The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-02-11
BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH.
Was it a Trance Condition or Not /?
When Doctors Disagree Who Shall
Decide!


French scientists have for many years been
engaged in devising some means by which
the presence of life might be detected In
body apparently inanimate. Physician after
physician presented to the Academy various
means thought to be effective. Puncturing a
vein, holding looking glass over the mouth,
cauterizing the flesh and waiting for infam-
ma. ion, and hundreds of others were sug-
gested but as vet no reliable test has been
discovered.
In the case the particulars of which are
published below there were probably enough
of the indications of life present to produce
| doubt, and the instance proves that the
medical profession has not yet secured their
desired end. With our unscientiic eye, it is,
of course, impossible for us to give an
opinion; but the case ought to produce re-
newal of such Investigations, for no one
knows but what life hanging 'twixt this
world and the next might not in the future be
saved by the application of some remedial
agent.
On last Saturday evening Mrs. Baumgarden
received dispatch from Mr.. Ferry, residing
at Pass Christian, Miss, stating that her
daughter, Catherine Baumgarden, a young
girl fourteen years old, had taken an overdose
of chloroform and was at the point of death
The next morning -Sunday-Mrs. B. took
the 7:3O o'clock train, and on arriving at the
! I'D Int hop 1,oA aI
during the previous night.
Steps were Immediately taken to have her
remains brought to this city. Drs. Charles L.
LIE Roux and G. P. Smith, resident physi-
clans at the Pass, attended the girl and gave
the following certificate
We, the undersigned. do hereby certify
that Catherine Baumgarden came to her death
by an overdose of chloroform which she took
herself CHARLES L. LIE RoUx, NJ D,
G. P. SMITH, M. D.
A certificate from the Board of Health of
this city was obtained on the above, and the
remains were brought to this city in closed
box on Sunday night, and conveyed 10 the
residence of her parents on Urquhart street,
between st. Ferdinand and Port, from where
the funeral was announced to take place Mon
day afternoon last
On Monday morning it was observed that
the body, although perfectly still, showed no
signs of decomposition, and during the day
parties who had visited the house were con.
WINGED that the girl was still living, and ad-
vised the family to postpone the funeral,
which was announced to take place at 8
o'clock that evening, and have physician ex
l anime the body and give his opinion as Il
whether she was
DEAD OR ALIVE.
DR.. Schumacher was sent for, and on arriv
ing at the house had the body taken out OF
the coffin, placed on a table and disrcbed
/; The doctor struck her on the breast anG
placed his ear to her heart, and announced
that, in his opinion, life was extinct. He then
still of the opinion that she was alive, cut bel
i arm with lance. and also several arteries
but not drop of blood was visible.
.. On the following day, Tuesday, the report
was spread that the young girl was in 9
7 trance. Some, according to rumor, saw hel
: get mp out of bed and run out into the street
others saw her sitting up in an armchair
af er she was taken from the coffin, and mos
every one that had visited the house saw he
5 breathe.
: By 2 o'clock Tuesday the news had spread
@ like wildfire throughout the entire Third Dis
trict, and thousands OF people focked to tn
house to see the wonderful phenomenon ant
q Judge fof themselves whether or not the CIR
was dead. On three different days tn.
hearse drove up to the door to remove tn
remains to the graveyard for interment, anG
4 on each occasion it was postponed by tn
: friends and relatives of the family, who were
convinced that she still lived.
Drs Lewis, White, Devron, D'Aquin ant
others were called in and pronounced hel
o dead. Some OF the physicians, to satisfy
khar oil Iny n {
looking glass, wiped it dry and placsd it ove
her mouth for fully twenty minutes. anG
when they removed it the surface of tn,
glass exhibited no sign of having beer
breathed upon.
Several other prominent physicians looked
at the body and gave it as their opinion tina
she was not dead. One of them ordered ,
1 hot foot bath and had her feet placed in tn,
, water, and had her placed in bed with no
s mustard plaster to her stomach, and ordered
the family to keep her wrapped up in blan
kets. This was done, and after she had re
NAMED covered up for an hour the body
; became heated, and every one thought tina
she was reviving.
? The usual restorative remedies were ap
Piled, and it was only yesterday that decom
o position Sc. in. So many were of different
opinions, that the Coroner was sent for, and
j. held an inquest yesterday afternoon. The
Coroner's jury returned the following verdict
: New ORLEANS. Feb. 10, 1875.
: We, the undersigned, members Of the Jury
do hereby declare that Catherine Baumgardel
is dead. We are also satisfied, from certifi
: Gates of Drs. j. p. Smith and Charles L.
Roux, at the time her attending physicians
: that said Catherine Baumgarden came to bel
death from an overdose OF chloroform, wnicl
. she took herself.
! CHARLES ScHUPPERT,
: THOMAS B. STONE.
g JOHN P. FLETCHER,
, Fl. GARBET
= G. L. WILLoz.
8 After the Coroner had concluded his inves
tig .tioD, the remains were removed to thei
8 last resting place in the Louisa Street Gene
:. terry.