The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-11-16
n VERY STRANGE STORY.
To be Taken with a Pinch OfSaIt

To be Taken with a Pinch OfSaIt
a Florence newspaper, L Halic, ex-
tracts from the ''Annalcs dc la Medicine
ct dc la Chirurgic Etrangere" the follow
inG extraordinary history The italian
paper, for reasons easily to be gathered,
does not give implicit crcdcncc TO this
statement, nor lend to it the editorial
sanction:
''On the 18th Of April, 1858, in the
prison Of EiIlarica (proyince of Minas-
Gcracs), in Brazil, two men, named Av-
GIRO and Cauncs, were executed at the
same time. In Brazil executions .takc
place with closed doors, in the interior
of the prison. DR. Lorenzo Carmc of
Rio J2nciro. well known by savants for
his remarkable works ON electricity ap.
plicd to physiology, his surgical skill,
AMI his sncccs:, in antoplastic operations
/ obtained permission to profit by this
event in order to experiment on the pow
cr OF electricity, and illustrate its analo-
gy with some of the phenomena Of life
~ h"ih>i ''lo IN iiiIl!II W
tempted have been made on the head and
trunk separately. Dit. Lorenzo y Carmo' s
design was: if possible, to unite the head
/ to the neck after decapitation. The heads
OF the two criminals fell within Il few
minutes of each other into the same bas-
kct; first that of Cariucs, then that of
Aveiro. Immediately after this second
execution compression was effected by
Il pupil of Dir Lorenzo on the carotid
arteries OF one of the heals SO as to
stop the hemorrhage. The body was
then placed on bed already prepared,
and DR.. Lorenzo stuck the head as eX-
actly is possible on the section and kept
i. in that position. The cells Of pow
erlul electric pile were applied to the base
of the neck and on the breast. Under
this influence, as in former experiments,
the respiratory movements were at once
pcrccptblc, AS the blood, which 1cne-
tratcd in abundance through the surface
of the scar, threatened to stop the pas
sage Of air. Dir. Lorenzo hal recourcc
to tracheotomy. Respiration then en-
sued regularly. The head was fastened
to the body by stitches and by special
apparatus
The psychologist wished to ascertain
for how long time this appearance of
! life could thus be artilicially maintained.
| His astonishmcnt was great when he saw
that at the end oftwo hours not only did
respiration still continue under the in
/ liuence Of The electric current, but that
circulation had even resumed certain
regularity. The pulse beat fccbly but
scnsbly. The experiment was continued
without intcrmission At the end Of six
ty-two hours it was evident to the aston
ishment Of every one that a process of
cicatrisation had commenced on the lips
of'thc section \ little later signs Of
life manifested themselves spontaneous
/ ly in the head and limbs till then deprived
of motion. At this moment, the direct
or Of the prison arriving for the first
time in the experiment room, observed
| that by singular mistake due to the
haste of the operation the head Of Carincs
had been taken for that of Avciro, and
had been applied to the body of the lat
ter. The experiment was continued not
withstan,ling. Three days later the res
piratory movements reproduced them
selves and electricity was suppresscd.-
DR.. Lorenzo Carmo and his assistants
we're Supplied, frightened at 4 result so
uneypected,and at the power Of an agent
| ,,,,,.I, ho,,,t. rnsInro1 lifn
to a body whose right to exist the law
| had forfeited
"The learned surgeon, who had only
had in view simple physiological ex
pertinent, employed all his skill to con-
tinue this work, which science, aided
against all expectation by nature, had so
singularly commenced. He assisted the
process of cicatrisation, which progress
ell under the most favorable conditions
By means of an Gsophagian probe liquid
nouriShment was introduced into the
stomach. AT the end Of about three
months the cicatriSation was complete,
and motion, though still difficult, became
more and more extended. AT length, at
the end Of seven mPths and q half, Av-
GIRO CarincS was able to rise and walk,
feeling only a slight stiffness in the neck
and It feeblcIess in the limbs"
So ends this remarkable story. The
Pail Mall Gazette says: Who can tell
the results of scientific investigation car
ried so far? In families natural defects
my be remcdied by readjustins heads
and bodies not originally proportional
for each other, and human beings dissat
isiied with their sex may, under the be-
nevolcnt system of DR. Lorenzo Carmo,
repair the error of their origin. 1t will
he question for lawyers to determine
to what nationality these future beings
are to belong if head and body have pre-
vious!y owed 4 separate allegiance"