The penny press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1859-1860, 1860-02-11
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! THs NEW METHOD OF AMETHYST AT pInrs-

TIE NEW METHOD OF ANKsfHRsrk AT PARIS
STRlKIEG EXPERIMENTS. - The Paris CORE
spondent of the Boston Traveller says Ia late
letter: The first subject was woman four.
sand-twenty years old. She was afflicted with
q large burn on her back and on her right
limbs, together with voluminous and exoss-
siyely painful abscess. This woman was by
nature timid, and pain had exhausted her
frmness, SO that she greatly dreaded the use
of the knife. She was informed that she was
to be put asleep. A copper cylinder was
placed at fifteen centimetres from the roof Of
her nose. She was obliged to squint inwards
great deal in order to fix her eyes upon the
copper cylinder. The pupils instantly became
greatly contracted. The pulse was rapid be.
fore the experiment began; it slightly increased
in rapidity at first; and then, almost immedi-
ately, II became great deal weaker and
great deal slower. In two minutes the pupils
began to dilate, the left arm, which was raised
almost vertically above the bed, remained mo-
tionless in this attitude. About tho fourth
minute the replies she made to questions put
to her were slow and almost painful, although
perfectly reasonable; her respiration was very
slightly abrupt. In five minutes DR.. Follin
punotured the skin of the left arm, which con-
tinued to remain in vertical position. DR..
Follin again punctured the patient, and this
time he drew q small drop of blood. She was
insensible to both these punctures. Her right
arm was now placed in the same position as
the left. The abscess was exhibited. The
patient allowed DR.. Follin to do MS he pleased,
simply saying, with great tranquility, that she
was sure he was going to give her pain. Seven
minutes after the experiment commenced DR..
Follin made large opening in the abscess
slight scream, which lasted less than q
second, was the only sign Of reaction the
patient gave. There was not the least twitch-
ing Of the muscles of the face or limbs; both
arms retained the attitude given them, with.
out moving the least. g a'vr, 4
Two minutes afterward the posture of tho
patient remained exactly as it was; her eyes
were stretched wide open, and we're slightly
injected with blood; her face was motioHless;
her pulse precisely as it was before the exper-
iment commenced; her breathing was per-
fcct]y free, and she continued insensible; her
left foot was raised above the bed, and Il re.
mained suspended in the mir, the cataleptc
| state Of the upper limbs remained unchap ged.
DR.. Broca removed the copper cylinder, which
had hitherto remained before tho patients
eyes; he slightly rubbed the woman's eyelids
and blew cold DIR upon them.e She moved q
little. She was asked If anything had beer
done to her; she replied she did not know
Her arms and left foot remained in the posi-.
ton in which they had beon placed. A new
puncture was made in her left arm, she was
iusensible to it. Eighteen minutes after the
commencement of the experiment, and twelve
minutes after the operation, her eyelids were
again rubbed and cold air again blown on her
eyelids. She awoke almost suddenly, all the
members ina atats Of oatalepsy fell together;
the patient rubbed her eyes and recovered
consciousness. She remembered nothing, and
was astonished that she had been operated on.
Her condition was in some respects compare
bic to that Of persons awakening from ordin-
ary anesthetical sleep; but her awakening
was prompter, and without either agitation OF
loqqacity. The anesthesia lasted betwesa
twelve and fifteen minutes, at the least.