Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-11-14
A Very Strange Story.

A Florence newspaper, HHGtie,
tracts from the ATDldieS de III Medicine
ct de Ia ChiTuTgie Etsange1e, the fol-
lowing extraordinary history. The
Italian paper, for reasons easily to be
gathered, does not give implicit cred
ence to the statement, nor lend it the
editorial sanction:
On the 18th Of April, 1868, in the
prison of Nillarica Province of Minas-
Geraesl, In Brazil, two men named
Aveiro aud Carines We're executed at
the same time. In Brazil executions
take place with closed doors, in the
interior Of the prison. Dr. Lorenzo Y
Carmo, of Rio JaHeirO, well known by
savants for his remarkable works On
electricity applied to physiology, his
surgical skill, and his success in auto
plastic operations, obtained permis-
sion to profit by this event in order To
experiment on the power of electricity,
and to illustrate its analogy with some
of the pheaomeaa Of life. The numer-
Gus experiments hitherto attempted
have been made on the head and
trunk separately. DIR. Lorenzo y Car
mos design was, if possible, to unite
the head to the neck after deeapita-
ton. The heads of the two criminals
fell within n few minutes of each 9th
er into the same basket-hrst that of
Carines, then that of AveirO. Imme-
diately after this second execution a
compression was effected by a pupil
of DR.. Lorenzo on the carotid arteries
of one of the heads 80 as so stop the
hemOrrhage. The body was then
placed on a bed already prepared, and
DIR. Lorenzo stuck the head as exactly
az possible ON the section and kept it
in that position. The cells Of a pow
erfal electric Pile were applied to the
base OF the neck and on the breast
Under this influence, as in former ex-
periments, the respiratory movements
were at once perceptible. As the
blood which penetrated in abundance
through the surface of the scar
threatened TO stop the passage Of
air. DR.. Lorenzo had recOursetO trach-
eoiOmy. Respiration then ensued
regularly. The head was fastened to
the body by stitches and by q special
apparatus. The psychologist wished
to ascertain for how long a time this
appearance of life could thus be artih-
cialy maintained. His establishment
was great when he saw that at the
end of two hours not only did Eespi-
ration still continue under the infiu-
ence of the electric current, but that
circulation had ever resumed a GER
tain regularity. The pulse beat feebly
but sensibly. The experiment was
continued without intermission. AT
the end of sixty-two hours it was evil
dent to the establishment of every one
that a process of cieatrisation had
commenced on the lips of the section.
A little later signs of life manifested
themselves spontaneously in the head
and limbs till then deprived of mo-
ton. AT this moment the director Of
the prison, arriving for the first time
in the experiment room, observed
that by q singular mistake due to the
haste Of the operation the head Of
Carines had been taken for that Of
Aveiro, and had been applied to the
body of the latter. The experiment
was continued Notwithstanding. Three
days later the respiratory movements
reproduced themselves and electricity
suppressed. DR.. Lorenzo yCarmo
and his assistants were stupehed,
frightened at a resalt 80 unexpected,
and at the power Of an agent which, !
in their hands, had restored life to a