Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-02-04
A Remark able Case of Suspended
Animation.

u
Animation.
A singular and interesting case in which
toe haSty conclusion that a person was dead
caused considerable risk of bringing about
the actual death OF the patient, occurred on
Sunday morning last in the southeastern pOr-
tiOn of the city.
Mr.. j. II. Sclirack. thirty years old, residing
at No. l23 Mary street. has been in poor health
Tor several months past mis- disease being
pulmonary complaint. He is a man of light
complexion, blue eyes, very nervous tempera-
some time past he has been out of employment,
and has been in considerable distress of mind
on account of his reduced circumstances. He
is an active member of the Old Swedes Prot
eStant Episcopal Church, where he taught a
class IN the Sunday school, and where he is
generally liked and respected.
Alr. Schrack, after a fruitesS search for en-
plOyment, returned to his home several days
ago. so weak and sick as scarcely to be able 10
walk. On last Thursday week he found him
sell growing worse, but was afraid OF going to
thus showing active mental distress. He sat
up in an arm chair three days and nights,
When he became SO weak as to have to go to
bed He remained in bed from that time until
last Sunday, being attended constantly by DIR.
Jas. II. Cantrell. physician of the neigh Dor
hood. AT half-paSt seven o'clock on Sunday
morning gentleman named Shankland. Who
had been with MIR. Schrack, came to DR.. Can
trell $ office and told him that Mr. Schrack had
died at four O'Clock in the morning. Grape
was hung on the dOOr,and an undertaken sum
mOned.
The condition of the body was described as
bearing all the usual marks of death, such a $
GOODNESS and rigidity of the limbs, blue lips,
&c., and trial with hand mirror over his
mouth failed to show any moisture on the
glass. The body was Strengthened out on the
bed. the feet tied together, the windows of the
room opened TO cool the body, and the wraps
around the shoulders and throat removed. In
very short time after Mr.. Shanklands first
visit 10 the doctor he appeared again, saying
that he thought Mr.. Schrack was yet alive.
The body had been partly washed to prepare
it for burial. and when Mr.. Shankland took
hold of ii to move it he heard faint grOan.
DR.. Cantrell gave him directions what TO do
immediately ordering hypodermic injections
of liquor, turpentine emulsions and cataplaSms
applied TO the chest and limbs. The doctor
followed to the house in about half an hour
when he found his supposed dead patient alive
and rapidly approaching consciousness. He
did not entirely recover his consciousness,
however, until the following morning.
The writer OF this, in company with Dr. An
drew Nebinger and Dr. Cantrell, visited Mr..
Schraek yesterday. and found him sitting up,
not at all emaciated, with good color. good
pulse, and a clean tongue. The physicians
made careful examination of his condition,
and also questioned him carefully Us to his
conditions and feelings before, during and
after the period OF suspended animation.
He told vivid story of the beautiful sights
he had seen while he was unconscious, and
declared that since his recovery he was en-
lungs, which had formerly troubled him. 1t
appeared, however, that his face had never
lost lis color, nor his head, throat and chest its
medical man, and four hours after his sup
posed death his head was yet warm and his
cheeks flushed. DIR. Nebinger was of the
and said that the conclusion that he was dead
had been too hastily adopted by his attendants
and that the appearances as described did not
justify such an opinion.
While Mr.. Schrack was in the condition of
outward Inconsistencies described. his mind
was evidently in state OF ecstatic deirium,
the result OF his peculiar disease and mental
condition. He stated that his first sensation
when he became unconscious to surrounding
outward circumstances was that of falling a
long distance; then he found himself in a val
ley at the foot OF great hill before him was
a terrible black river, and on the opposite
bank a great dark cloud. Some unknown
force impelled him to walk into the river, and,
although he dreaded to do so, he saw others
walking through it, and went forward himself.
AS he passed through the river the cloud grad
ually opened, disclosing scene of such per-
able to describe. He saw the Saviour, but
could not express the glory of his appearance.
He also saw his dead wife and boy and his
grandfather, who died when he was only two
years old. Persons whom he had known in
life, but whom he had forgotten for years, he
saw before him. The vision then began to
fade, and his feeling on regaining conscious
being recalled from the beautiful scene.
-, The case is OF one peculiar interest, and all
the more so, as MIR. Schrack is very worthy
anu man. WIN lids Suucfeu
some severe reverSeS of fortune.
1t will be observed that DR.. Nebinger speaks
81 The peculiar affection OF Mr.. Schrack as
"hysterOidal,' that is, having a resemblance
women, though occasionally found in men.
The term used by DR.. Nebinger is precisely
descriptive, and will be thoroughly under
dents 81 medicine. ThRe symptoms Of p some
OF the forms of hysteria, as set forth in volume
II Of Professor George B. Woods Practice of
Medicine, are very closely descriptive, in
The outward symptoms of this malady are not
CONFUSION, jerkings, twitchings and other
cent in their form. Using portions OF DR..
Wood text in abbreviated form, we collate the
IoiloWlng as among the symptoms. They come
G GaIPaa and pass away rapidly They are
Dy various distressing sensations. The phenO-
mena comes on sometimes under exciting
causes, especially OF mental character. The
patient is sensible of distress at the pit of the
stomach and of oppression about the chest.
Sometimes there is tetanc rigidity OF the
muscles. During the phenomena there is an
apparent want OF consciousness, which in
severe cases Is real and complete. Frequent
ly after the symptoms disappear the patient
experiences great relief, feeling better than
been condensed from DR.. Woods great book
relates to the more frequent forms of hysteria
but Dr. Nebinger refers specially to what
exhibited in Mr.. Schrack'S case. Another
form OF the parOXysm is that of quiet coma
lthat is condition like sleep, but which is not
with the eyes closed apparently without con.
seriousness, and incapable of being reused
py Ihe iondest sounds, pinching, shaking, &C.,
Die; The respiration is sometimes so feeble
as hardly TO be preceptible. The surface Is
cO0i, aud byStanders are apt to think that the
times continues for one, two or three days.
1t will be well to remember all this 1t ex-
plains many OF the strange stories of the dead
plains many cases Of so called trance; = and
1t contains warning against concluding that
patient is dead because there is a semblance
OF death, unlessa competent medical man has
RI HOT nn I. l,ao 10