Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1855-02-12
fer,m the Na.hviil. Medical Journal
n, ,ta from olaAg,-or Natural Death

III from the Nashviil. Medical journal.
n ps,th FROM Old Az, Or Na.ural Death.
II The following account of death from old
% from the distinguished divine, DR.. A.
p. Green, Of Nashville, will be read with
eat interest by every student of nature
he death Of Aunt Phiiis, as the Doctor
autifully il ustrates it, was truly a "natu-
DEATH for death from disease is not ac-
riding to nature, bu. might truly be class
under the head of accidents, or seas
Niles
4 DR.. Eyg-Dear Sir: promised you that
would furnish you with some of the tacts
knner,cl with the last days OF Aunt Phil
an old negro woman OF mine who died
h. fall. Aunt P,iiIfs was a. the time of
n death. at the lowest estimate, ! II years
and the probability i that sh. was seve-
wears older. For fifty years she has
loved uninterrupted health, and as FAR as
lave been able to learn, size was never
LIZ in her life except at tie birth OF chill
en. For thirty years Other life, ana down
within three years of her death, she did
b seem to undergo the slightest change
her personal appearance, time exercising
k,le influence over her. The first sign OF
(csy was that OF sight, hich took place
)ou, two wears before her death; up 10 that
he she was was in full enjoyment OF her
n.es; and at lOi years would have mar
ID an old negro man of IS il had not OBJ
e,ed Her sight fuiled not in the Usual
! y, but she became near sighted, not being
lie TO see objects at a distance. Soon
Der this her hearing declined, but up to the
be Of her death she could hear better than
PERSONS generally DO. The first indica-
BIZ of mental failure was that of locality,
e not ing able to find her way to neigh
brs house, yet her memory seemed per
Fctin all Other respects. She recollected
er friends and old ucquaihtanecs, but
build not fnd her way to their houses. u
FIRST supposed that this was owingto de
c'ire sight, but on examination found it
hs in the mind. Still her locomotion was
bod-,he had The full use of herself, and
puld walk strong aud quick like young
erson, AND held herself up so straight that
trn walking from me often took her tor
pnc one of the younger servants about the
Femises.
/ tn, next, and To me the most singular
In of decline was that she lost the TAR, -
talking--Rot that she had not strength e.
pugh 10 ~slk, but forgot how to walk
he children would lead her forth and inte-
Pst her for while, and che would get the
)ea which seemed to delight her very much
Adshe would walk abo It the yard and
brches un'il some person would tel her she
ID walked enough-but she would no soon
tnk 10 kos ~ ,.s C..xs. MT
etere all idea Of walking would be gone,
Adshe would have to be taught over again.
length she became unwilling to try to
Palk unless she had hold of something; take
pr BY the arm and she " oud walk and walk
Pell. but inst rs soon as you would let her
3 she would stop, and IL no further aid was
forded her she would get down and crawl
ke child; and at length became so fear
ni tiatshe refused to walk altogether, and
Continued to sit up during the day, but hadto
Z put to bed and takon up like child
ter a while she be came unwilling TO try
N get up, altogether, AMI continued to lie
htl she died. All this time she seemed
70 be in good health, took her regular meals
ma her stomach ami bowels were uniform
IN good condition. often examined her
fae best could, and she had no pains, no
'cKhess, no aches of any kind, and from her
Pwn account, aud from all that was able
T. learn, she was in good health and all the
wi'le in fine spirits. The intellect and the
'nd seemedt to b, perfectly good, only that
ne did not seem to know where she was
IL me time. AT length one of the children
PUG to me that Aunt Phillis was getting
Eola' and on examining her ! found it even
f. The extremites were cold-still she took
cieF regular meals, and did not complain OF
6h!'hlng, aud the only change that | rscol-
P.s' OF was that she slept little more than
Usual The coldncss Increased for two
(a.!s' when she became as cold almots as n
'eaa person. Her breathing began at length
~ shorten, and grew shorter and shorten till
ns ceased to breathe. Death closed in up.
\" neF like going into soft, sweet sleep,
"aa lor two minutes il was difficult to tell
I~nether she was breathing or not. There
I "as no contortion, no struggle. no twisting
AZ tne muscles, but after death she might
|"a'e still been taken on slight examine
s'In TO have been in deep sleep. So pass
Sa away Phillis-the only natural death ]
ever witnessed.
green academy student being required
N