The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1855-03-01
from tie NGslviIIe Medical Journal.
MI E,.nr,, I,Id hnn

4
Death from Old Age.
The following account of death from
old age, by the distinguished divine, DIR.
: A. L. z. Green, of Nashville, will be read
with great interest by every student of
nature. The death of Aunt Philis, as the
doctor beautifully expresses it, was truly
a .'natural death, for death from disease
/ is not according to nature, but might tru-
Iy be classed under the head of "accl-
dents" or casualties :"
DIR. EvE-Dear Sir | promised you
that would furnish you with some of the
facts connected with the last days of Aunt
Philis, an old negro woman of mine, who
died last fall. Aunt Philis was at the
time of her death, at the lowest estimate,
III years old, and the probability is that
she was several years older. For 80 years
she has enjoyed uninterrupted health, and,
as far as | have been able to learn, she
was never sick in her life, except at the
birth Of her children. For thirty years
of her life, and down to within three years
I Of her death, she did not seem to under
90 the slightest change in her appearance
time exercising but little power over
her. The first sign of decay was that
of sight, which took place about three
years before her death; up tc that time
she was in tie full enjoyment of all her
senses; and at l04 years would have mar
ried an old negro man of IS if L had not
objected. Her sight failed not in the usu
al way, but she became near-sighted, not
being able to see objects at distance
Soon after this her hearing declined, but
up to the time of her death she could hear
better than old persons generally do. The
first indication OF mental failure was that
of locality, she not being able to find her
way to a neighbor's house; yet her men,
ory seemed perfect in all other respects.
She recollected her friends and old ac-
quaintances, but could not find her way
to their houses. at first supposed that
this was owing to defective sight, but on
examination found it was in the mind
Still her locomotion was good; she had
the full use Of herself, and could walk
strong and quick like young person, and
held herself up so straight that, when
walking from me, often took her for
some of the younger servants about the
premises. The next, and to ME the most
singular sign of decline was, that she lost
the art of walking-not that she bad not
strength enough to walk, but forgot how
to walk. The children would lead her
forth and interest her for while, and
she would get the idea, which seemed to
delight her very much, and she would
walk about the yard and porches until
some person would tell her she had walk
ed enough-but she would no sooner take
her seat, and sit for few moments, be-
fore all idea of walking would be gone,
and she would have to be taught over a.
gain. At length she became unwilling
to try to walk unless she had hold OF
something; take her by the arm and she
would walk, and walk well, but just as
soon as you would let her 90 she would
stop. and if no further aid was afforded
her she would get down and crawl ike a
child; aud at length became SO fearful
that she refused to walk altogether, and
continued to sit up during the day, but
had to be put to bed and taken up like a
child. After while she became unwil-
ling to get up altogether, and continued to
lie until she died All this time she
seemed to be in good health, took her reg
f ular meals, and her stomach aud bowels
were uniformly in good condition. | Of
ten examined her the best [ could, and
she had no pains, no sickness, no aches oi
any kind, and from her own account, and
from all that | was able to learn, she was
in good health and al the while in fine
spirits The intellect and the mind seemed
: to be perfectly good, only that she did
: not seem to know where she was at the
: time.
At length one Of the children said tc
me that Aunt Pbilis was getting cold, and
on examining her fonnd it even SO ; the
extremities were cold-still she took he,
regular meals, and did not complain O.
anything; and the only change that | re-
collect of was that she slept little more
than usual. The coldness increased fol
two days, when she became as cold al
: most as a dead person. Her breathing
: began at length to shorten, and grew shor
: ter till she ceased to breathe. Deatl
y closed in upon her like going into soft
q sweet sleep, and for two minutes 1t was
difficult to tell whether she was breathing
or not There was 10 contortion, nt
struggle, DO twisting of he muscles, bu
after death she might have still been ia
ken, on slight examination, to have beei
in deep sleep. So passed away Philii
: the only natural death lever witnessed
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