Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-10-27
Sensations When Shutting off the Nor
tai Coil.

The popular idea relative to the suferiugs
of persons on the point Of death are undoubt-
eddy to certain extent erroneous. The
appearance Of extreme agony which is often
presented under these circumstances is due
to mere muscular agitation, independent Of
any extraordinary seusibllity OF the nerves
of feeling. Those who die natural death,
in the very last stages Of existence are
scarcely conscious of bodily sufering-not
more than they frequently are to the atten-
tions and so!ioitude Of friends.
Those who die by violence or accident un-
doubtedly experience degree of pain pro.
portiouate to the extent OF the bodily mutt.
lation. Hanging is doubtless an unpleasant
mode of death but few, after all, "shuffle
of this mortal coil" more easily than those
who are suspended by the neck. 1t is akin
to drowning in this respect. The blood
seeks the head and soon deprives it Of all
consciousness. The efforts to inhale the air
which are kept up some time after the cord
is attached aud which cause such violent
movements of the chest and extremities,
arise from the influence Of the spinal mar
row, whose sensibility is not SO soon de-
stroyed by the congestion Of blood as that Of
the brain.
Persons who die by decapitation most
probably suffer more, though their pain is
only momentary. This is the case with those
who blow out their brains. The sensation
produced by n ball passing through the body
would be difficult to describe by any one
who never experienced it; but j. is some
thing singular in this case that those who
are shot, although "thc leaden messenger Of
death" may not have penetrated any essen.
TALLY vital organ Immediately fall to the
earth, apparently under an irresistible feel
ing OF their approaching return to dust, ex-
claiming, as it we're, inyoluntarily, 81 am a
dead man 81
A dagger wound in the heart, for the few
moments which are consumed in the ebbng
of life, must occasion unutterable feelings OF
agony, independent of tue mere sensations OF
pains in the parts surrounded by the entrance
of the blade. The rushing out of the blood
at each convulsive pulsation of the heart,
must seem like the actual spectacle Of the
flow Of life.
Those who are crushed to death may not
expire instantly, unless the Uranium happens
TO be involved IN the casualty. Where thu
skull is not fractured there is probably al
inconcevabe agony for a few seconds
flashing thought Of home, friends and family
and all is over. Those who are cut into b.
; 4 heavily burdened railroad carriage must
experience some similar sensations.
Ii the neck is broken, low down, the per
son does not necessarily die on the instant
His situation is the most distressing perhap
Of any which can be imagined. He ma.
, live aud have a being for days; but be can
not move. His face may express all tn
!. passions, feelings and emotions; but all be
yond the motions of his breast aud counte
mace, his energies do not 60. His arms ar
pinioned at his side; his legs are lifeess
) aud he essentially behOlds his body in tn
grave, while he is yet in full possession G
his faculties. The least disturbance Of hi
position is liable to launch him at once int
, eternity.
In taking laudanum, person exists in
state OF insensibility for some time, meau
choly spectacle to his friends. In poison
ing from arsenic, a great amount OF suffer
ing is undergone. The sensibility of tn
stomach is exceedingly acute when inhamed
aud the effect Of arsenic is to produce iata
0 Inflammation of the viscus Prussic acid
{ rapid, and acts by paralyzing the brain.
y In rejecting on the horrors which deaf
presents, under these different aspects OF vic
= ence, the miRd becomes satiated with dn
II gust We cannot do better than turn
j the contemplation of its features in tn
! milder course of disease, where, if the min
be at ease, tho final exit is made withol
: any of these revolving exhibitions Of bodil
suffering.