Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-02-02
Death from Old Age---Or Nat
ural Death.

ural Death.
Prom the Nashville Medical Journal.
The following account Of death from old |
a re. by the distinguished divine. DR.. A. L. |
p. Green Of Nashville, will be read with
great interest by every student OF nature --
The death of Aunt phillis, as the doctor
beautifully expresses It, was truly a natur-
a. DEATH" for death from disease is not ac-
cordng to nature, but might truly be class.
ed under the head oi''accidcnts" or casual
lies.n
DR 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 phills 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 fifty years she has
enjoyed uninterrupted health, and as far as
have been able TO learn, she was never
sick in her life except ut the birth Of her
children. For thirty years of her life, and
down to within three years of her death, she
did moi seem to undergo the slightes, change
in her appearance, time exercising little
power over her. The first sign of decay
was that Of sight which took place about
three years before her death up to that
time she was in the full enjoyment ofall her
senses. and at l0i years would have married.
an old negro man of Is If ! had not object
ed. Her sight failed not in the usual way,
but she became near-sign,ed, not being able
to see objects at distance. Soon after this,
her hearing declined, but up to the time uf
her death she could hear better than old
persons generally DO. The first indication
,.f t..a,,f,t fail r. efa
not being able TO find her way to neigh
bor's house, yet her memory seemed perfect
IN all other respects. be recullocted her
friends and old acquaintance, bu, could not
find her way to their houses | at first sup
posed this was owing to defective sight, but
on examination found 1t was in the mind
Still her locomoiion was gJpd-sho 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 one of the
younger servants about the premises. Tho
next, and to me the most singular sign Of
decline was that she lost the art Of walking,
not that she had not strength enough to
walk. but forgot how to walk. The children
would lead her forth and interest her for
while, aud she would get the idea which
seemed to delight her very much, and she
would walk abou! the yard and porches un.
al some person would tell her she had walk
cd enough-but she wonl ~ sooner take
her seat and sit for few moments, before
all idea Of walking would be gone, and she
would have % be taught over again. At
length she became unwilling to try to walk
unless she had hold Of something; take her
by the arm aud she would walk. and walk
well, but Just MS soon as YOU would let her
20 she wcull stop, and il no further aid was
afforded her she would get down and crawl
ike a child AMI at length became 80 fear
ful that she refused to walk altogether, aud
continued t5@st mp during the day, bot had
to be put to bed and taken up like child
After a while she became unwilling TO try
TO get up altogether. aud continued 10 lie
until she died. All this time she seemed in
20 d healh. took her regular meals, and her
stomach aud bowels were uuilormly in good
condition | often examined her the best
coul d, and she had no pains, no sickness, no
aches OF any kind, and from her own sc-
count and from all that was able To learn
she was IN good health and all The while in
fine spirits. The intellect and tie mind
seemed to be perfectly good, only that she
did not seem 10 know where she was all the
time. At length one OF The children said to
me that Aunt Philis was getting cold, and
on examining her | found it even go; the
eXrcmties were cold still she took her
regular meals, and did not complain OF any
thing, and the only change that recollecl
Of was that she slept a little more than usu-
al. The GOODNESS increased for two days.
when she became MS cold almost as a dead
person. Her breathing began Mt length to
shoiten, and grew shorter and shorter till
( she ceased to breathe. Death closed IN up
on her Ike going into soft, sweet sleep,
and for two minutes 1t was difficult to tell
was no cintnruon, no Struggle, 10 twisting
Of the muscles, bit alter death she might
have stlll been taken on slight exam
inaton TO have been in IL deep sleep. :,
passed away phIlls-iho only natural dea!a
ever witnessed.