Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-10-15
NO. GAG.
MISCELLANEOUS READING.


of turning in the grave" is not altogether
founded in error, but like many popular be-
liefs, contains germ of truth. Among the
mysterious laws Of our icing which strike the
mind with wonder and a we, is the continu-
ance life under conditions in which it
would seem to be inevitably extinguished.
Often after nearly all the signs of animation
have disappeared for a considerable time,
the patient has Unexpectedly and suddenly
revived
Many instances are on record, in which,
but for the presence of an experienced medi-
cal man, persons affected with catalepsy, hys-
terra, and various obscure nervous derange-
ments, would have been consigned to one of
the most dreadful forms of death, by being
entombed alive DR.. Couch gives an interest
ing example of this in one of his female pa
tients. Being summoned to her bedside, a
remarkable change in her aspect was appar
ent. The attendants was greatly alarmed,
and said she was dying or IN trance. She
lay motionless, and apparently devoid of an
ination. Her eyes were fixed and CLASSY
No heaving of the chest; no movement Of the
air passages, indicated respiration. The on
ly signs of life was her warmth and her
pulse the latter being very weak.
The body being raised so as to form on OBJ
tuse angle with the limbs, her thin and pallid
frame looked like corpse which had been
propped up, and had stifened in that attitude.
One arm was raised by the attendants, and
then the other, each remaining rigid and mar
ble-like where it was fixed. She was placed
upright, and vain endeavors were made to
arouse her by calling loudly in her ears. AS
she STOOD stature-like and unconscious, with
eyes wide open and arms outstretched, tho
slightest touch put her off her balance. She
would have fallen had she not been supported.
This strange "iife in death" defed all treat
ment and lasted for fourteen hours Other
attacks followed of twelve and nine hours du-
ration, after which she recovered by the use
of suitable restoratives. Such attacks are
often of much longer duration, and if depriv-
ed of the aid and protection of medical sci-
ence, this woman would probably have been
in short time invested in her shroud, and
would have added one additional victim to
that popular ignorance and indecorous haste
which have so often, especially in torrid eli
mates, and in times of pestilence, mistaken
the temporary suspension oforganic functions
for mans last dread enemy, DEATH
A NOBLE INDIAN.-Nothing is told in his
tory which exceeds the heroic self-devotlon
of this knight of the prairies, who delibcr-
ately sacrificed him self to secure the escape
of his comrades:
Mai. Geo. H. Thomas, of the army, in his
late report of an expedition under his COM
mand to the head of waters of the Concho
and Colorado Rivers, during the months. of
July and August, gives an account OF tho
pursuit of party of eleven Indians with q
large lot Of horses, and the conduct Of one
of the savages. As the troops were gradual
ly overhauling them, one Of the Indians who
kent his position in tho of the loose AMI
mails suddenly dismounted and prepared to
fight Our men, in their eagerness to dis
patch him, pressed upon him so thickly that
several of his arrows soon took effect wound
ing Major Thomas in the chin and chest;
private William Murphy in the left shoulder;
and privates John Iili and Casper Siddell
each in the leg before he fell, pierced with
twenty or more shots. Private Hugh Clark,
who had dismounted for the purpose of
shooting him with his carbine, was kicked and
stunned by his horse, seeing which the In
dian rushed upon him with his lance and
tried to kill him, but he was SO weak from
the effects of his wounds that he inflicted
only slight wound. Chief buglar Hausser
also received slight wound from lance in
his left breast. By this time the main body
of Indians who were mounted on the best
animals, were at least two miles from the
troops, retiring at a rapid rate, and escap-
ed. GaireSt0n Ctciiidn.