Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-07-24
PAIN IN DYING.

There are few minds indeed, upor
which the death scene OF some dear friend
is not "graven as With the point of dia
mond,' an indelible picture Of sorrow-
few hearts that do not throb anew will
The old pain as often as those agonizine
struggles ars recalled. To such it will
afford consolation TO know that the appa
rent suffering Of death is> only automatic
that the dying are unconscious of suf-
feri"g. Medical science is rapidly accu-
mulaling an array. Of evidence on the
sui ject, amounting almost to demonstra
lion.
DR.. Bailie tells US that lis observation
of death beds inclnes him 10 the firm be-
lief that nature intended we should 20
out of the world as unconsciously ns we
came into it-not more than one person
in fifty being conscious of suffering while
dying. "The moment" says Mrs. jamie.
son, ''in which the spirit meets death, is
probably like that in which it is embraced
by sleep. To he conscious of the imme-
date transition from the waking to the
sleeping state, never suppose happened 10
any one." Aud the falIacy of inf.,ring
intense physical suffering from the strug-
giles of the dying, becomes apparent on a
moments reflection; it is 10 look for SEN
sibiity in the loss Of sens,LiIity. Death
is rather a sleep than sensation, sus.
pension Of our faculties rather than a
conflict with them instead of a time of
suffering, time II deepening unconscious
ness. Place dead body under the i'll
fluenco Of electricity, and it will 10 at or ce
thrown into attitudes far more expressive
Of agony tllau any ever seen during the
death struggle. This fact shows that the
nervous and muscular system may act
mechanically when not merely conscious.
ness, but life itself has departed. The
ePieptic sufferer, too, gives every external
evidence of intense suffering, but upon
recovery, has experienced no pain what
ever. The same is true in cases of recoy
cry from drowning, where, after conscious
ness had ceased, and the body no longer
struggled as 10 death, vitality has been
restored. In every instance, no suffering
was experienced, but on the contrary
highly delightful state Of sensation. The
only suffering was connected with tue re.
covery Of consciousness. And the multi
tude Of persons restored 10 life after those
around had supposed them dead, whether
from downing, disease, or capital execu:
ton, Lave testified to an experience pre-.
cisely similar.
A letter from the recent biography Of
Madame Switchine, an eminently iutelIi
gent Catholic lady, will be- interesting in
Ibis connection. Il contains the narrative
ct her dsadth scene.
"As the day wore on" says the writer,
cher suffering. became greater. Towards
a O'Clock the suffocation assumed the form
Of actual convulsions. Our dear sufferer
allowed us for the first time to place her 10
an arm Chair, but presently started up
with an agonized face, throwing aside all
the clothing, which weighed upon her
chest, and uttering hoarse distressing
sounds which seemed like tho final strug-
gls." And then with painful vividness, he
places before us the haste for the priest
and physician, the administration of "ex.
treme unction," the will voice Of agony
and apparent terror as she repeated after
the priest the "Ora pro nobis." The pic,
ture is terribly painful and distinct oI
physical suffering, seemingly unrelieved
by the consultations Of religion. And ye.
Madame Swetchine's pure and simple
piety united with her lofty and command
ing intellect, had made her one Of the
most distinguished women, of modern
times. Her disease WAS dropsy deep in
cisions were Immediately made by he,
physician, but without any bene6ciafef-
feet, until the next day, when she rallied
sufficiently to be abIet converse with he,
friends, and communicated to them an
experience, deeply grateful to all who have
witnessed similar saferings. Saturday
morning she said to me-" writes. the au-
thor, "'yes'erday is a blank tablet for me
can recall nothing Of those twenty y-tou
hours A visitor remarked to her, d.
you know.Aat yesterday you received ex
treme n"c.ion7' sberspl,ed very calmly
~ did not know it; why did they. not ,ej
me soouer7'. She had been entirely IN
conseioue of Tie distressing occurrences g
thepreceding day, that had 90 afflicted al
who surrodnded hss."
HEwErrs GLoDE HoTEL--Daring
recent visit to Augusta, Ga, We had b
orivileua: >rf snendino NJ eu nsys- at II;