Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1874-09-24
The Imagin alton and
Death.

DoaJn.
Entwistle, the printer who
was bitten by a dog in April
last, died yesterday. Some be-
lieve he died of hydrophobia;
still more that he died merely
of the fear of it. As it is per-
fectly apparent that the disease
is a sealed book to science, eth
er belief may be the true one.
That the imagination will kill is
certain. Many of our readers
will remember the case of the
Gardener at either Heidelburg
or Gottingen. This man was
working in the garden, on a fresh
spring morning, in the very
prime of health. A student
passed him with these words:
All, Fritz, passed a bad night,
eh?
No sir. Never felt better.
I'm glad to hear it. Thought
you looked pale. Your garden
looks beautiful, Fritz.
Thank you, sir.
Comes along another student.
Good morning, Fritz.
Good morning, sir.
System little out of order?
No, sir.
You look bad, heavy-eyed
and pale.
Didn't know it, sir.
A mere spring debility, I sup
pose. Good morning.
Fritz (solus)-I do feel sort
of queer like.
Come along a professor:
Well, Fritz, how are the vio-
lets?
Beautiful, sir, beautiful.
You don't look very beauti-
full. What's the matter with
you? Let NE see your tongue.
Your forehead is clammy toe.
l think you had better go home
to bed, Fritz.
/ do feel queer, sir.
| should think you would
Go to bed, Keep quiet for
few days.
I believe I will, sir.
/ see DR.. Brooks coming this
way-ask him. Good day, Fritz.
Up comes the doctor.
Doctor, what's the matter
with me?
Springolina, Fritz, evidently.
Get to led, my man. And here
send this to the dispensary, and
take a tablespoonful every hour.
Don't eat till | see You again.
[ will call after the lecture is o.
yer, however. Be very careful.
I'll bring DIR. Wolff with me to
see. It's curious case, very
curious.
Fritz went to bed. The doc
tors came. They walked on
tiptoe; spoke in Whispers
They darkened the room. They |
gave him medicine. e., spoon
ful of pure water, and pills
made of bread.
They left him. That night |
Fritz grew weaker and weaker. |
And in the morning the stu
dents and the faculty were
with terror and hor-
rifed, in the midst of their |
laughter, at poor Fritz's fears,
when his weeping daughter
came to tell them that her stout |
strong father Of thirty odd |
years lay dead at home-dead
Of phantasy. There is no case
better authenticated.
Another case is that of a
French criminal condemned to
death, and given to the doctors
to experiment on. He pleaded
or an easy death, and they gave
t to him in this wise: They
him, naked, on a ta-
Die, blindfolded his eyes, placed
/ basin of water at his arms and
knees, pricked him with a pin,
lot drawing blood even. They
lropped from. four vials little
lrops into the basins, so that
he unfortunate man could hear
a continuous drip, caused, he
by his own blood
The doctors held their watches.
Another half-hour it will all
be over. You don't feel any
pain, do you?
No, doctor, but l feel my
strength going.
OF course, of course. 1t will
De like falling into sleep.
In an hour and quarter the
poor fellow was dead.
Several other examples of the
power of imagination over
ife, as well authenticated as
either of the foregoing, might
De cited.