Head Off.

Some of the most eminent physologists of the
present day have lately been argumentlng the very
curious question as to whether man feels after
his head is off And this inquiry is considered by
Its conductors to be of more than physiological in
terest because it involves refined principle of
humanity with regard to the punishment of death
by the guillotine
1t is considered on all sides that the body does
not feel one instant after decapitaton for the brain
being the seat of sensation to the whole frame,
through the medium of the spinal marrow, every
part of the body beneath the joint at which the lat
ter may be divided, must be deprived of feeling
But it by no means follows that the head is deprlv
ed of sensation Immediately after decaptaton, nor
that it may not retain its consciouness, and like
the head of the Irish knight who was killed by
Saladin in the Holy war, get up and declare that
it was never cut off by so sweet scimitar before
nor like that of the assassin Legare, swear round
ly at the executioner for not keeping keener axe;
but it is quite possible that it may be troubled with
very serious reflections upon the irreyocabilty of
its fate, and the awfulness of its deprivation
In support of this unpleasant theory, many facts
are adduced with grave vouchers for their authen-
ticity. Among others, is the unfortunate Queen
of Scots, whose lips continued to move in prayer
for at least quarter of an hour after the execu-
toner had performed his duties Windt states that
having put his mouth to the ear of a decapitated
criminals head, and called him by name, the eye
turned to the side from whence the voice came
and this fact is attested by Fontenello, Mogore
Guillotine, Nauche, and Aldini. On the word
murder being called, in the case of criminal ex-
ecuted for that crime at Cobentz, the halfclosed
eyes opened wide with an expression of reproach
on those who stood around.
This is recorded in the Medical Gazette for A.
pril last; but whether it be believed or not, we see
nothing either in theory or recorded fact to lessen
the physiological possibility of conscience after de-
capitation. In diseases and dislocations ofthe spin
al marrow, the mind remains in full possession oi
its faculties, although all the lower limbs are ut
terly devoid of feeling and at what point of sepa.
ration are we justified in saying that the mind
must lose It's rational powersa If the brain retain
the images of visions, and the form of touch, long
after the objects which create them are withdrawn
why may we not suppose that it retains them aftel
a sudden operation of the axe or guillotine! Like
the thing of an amputated leg which feels its toe
for days, and even weeks after the operation, i
may remain in imaginary possession Of all its cor
poreal members, until the curtains of oblivion are
gathered around its fading vision and sinks to re
!, pose in the chamber of DEATH ~
Il. -.ta -
! j, Fashion an Ne'o- York.-An evening party by
fashionable lady in New York, a few evenings a
go, is estimated to have cost $4,000. There
were present 1900 guests, and the splendor was
almost Monte Christie magnifcence A N. Yorl
paper says of this display of wealthy folly;-'Somc
of the apartments were more gorgeously decorated
than were those prepared by the French. in the