The Portland daily press., 1868-06-30
Miscellany.
HThe Hour of Denth''-A Scientific In.
yeAtigatiOu.

ssThe Hour of Denth"-A Scientific In.
vestigatiou.
In Mr.. John Timbss "Notable Things OF
Our Own Time" are some accounts of the Gu
riosities of scientific investigation-among
them the following concerning the hour of
death:
The subject of the hour of death (says Mr..
Hivand, an eminent surgeon, in paper to
the British Association) has occupied the at
tention Of medical writers from the time OF
Aetlus, who tiourished at the court of Con-
stantinople 10 the fifth century, up to the
present date, but no practical fruit has been
the result for the ply scian in his treatment
OF disease.
He concluded that the time had now arrived
for thorough investigation Of the facts in
our possession, inasmuch as if there be any
latent truth IN them oil Importance to man.
kind, it is our simple duty to evoke that truth
and avail ourselves of its teachings in the
practice of medicine. He remarked that the
physicians duties do not cease when he has
as ertained the disease of his patient and
prescribed medicine to remove it; by med-
cine alone the patient is not healed, he has TO
act upon the advice of Hippocl ates, and see
that those in attendance do their duty also,
and iD his absence watch every phase and act
in the living present. But to so direct, the
physic an must know each cause of change,
and by his knowledge anticipate what may
occur; lay down simple rules for the guild
ance of friends and nurses, and teach them
how to watch each circumstance OF disease;
he must know the changefulness of our
bodies in health; he must take due
account of this changefulness when ILL
ness supervenes; he must know when all
our vital functions are at their height; he
must know when they are at their lowest ebb,
for this knowledge is most necessary ele-
ment of success in his combat with the enc
my he is implored to encounter. OF late
years the art of nursing has more than ever
occupied the thoughts of physicians and the
laity at large. We have had noble efforts
made IN the camp and at home to soothe the
anguish OF the wounded and diseased
The author had collected over 5000 cases
OF death. with the hour of death. and other
circumstances recorded, which he had tabu-
lated. aid exhibited on large chart, the diff
ferent collections being distinguished by color
ed diagrams. By this chart be showed that
in 1000 cases OF death in children under five
years of age the periods of the greatest NOR
tally took place between the hours of one
and eight A. M that an extraordinary de-
preston took place in the succeeding hours
between nine and twelve P. NJ, and that the
ratio OF mortality was at its minimum He
then compared these statistics with 1881
deaths from all causes, and the chart showed
how remarkably the wave lines OF death
compared with those above. BE then COM
pared these diagrams with deaths from con-
sumption which. although they showed gen
eral resemblance in the wave line, vet be-
tween the hours of four to eight A. NJ, there
was a depression when compared wich the
first four hours period. He showed that
small numbers are not sufficient Tor stats-
tical truth. and he therefore urged upon his
provincial brethren to assist him in his work
by forwarding to Linn data for further inves-
tSation OF this interesting subject.
He contended that the tables on the chart
proved the extraordinary mortality IN the
early hours of the morning, then the powers
OF life were at their lowest ebb, and, strange
to say, when the patient was most cared tor.
lie urged the necessity of feeding and slim
uiatln3 the patients at their weakest hour, so
as to tide them over critical period; and
even it death be inevitable. to so support the
patient that he might at least have few
hours more OF life snatched from eternity
to admit OF his being able to carry out some
neglected duty, pardon some enemy, or see
some beloved liend. He next urged upon
his professional brethren the importance OF
teaching friends and nurses how to attend to
those under thel charge. He concluded bv |
saying that the subject itself required no apo,-
ogy Tor its introduction to the Association. |
however the mode OF his trea' ment might. |
He telt convinced that it was one which |
had occupied Tie attention of many IT his |
hearers when they had been watching hour
by hour the fittul changes of disease in the |
persons OF those dear to them, or of those |
to whom, as nurses, they had desired consci- |
entIously to do their duty. To simplify this |
duty and to calm this solicitude, at time |
when either an excess of the one or an igno- |
rant neglect OF the other might be fatal, was
one OF the main objects OF this investigation;
and he felt convinced, however mpertec'ly |
he might have expressed his opinions on the |
subject, that it is one OF deep interest, not
only to his profession, but to the community
at large.