The daily gazette., 1878-07-03
EDITION.
Painless Demah.
THE DEEP-sEA soUNDiNGs OF THE DARE
ARYsa.

THE DEEP-sBA soUNDINGs OF THE DARK
Abyss.
Perhaps one of the most interesting
chapters IN DR.. Clarko's Lew book is that
which treats OF the visions of the dying.
The phenomenon of death Is enly httle
ulderstood The mystery which shrouds
death is not greater than that which
shrouds birth, or thought, or voliiiop;
vet religion and various other things
have all conspired to misinterpret its al
tendant phenomena. Zone OF tho most
common errors" saws DIR. Clarke, "is The
idea that pain AMI lying are inseparable
compauions. The triitn is they rarely
90 together. Occasionally, the act of
dissolution Is painful one, but this is an
tx ,eptlon To the general rule. The rule
Is that Inconsistencies, not pain, at
ttni, the final act. Gonvnlsive twitct-
Tags, hvid features, gurgEng in the
throat, and similar ghas'ly symptoms
which mark the last moment, are only
exhl bitions of UNCONSCIOUS automatic ae-
ton. The testimony of the dying, so
long as they are able to give any tsstlmo-
ny, is that their sutferings do not Increase
as the termination of iite approaches, but
on the contrary grows less.
THE FOLLOWING INCIDENT
illustrates the truth of this remark, and
SO far as single instance is OF value,
ccutirms what has been sad as TO tie
painlessness of dissolution. a medl cal
fiend whom | attended professionally
in his last Illness, was victim of mot
painful d. sease. He was aware OF It's in-
curabe character. Supported by an in
telhgent faith in God and ndimmorlality, he
prepared himself with admirable courage
aud ubfaltering trust for the final change.
In consequence OF continual and sevt re
pain, he was obliged during the last few
months OF his life to take opium daily.
He seLt for me one 'ght soon after mid
night. Il briet examination was suih-
Cient to show that death was nea'.
"Do these symptoms mean performa-
tom"
"They do" was the reply.
Then have reached the enl of the
chapter" he quietly renal ked, and az
ded. chow long shall probably la>i?"
"That you know" SAID, las well as
any one; perhaps twenty -four hours or
thllty-six hours"
Scarce ly needing the reply he oontinu-
ed:
81 am ready; but promise me this that
L shall not suffer ain If you can prevent
it,"
The promise was given, OF course, and
i agreed to see him every hour or two a.
long as he lived. This being done, | said
to hlm, Gone thing remaius; how SHALL |
communicate with you when, at the very
close, the time comes that you cannIt il
dicate whe;ht you sutft + or nol?'
"After little talk the following sig
mails WeIe agreed upor: He was to indI-
cate urgalve answer, or NO, by raising
the foretingeI; and affirmative answ or, or
yes, by raising tie fore iuger aud the one
ueXt to 1T also. Que iuger was no; two
fingers yes. Having arranged this IN at
ter, he took rather mole than his hat :
,tual dose OF opium, aud was soou com
faratlvely quiet. Ile pain did uot re-
turn. For twelve or fifteen bours he ap-
prared much a. usual; cenversed with
his family aud friends aud was cheerful
and sereue Then as Lainre's anestht tic
began 10 act, ,he became dull and LeaNy. in
answer TO repeated il qIires as to pain, be
constantly replied in the negative. AT
length he answered less readily. For an
hour or so before death he answt red
Only by the signal of his fingers which
dad been agreed upor, and by that Sig
nal he replied intelligently. Fifte, n
mlLutes before dissolution | asked him,
DO yOa suffer pain? He Instantly made
the negative signal by raising the fore.
~ ger. After this he made no sign, buI
slept peacefully to the end"