The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1859-07-19
THE DEAD ALIVE.

We condense the following particulars from the
February number of the London Lancet:
Miss Amelia Kinks, aged 13 years, had been
complaining for sometime of great lasstude, cough,
and loss of appetite She gradually grew worse,
and finally refused both food and medicine Her
friends continued to watch her night after night
hourly expecting her death, and on the 18th OF
October she did apparently die. She groaned
heavily waved her hand (Which was promised
sign for her mother to know that the hour OF her
departure had Gomez turning her head little to
the light, dropped her jaw, and died, as was
thought. 7-ssv t@
She was now washed and duly attired in grave
linen; the jaw was tied in handkerchief, the
arms crossed in due fashion over the breast, aud
copper closed the eyes. She was then carried into
an adjoining room and laid out in her winding
sheet; in the course of few hours she appeared
stiff and cold. The death was at half past A. NJ.
Ate A. NJ her grandfather went into the room to
take loving look at the corpse and last kiss OF
his beloved grand child, when he noticed slight
auivering of the eyelids He at once impaired
the fact and his misgivings to the parents; they
put no faith in them The old man, however, not
satisfied, called upon the medical attendant. He
also observed the tremulousness of the eye-d and,
nlacing a stethescope over the heart, heard its
pulsatons feeble but nevertheless distinct. he
then watched the chest; it could be seen moving,
but so gentle as to be almost imperceptlble She
was now removed to q warm room trlctlons and
warmth were applied to her person, and in about
two hours she spoke.
She told her friends that she had heard all that
they had said she knew that her body was being
prepared for ntermen she heard the tolling of the
passing bell, saw and felt her grandfather's agony
but could make no sign.
At4 4P NJ, on the following day, she relapsed
into the same cateleptic state and remained In II
six hours. She took no food and requested that
none might be given, as she meant to take hel
next meal in heaven. For whole week she took
no food but lay perfectly quiet with eye-lids hrm
closed and her jaws cenched. She was coaxed
and threatened, but all to no purpose. The doctor
then gagged her, and, forcing tube down hel
throat, poured liquid food into her stomach. Al
this she commenced moaning, and continued 1t
night and day for ten days or more.
| This was kept up for while, until the doctor
losing all patience with her obstinacy, had the
fluid food administered in another and less agreeable
manner. On the second trial of this method, she
by signs, begged its discontinuance, and seemingly
offered to take food by the mouth. But when i
was offered she again refused. Food was nov
placed within her reach, and an opportunity being
given for her to steal it, it found to disappear
everv night She was watched, and it was touno
that about one o'clock each nj ght she would raise
herself in bed, look carefully round to see if sh'
was watched step nimbly to the closet, and examine
the food taking mouthful at the time ane
conveying the remainder to bed with her.
During all this time she would remain apparentl.
dead-that is, motionless and spcechless, and will
scarcely perceptible respiration. The girl still
continued in this condition on the fourth OF las
December.