North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-10-25
PREMATURE INTERVIEWS.
RY GEoRGE MATTERsTON.

BY GEORGE wATTERsToN
At the death of Philip Doddridge, an e4 mn I
lawyer of Virginia, who died IN the Guy Vi w asn
ineton while a member of Congress, Twas sCaoe
as reason for retaining his body longer tnah usua
that on former occasion, ne nao Narrowly
the melancholy fate OF oeng curieu d nv rosn;
had fallen into a cataeptic condition.. ms resp
ration had ceased, his pulse no longer throbbed M
Jimbs were perfectly rigid, and his face eNniD!teC
H. sbarn outline of death. The family, physician
and friends all, with the exception OF his WIFE, pc
i;eved him to be dead. Mrs. D., however, "ouiu
not relinqush every hope, and continued 10 aPPiy
from time to time, every remeuy sne =;
ter;no a small quantity of brandy, which lmmedl-
otaIE restored him to life and the command OF his
limbs. He lived many years afterwards, and was
wont to relate, with deep feeling, the painful and
horrible sensations he experienced during the pc
Rod he was supposed to be dead. He SAID that
though he was perfectly unable to move his niger
or give the least sign of being alive he could near
and was conscious Of everything that was going on
arouIid him. He heard the announcement that he
was dead and the lamentations of his family, the
directions for his shroud and all the usual prepare
lions for his burial. He made desperate efforts to
chow that he was not dead, but in vain he could
not move a muscle. Even despair and the imme-
date presence of fate more appalling to human
itv than any other earthly terror could not rouse
the dormant body to perform the slightest OF Its
functions. At last he heard Mrs. Doddrldge call
for the brandy, with delight and rapture of love
for her which the horrors of his situation may ca
siIv explain. He felt that he was safe. He hui
n1ouro1sly observed that was little as brandy
could do to restore him to life, as it had produced
his living death" Mr.. Doddridge was unfortunate
" addicted to the Incorporate use OF ardent splr-
its, and fit of intemperance had, no doubt, pro-
duced the condition from which he was renewed by
the perseverance and love of his wife, who admin
istered at the last moment the powerful stlmulant
which restored him to life. Otherwise his fate
would have been that of many others, who have
been buried before life was extinct.
Another instance of prevention from the horrors
of premature interment occurred IN this country,
and has been related by Mrs Childs in her Letters
from New York 1t is an additional proof of strong
conjuga affection, and of the necessity OF retaining
the body where there remains the least doubt OF the
extinction of life. The uncle of Mrs. Childs was
attacked in Boston with the yellow fever and con-
sidered as dead His affectionate wife, however,
did not abandon all hope, but continued with him
during his Illness contrary to the circumstances OF
her friends, and persisted in refusing to allow his
body to be taken from the house for interment. |
She told me- said Mrs. Childs, :: that she never
knew how to account for it but though he was
perfectly cold and rigid, and to every appearance
quite dead, there powerful impression on her
mind that life not extinct"
Two calls at intervals of half an hour had been
made with the death-carts, to take away the dead
bodies and the constant cry usual on such
occasions " Bring out the dead )" but her earnest /
entreaties and tears induced them reluctantly to
grant her another respite of half an hour. With
trembling haste she renewed her efforts to restore
life. She raised his head, rolled his limbs in hot
flannel, and placed hot onions on his feet. The
dreaded half hour again came round and found
H. vol
her entreaties so desperately that the messengers
began to think that gentle force would be required.
They accordingly attempted to remove the body
against her will, but she threw herself upon it. and
chung to it with such force and strength that they
could not easily loosen her grasp.
At last, by dint of reasoning on the necessity of
the case, she promised that if he should show no
signs of life before they again came round, she {
would make no further opposition to the removal S
Having gained the respite, she hung the watch up
on the bed post and renewed her efforts with double
zeal. She placed kegs of hot water about him, c
forced brandy between his teeth, breathed into his
nostnls, and held hartshorn to his nose but still the
body lay motonless and cold. She looked anxiously
1T the watch in five minutes the promised half c
hour would expire, and those dreadful voices would
be passing through tstreets. Hopelessness came Il
over her she dropped the head she had been sus-
aiming; her hand trembled violently, and the h
neartshorn which she had been holding was spilled v
IN the paid face. Accidentally the position of the s
lead had become slightly inclined backwards, and
he powerful liquid flowed into the nostril In
family there was short, quick gasp-a struggle
rs eyes opened; and when the death men came n
gain, they found him sitting up in the bed. He "
still alive, and has enjoyed unusual good health
Many additional cases are recorded of persons !,
apparently dead who have been so fortunate as to II
scape the horrors of premature interment Among a.
hese IS the case of the elegant Lady RUSSELL that
mentioned by the celebrated Oder of Geneva, and ~
ne by Dr. Crichton physician to the Grand Duke ~
Nicholas, now Emperor of Russia. Lady Russell r
emalned for the space of seven days and nights 4
'lthout any sign of life, and her burial was pre- e.
ented only by the violent grief of her husband. n
IN the eighth day as the parish bells were ringing E
'r church Lady Russell suddenly raised her head, =;
nd to the amazement and indescribable iov of
ord Russell, told him to get ready to-accompany
er TO church. Her recovery rapid and com b,
iete ana she lived many years afterward, and had w
everal children. n,
" knew girl" said Oder, TWENTY-FIVE wears w
Id named Ellen Roy, who narrowly escaped being Of
urled alive. She lived at the distance of two L.
agues from Geneva For some years she had m
cen subject to nervous attacks which frequently n,
epnVed her OF every appearance of life, but af
II the lapse of few hours she would recover
nd resume her occupations as if nothing had .,
aPPened- On one OCCASION however, the suspen- I'll
on OF her faculties was protracted that her W.
lends caled IN medical man, who pronounced If
er DEAD. She was then sewn up in close shroud
ccording to the barbarous custom of the count,
nd laid upon the bedstead. Ammo tbose VIZ '"
allied to eondole with the parents was nartio mo
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