Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-08-12

Tho Dead Alivs.--A Very Singular Case.
We eondesss the following particulars from the
February number Of the London Lancet:
Miss Amelia Hinks. aged - years. bad been
complaining for time Of great lassitude cough
and L.ss II appetite. She gradually grew worse.
md finally refused both iood and medicine. IIer
f.iesis continued 10 watch her night after night.
hourly expecting her death. and on the 18Th Of
octol er she did apparently die. She groaned
heavily, waved her hand. (which was a promised
sign for her mother 10 know that the hour II her
departure had coms.) turned her head q little to
the light. dropped her jaw, and died rs We
thought.
She was now washed and duly at.irci in grave
linen; ihe NV was tied in . handkerchief, the
arms crossed In due fashion over the breast. and
copper closed the eyes. She was then carried in
10 m adj lining room and laid oat in her winding
shee'; in the of few hours she Appeared
std AVID 'oll. The death was at half past B. A.
NJ. At9 A. NJ, her grandfather went into the
room TO take loving look nt the corpse and last
kiss Of his beloved grandchild. when he noticed n
slight quivering Of the cyelids. lie at once i'm
partei tho facts and his msgivngs to the parents;
they put M faith in them. The old mnn, howe, cr
not Satisfied called upon the medical attendant. -
lie als observed the tremulousness of the eyeiid;
and placing n stethescope over the heart heard
It's pn'-atiouS feeble. hut nevertheless distinct
lie thea watched tho chest; il could be seen mov-
ing. bat gently ~ TO be almost impcrceptible.
she now removed 10 n warmer room, frictions
aud warmth were applied to her person, and in a.
b N twb hours she spoke.
She told her friends that sic had heard oil that
they hal said; she knew TINT her body was being
prepared for interment; she heard the tolnc Of
the PASSING bell; saw and felt her grandfather
agony. hut could mako no sign.
At 4 y. NJ, tho following day, she relnpscd in
tn the -ame cateleric state and remained in it
six hours. She took no fool and requested that
none might be given. az she meant to take her
next meal in heaven. For whole week sho took
no food, but lay perfectly quiet with eye-lids firm
ly closed and jaws clcncbed. She wa. coaxed
and threatened, but all to no purpose. The doe
tor then gagged her. and. forcing tube down her
throat. poured liquid faod into hes stomach. AT
this she commenced meaning and contipued it
night and day, for ten dnyso or more.
This wns kept up for II while. until tho doctor
losing all patience with Ter obstinacv, had the
fluid f'oh administered IT, her in another and less
agreeable manner. On the second trial OF this
method. she. by signs, begged its discontinunncc,
nnd seemingly offered to take food bv tho mouth
But when II was offered she again refused Food
then placed within her reach. md an oppof-
tunity being given for her to steal il. twas found
to disappear every night. She was watched, and
it was ionnd that about O'Clock each night she
would rai-e herselfi in bed, look carefully round
II see II she watched. step nimbiy to tho closet
and examine the tpe taking n mouthful mt tho
time and conveying the remainder to bed with
her.
During all this time she would remnin apparent.
" dead thu, il, motionless aad snocchles-, and
with scarcely perceptible respirntiou Tho girl
still continued in this condition on the l;h of last
Deccmber.