Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1869-11-18
miscellaneous.
[ From the Pail Mall Gazette.
Resurrection OF the Dead-Life Res
aored to Decapitated Criminal.


aored to a Decapitated Criminal.
A Florence newspaper. EHalie ex-
tracts from the Amnales de Ia Meedcione Ell
de Ia Chirurgie Etramge,e the following
extraordinary history. The Italian pa
per fno reasons easily to be gathered,
does not give Implicit credenoe to this
statement, nor lend it the editorial sane
ton:
On the 18th Of April, 1868, in the pris-
on of Nillarica,,- (province of Minas Ger
aes, in Brazil, two men named Aveiro
and Carines were executed at the same
time In Brazil executions take place
with closed doors, in the interior of the
prison. DR.. Loren.o 7. Carmo, of Rio
Janeiro. well-known by savants for his re-
u4xrkable works on electricity applied to
physiology, his surgical skill, aud his sue
cess in autoplastic operations. obtained
permission to profit by this event in Or
der to experiment on the power of elec-
trieity, aud illustrate its analogy with some
of the phenomena Of life. The numerous
experiments hitherto attempted have been
made on the head and trunk separately
DR. Lorenzo Y. Carmo's design was, if
possible, to unite the head t, the neck
after decapitation The heads of the two
criminals fell 'within few minutes of each
other into the same basket; 6rst that of
Carines. then that of Aveiro. Immediate
ly after this second execution a compress
sion was effected by pupil Of Dr.. Loren
20 on the carotid arteries of one of the
heads so ae to stop the hemorrhage. The
body was then placed on bed already
prepared, aud DR.. Lorenzo stuck the head
as exactly as possible on the section and
KEEP. it in the position The cells Of a
powerful electric pile were applied to the
base of the neck and on the breast I'm
der this influence, as in former expert
menIs, the respiratory movements we're at
once perceptible. As the blood, which
penetrated in abundance through the sur
face of the scar, threatened to stop the
passage of air, DR.. Lorenzo had recourse
to tracheotomy. Respiration then ensued
regularly. The head vas fastened to the
body By stitches aad by special apparat-
US Tue Psychologist wished to ascertain
for how long time this appearance Of
life could thus be articularly maintained
His ass m!shment was great when he saw
that at the end of two hours not only did
respiration still continue under the infu-
enee of she electric current, but that cir
eulation had even resumed certain regu-
larlty. The pulse beat feebly but sepsi-
bly,. The experiment was continued with
out intermission. At the end of sixty
two hours it was evident to the astonish
ment of every one that a process Of cica,
trisation 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-
zion. AT this moment the director of the
prison arriving for the first time in the ex-
peiiment 4oam observed that by singu-
Jar mistake due to the haste Of the oper-
ation the head of Cafiaes had been taken
for that of Aveiro, and had been applied
to the body of the latter. The expert
meut was continued Notwithstanding. -
Three days later the respiratory move
lnents reproduced themselves and electric
iiy was suppressed. DR.. Lorenzo Y.
Carme, and bis assistants were stupefed,
frightened at result SO unexpected, and
at the power Of an agent which. in their
hands, had restored life to body whose
right to exist the law had forfeited.
The learned surgeon who had only in
view simple physiological experiment
all his skill to continue this
work which science, aided against all ex-
.pectation by nature. had so singularly
commenced He assisted the process of
,eicairisation, which progressed under the
most favorable conditions. By means of
all oesorhsg iaa probe, liquid nourishmcnt
gas introduced into the stomach. AT the
send of about three mouths the cicatrsa-
ton was complete, and motion. though
still difficult, became more and more ex-
tended. At length, at the end of seven
mouths and half, Aveiro -Carines was
able to rise and walk, feeling only slight
stiffness in the neck and feebleness in
atbe limbs.