New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-02-03
DEATH FROM OLD AGE.
From The Na.Arlls Medical Joural.

From The NGsArLs Medical Journal
The following account of death from old age, By
the distip guished divine, DIR. A. l.. T.. Green, OF
Nashville will be read with great interest by evcry
STUDENT of nature. The death of Auat Philis as tho
doctor beautifully expresses IL, was truly natural
"deatb," for death fro disea,e is not according to
nature bur might truly he csssed under the bead OF
"accidepts or Casualties
DR. EyE-Deor SIR: promised you that would
furnish YOU with some of the ia It's connected with
the last DAYS of Aunt Phils, old negro woman Of
nine who died Last fall Aunt Philis was at the nma
of her death, at the lowest estimate, Ill years old.
ard the probability is that she wat several years
older. For 80 years she has enjoyed uninterrupted
heath 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 wears OF her death che did not seem 10
undergo the slightest change in her appearance-nme
exercising but little power over her, The hrst sign
OF decay was that of sight, which took place ABOUT
three years before her death up to that time sne was
IN the full OF all her senses and at lo years
not objected. Her sight failed not Ia tho
usual way but she became sighted,
not being able to objects at distance.
Soon after this her hearing declined, but up 70
the time of her death she could hear better than Old
persons generally do. Tho fret indication OF mental
failure was that of locality she not being able to ma
her way to a neighbours house, yet her memory
seemed perfect in all other respects. She recolsced
her friends and old acquaintance but could not ind
her ay to their houses a. first supposed that this
was owing to defective sight, but on examination
found il in tho mind. Stlll her locomotion WA
rood che had the full OF herself and could walk
Strong and quick like young person, and held her
seN M so stra sht that, when walking from me,
often took her for OF the younger servants about
the Or, misses. The next and to me the most singular
sign of decline was that che los, the art OF walking
not that .be bad not strength enough TO walk, but
forgot h ov TO wax. The children would lead her
forth ard interest her for while and she would gee
the des which seemed 10 delight her very mucn ana
sbe would walk about the yard and porches until
some person would tell her che had walked
enough--but she would no sooner take her
seat ard eft for few moments, before all
idea of waking would be gone, and she would nave
10 lie taught over again. AT length she became I'M
willing to try to walk unless she had hold OF some
thing; take her by the arm and she would walk, and
walk well, but just az coon as you would let her go
she would stop further aid was afforded her
she would get down aud crawl like u child and AZ
length be came fearful that she refused to walk al
together ard continued to cit up during the day, but
mad 10 be- put to bed aud taken up like chId. After
a while she became unwilling TO get up altogether,
ard continued TO lie until she died. All this time she
seen ed 20 be in good health took her regular meals
and her stomach and bowels were uniformly Ia good
condition. | often examined her the best could,
ard che had no pains, sickness, no aches Of any
kind, end from her own account ana from all tnat
able to learn she was in good health and all the
while In fine spirits. The intellect and the mind
seemed 70 be perfectly good only that she did not
seem 10 know where she was all the time.
At length Of the children said to me that Aunt
Philis was getting cold, and on examining her i
foubd /, even so the extrejties coldstill she
iook her regular meals and did not complain OF any
thing; and the only change that recollec. OF was
hat The slept little more than usual. The coldness
increased fer two days when she became a. cold al.
most as a dead person. Her breathing began st
length 10 shorten, and grew shorter and shorter an
DE ceased to breathe Death closed in upon her ike
going into SOFT sweet sleep. and for two minutes It
Vas difficult % tell whether she breathing or not
There was no contOrtiOn no struggle, no twisting OF
he ousces but after death she might nave Sui neen
taken on q slight examination, to have been IN q
deep sleep. So passed away Philis-the only natural
1esih ever witnessed.