The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-04-16
NODES or DYING.


functions of the one Is felt by each OF
the others. Should the action of one
entirely cease, all would stand still. Ac-
cordingly, Us one or the otter is the first
to feel the approach of death, it is said
that death bcgins at the brain, or the
/ heart.
AS an example of death beginning at
the brain, W. mention apoplexy, i'll
which the pressure from distendcd
blood-vessels, or from the presence of
blood from a ruptured vessel, SO greatly
interferes with the action of the brain
as to cause death. The same result
follows from the pressure of Il de
pressed fragment of bone Ill Il fractured
skull.
Opium and other narcotic drugs act
specifically on the brain and, when
taken in poisonous quantities, death be-
gins Ill that organ.
In the operation of hanging, if the
neck is broken, the pressure Of the
fractured portion of the c|ervical verte-
bra upon the mcdui!a O~biOngafa, which
is but a continuation of the brain from
the cranial cavity, produces death in
stantly. But if the neck is not broken,
and the victim dies from strangulatiOn,
we have an example of death beginning
at the lungs. Any obstruction of the
lungs, whether the peculiar oxidation of
Group which fills the larynx, and is
known as the false membrane, o. any
other which prevents the access Of air,
causes death by s~trangulation. In ex-
tensive pulmonary congestion, and III
soliditicatiOn of the lungs from intialn-
nation, the natural spongy tissue is
rendered impervious to air, and death
begins ut the lungs. Drowning, and
sutfOcation by any means, rs well as the
Inhalation of poisonous gas, are other
examples Of this mode of dying. Death
bcTinnipg at tic heart may be sudden
or gradual. The opposite conditions of
paralysis and spasm may be produced by
the same cause, such as wounds of the
heart, shock from extensive in Jury, us
the crushing of a limb, OF a violent blow
on the pit of the stomach. If, from
paralysis, the heart ceases to contract,
and is found distended with blood. If,
from spasm, the organ is powerfully
contracted. its cavities are emptied and
almost obliterated. Sudden death from
drinking icc-watcr when the body is
oyer-heatcd is by some supposed to be
caused by "cramp in the stomach"
But it is spasm, or "cramp' Of the
death in those cases. The violent shock
of the cold liquid on the nerves of the
stomach is transmitted to the heart by
reflex action, and produces the powerful
and fatal contraction.
Many fatal cases of sunstroke are ex-
amples OF death from paralysis of the
heart. Exhausted !hy the heat and over
exertiom, the patient faints, and never
r~evivcs. The heart loses its power to
contract g.: and, III Il state of complete re-
taxation, its cavities loaded with blood,
motion ceases.
The example mentioned viii serve as
a type of cases of sudden death from
paralysis of the heart. A person pros
trated 10y loss of blood is suddenly
raised up i'll bcd-lle falls back and is
dead. The heart, weakened in com
mon with the whole muscular sys-
tern, is unable to perform the extra
labor forced upon it by the change of
position.
Death beginning at the heart is not
always sudden. In fevers and other
continued diseases, which gradually ex-
haust the vital powers, the action of
the heart becomes by degrees irregular
and feeble, until at last it fiutters and
dies.
For practical purposes, it is sufficient
to recognize but two modes of dying,
viz, death from oSthCnia, or want of
strength, and from apnosa, or want of
breath. The common saying that Il man
died ''from want OF breath !" is not al
ways correct. His breathing apparatus
may have been in Oprfpct condition and
no lack of pure air, still he dies from
want OF strcngtlr-his heart has not the
strength 10 continue its labor, and
there death begins. Or, he is Ill good
strength, but some of the conditions
,a.ntinnoI into,.Earo uitL -.