Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1860-10-12
The Bloody Sweat.

Stoud has written work on the "Physicai
Cause Of the Death of Christ" lie dis
cusses the "Bloody Sweat" and "Tlie pier
cling of The heart The Methodist Quar-
terly Rcrie,s, in reviewing the work furnish
cs some historical illustrations Of the bloody
sweat:
First, in relation to the Uoody sweat as
one of the corporeal effects Of intense emo
tion. Tie auinr, in brief, gives the ratios-
ale of this phenomenon aud then cities n
number of eases in which il has actually
occurred
"Perspiration. both sensible and insensi-
ble, takes place from the mouths Of small
regular organized tubes which perforate the
skin in all parts of the body, terminating in
blind exiremities internally, and by innum-
cradle orifices on the outer surface. These
tubes are surrounded by network of min
ute vessels; penetrated by the ultimate
ramifcations of arteriea which, according
to the forces of the local circulation, depend
ing chiefly on that of the heart, discharge
either the waiery parts Of the blood in the
state of vapor, its grosscr ingredients in the
form Of glutinour liquid, or in extreme
eases, the entire blod itself. The influence
OF the invigorating passions, more especially
in exciting an increased flow of blood TO the
skin. is f,miliary illustrated by the process
of blushing, either from shame or anger, for
during this state the heart beats strongly, the
surface of the body becomes hot and red,
and, if the emotion is very powerful, breaks
out into a warm and copious perSpiration,
the first step toward bloody sweat. =
physical Cause, PIP. 50, sc.
The following instances of dtdpedess or
sweating of blood, show that the authors
philosophy is not without its ACCOMPANYING
facts. The brcvity required of US will per-
nit only condensed statement Of a few of
the instances cited by him.
An Italian officer, in 1852, threatened
with public execution, "was so agitated at
the prospect of an SYNONYMOUS death, that
he sweated blood from every part of his
body"
A young Florentine, unjustly ordered TO
be put to death by Pope Sixtus ", when
led to execution, Through excess of grief
was observed to shed bloody tears, and TO
discharge blood instead of sweat from his
whole body IA circumstance which many re-
garded as certain proof that nature condem-
ned the severity of a sentence so cruelty
fastened. and invoked vengance against the
magistrate himself, as therein guilty OF mur-
der"
In the Ephemerides, it is stated that ga
young boy, having taken part in crime for
which two of his elder brothers were hang
ed, was exposed TO public view under the
III ,..t,ol, hos pxarntpH and
was there observed TO sweat blood from his
whole body Maldonato mentions ''a ro-
bust ani healthy man at Paris, who, on
hearing sentence of death passed upon him
was covered with bloody sweat"
Other instances of the same kind also
are on record. Schenck gives the case of
nun who fell into the hands of soldiers
and on seeing herself encompassed with
swords and daggers, threatened instant
death, was so terrified and agitated that she
discharged blood from every part of her
body, and died of hemorrage in the sight OF
her assailants" The case of sailor is also
given, who "was so alarmed by storm that
through fear he fell down, and his face sweat
ed blood, which, during the whole continu-
ance Of the storm, returned like ordinary
sweat" Catherine Merlin, of Chambarg
at the age of forty-six, being strong and
hale, received kick from bullock in the
pit of the stomach, which was followed by
vomiting blood. This having been sudden.
ly stopped by her medical attendants, the
blood made its way through the pores ol
various parts of her body, the discharge
recurring twice in twenty-four hours. II
was proceeded by prickly sensation, and
pressure on the skin would accelerate the
flow and increase the quantity of blood
The Medico- Chirugicdt Reriew, fer Oct
1881, gives the case of female subject C
hysteria, who when the hysteric paroxysn
was prolonged, was also subject to the bloody
Precipitation. And in this case she contia
ued, at different times, TO be affected with i
for three months, when il gave way to loca
bleeding, and other strong reyulsive meas
ures.
But the case of the wretcled Charlie
!. x. of France is one of the most striking
that has yet occurred. The account is thu
given by De Mezeray AFTER the vigo
of his youth and the energy of his courag
had long struggled against his disease, b.
was at length reduced by it TO his bed at tin
castle of Vicennes, about the Sth Of May
1874. During the last two weeks of hi
life his constitution made strange efforts
r He was affected with spasms and convul
sions of extreme violence, lie tossed an
agftatcd himself continually, and bis bloc
gushed from all the outlets of his body
even from the pores of his skin; SO that, OIL
one occasion, he was found bathed in
| bloody sweat