The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-12-28
Sensations When Dying.

The popular ideas relative to the suf-
ferinps Of persons on the point OF
death are erroneous. The appearance
Of extremer agony which is often pre-.
sented under these circumstances Is
due to mere muscular agitation, indie
pendent Of any extraordinary sensibili-
ty of the nerves of feeling. Those
who die a natural death in the very las.
stages Of existence are scarcely con-
scious Of bodily suffering-not more
than they are frequently to the atten-
lions and solicitude Of friends.
Those who die by violence or acct
dent undoubtedly experience degree
of pain proportionate to the extent OF
the bodily mutilation. Hanging IS
undoubtedly an unpleasant mode OF
death but few, after all, ''shuftie OIL
this mortal COLI more easily than those
who are suspended by the neck. 1t is
akin to drowning in this respect. The
blood Immediately rushes to the head
and soon depriy es it of all conscious
ness. The efforts to inhale the air,
which are kept up for some time AFTER
the cord is attached, and causes sucn
violent movements of the chest ana
extremities, arise from the influence
.. of the spinal marrow, whose senslblllty
lis not SO soon destroyed by the con-
gestion Of blood as that of the brain.
Persons who die by decapitatlOn
,, most probably suffer more, though
their pain il !. My momentary this is
! the case with those who blow out their
brains. The sensation produced by
a ball passing though the body would
be difficult to describe by one who has
never experienced it, but it is some
j thing singular in this case that those
who are shot, although the s'leaden
> messenger of DEATH may not have
} penetrated any essentilly vital organ,
. Immediately fall to the earth, appar.
emily under an irresistible feeling OF
their approaching return to dust, ex-
3 claiming. as it were, involuntarily, IL
am dead man -
9 A dagger wound in the heart 1of
the few moments which are consumma-
: ted in the ebbing of life. must occasion
unutterable feelings Of agony, lnde-
pendent Of the mere sensations OF pain
]. in the parts studered by the entrance
i of the blade. The rushing out OF the
!. blood. at each convulisve pulsatlon OF
q 1.-THE heart, must seem like the actual
spectacles of the flow Of life
a Those who are crushed to death may
) mot expire instantly unless the Uranium
happens to be involved in the casualty
k where the skull is not fractured there
g is probably an incOnceivable agony
for few seconds-a flashing thought
e Of home, friends and family, and all il
over. Those who are cut into by
heavily railroad carriage
e must experience some similar sensa
h ton.
&c If the neck is broken low down thu
person does not necessarily die on thu
instant. His situation is the most dis
n tressing Of any which can.be imagined
t He may live and have being for days
but he cannot move. His face ma.
i'd express all the passions, feelings ant
emotions but beyond the motions o
s his breast and countenance his ener
gies do not go. His arms are pinOnet
st at his side his legs are lifeless, ant
he essentially beholds his body Is Il
at 1.-The grave, while he is yet in full pOA
as session OF his faculties. The least dis
re lturbance of his position is liable Z
u launch him at once into eternity.
re In taking laudanum person exist
" in state Of insensibility for 9 lengtl
OF time, melancholy spectacle to hi
friends. In poisoning from arsenic
r great amount of suffering is under
r. xo.e. The sensibility Of the stomach
I'd is exceedingly acute when infamed
ID and the effect. of arsenic is to produce
at fatal inflammation Of the viscus. Prussi
N acid is rapid, and acts by paralyzin
Is the brain.
ds In rejecting on the horrors whic
" death presents under these differen
ne aspects Of violence the mind become
overcome with disgust. We cannot d
I'd better than turn to the contemplate
Of its features in the middle course Z
ed disease, where, il the mind be at east
he the final exit is made without any {
elk those revolving exhibitions Of bodil
suffering.
"a D.