The Republican journal., 1871-04-20


an9sthetics, unwholesome posturcs in bed,
&c, should be avoided. When peculiar
feeling of stupor is perceived the limbs
fall asleep" without apparent cause, or
there is an uneasiness and rigidity of any
OF the muscles, with virtigo, lassitude, de-
billty and caprice Of the mind, It susccpti-
bic person should be on the alert. for
there may be no time to waste These
are lnclpient symptoms OF an attack.
The signs of
TOTAL EXTINCTION OF LIFE
Are not 50 unequivocal rs many suppose.
Cessation or respiration and circulation
can not afford positive evidence, for the
external senses are not sufficiently acute
to enable us to detect either respiration or
the circulation in the smallest degree cont
patible with mere existence. Loss OF
heat is not conclusive for life may con
tnue and recovery take place when no
perceptble vital warmth exists. II is
customary in some places to cut or ampu-
tate finger relying on the flow or non
flowing of the blood to reveal the actual
fact. Perhaps vesication would he equally
sure. Heat or an irritating substance
could be applied to the skin-thc oc-
curing of a blister is evidence of vitality
Fonbert proposed rs II test To cut into one
of the intercoStal spaces and feel the heart
with the finger Holding the fingers be
fore n light is said to be Sulr-a rcdncs~
being apparent in the living subject, hut
none in ease of death. GalvaniSm has
been supposed to furnish a certain test.
Iiritability is extinguishcd first in the lrt
ventricle. then in the intestiucs and
stomach, next in the bladder, attrrwari
in the right ventricle, then in the wSopha-
gus, and after that in the iris. The
muscles of the trunk finally give way. the
extremties and the aurclcs The
collapsed edge of II wound in dead body
in distinction from gashing wound in q
living one is the result of Il peculiar irri-
liability, the extinction OF which is one ol
the. surcst indications Of death Flar-
eidity is certain sign Of death putrcta,-
ton is unequivocal. Belladonna or the
Calabar bean applied 10 the eye. it is said
will sensibly affect the eve it the person
is living. The number OF persons who
have
REVIVED AT THE LAST MOMENT,
About to be consigned to the coffin. j.
fearfully great The number known to
have been actually buried alive i, already
sufficient to justify extraordinary prrrau
tions in every cast.
Babier collected the details Of ity-twu
eases Of persons buried alive, of itty-thrcr
who recovered without assistance attrr
they Were laid in their collins, and ui
seventy-two falsely reported ~ dead
Legislation ought to bc interposed in thi-
matter. The law should require the rN-
animation of the body by Il medical man
or expert before permitting its intermrnf.
| When n physician has been employed he
should be obliged to certify to actual
death, unless the unequiyocal evidences
of dissolution had already appeared.
| Tndertakers and others having charge OF
funerals should be compelled to ascertain
that death has occurred before coiliuing
the remains. The idea of Sutlocaion in Il
coffin is more terrible than that of torture
on the rack or burning at the stake,
| Carelessness can not be innocent; even
| ignorance in such Il matter is akin to
crime. A mockery is our sorrowing
! our tears, are little better than hypocrisy.
when we neglect precautions against this
| terrible fate to which every one of rs is
| thus liable