The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1878-07-12
PAINLESS DEATH.
The Deep-Sea Soundings Of the Dark
Abyss.

Boston Correspondence Of the Chicago
Journal.
Perhaps one of the most interesting
chapters in DIR. Clarke's new book is
that which treats of the visions Of the
dying. The phenomenon of death iI
only little understood. The mystery
which shrouds death is not greater
than that which shrOuds birth, or
thought, or volitiOn; yet religion and
various other things have all con-
| spired to misinterpret its attendant
! phenomena. zone ofthe most COM
mon errors" says DIR. Clarke, "is the
idea that pain and dying are insepara-
| bic companions. The truth is they
rarely go together. Occasionally, the
act of dissolution is a painful one, but
| this is an exception To the general
rule. The rule is that unconscious
ness, not pain attends the final act.
COnvulsive twitchings, livid features,
gurgling i'm the throat, and similar
CHASTITY symptoms which mark
the last moment are only exhibitions
of unconscious automatic action. The
testimony of the dying, so long as
they are able to give any testimony,
is that their sufIerings do not in
crease as the termination of life APP
prOaches, but on the contrary grows
less.
The following incidcntillustratcs tho
truth of this remark, and 80 far as n
single instance of value, confirms what
has been said rs TO the painlcssness Of
dissolution. \ medical friend, whom
/ attended professionally i'm his last
illness, was a victim of Il most pain ,I
disease. He was aware of its 'n.uro-
BILE character. Supported by inteiii-
gent faith in God and i"JmorfaIitv no
prepared himself win admirable corr
age and unfalteriiIg trust for the final
change. In consequence of continual
and severe pain, he was Obliged dur
ing the last few months Of his life To
take opium daily. He sent for me
one night soon after midnight. 4
brief examination was sufficient To
show that the end was near.
do these symptoms mean pcrtUr;s-
tion?" asked DIR. -.
''They do" was the reply.
"Ihen l have reached SRie end os
the chapter" he quietly remarked.
and added, Chow long sllall | prola-
bly, last?"
That you know" | said, Gas well
as anyone; perhaps twenty-four hours,
or thirty-slX hours"
Scarcely needing the reply, hc con-
tinued:
81 am ready; but promise me this,
that ! shall not suffer pain if you can
help it,"
The promise was given, of course,
and / agreed to see him every hour or
Two as long as he lived This being
lone, | said to him, cone thing re-
mains; how shall communicate with
you when, at the very close, the time
comes that you cannot indicate wheth-
er you suffer or not?'
"After a little talk the following
signals were agreed upon. lie was To
indicate a negative answer, or no, by
by raising the forcfingcr; and allirma-
tive answer, or yes, by raising tho
and the one next 10 it also.
One finger was 10; two fingers, yes.
Having arranged the matter, hr took
rather more than his habitual dose of
opium, and was soon comparatiViy
Iuiet. The JJGiIt Cijd not return. For
twelve or fifteen hours he appeared
much as usual; cOnversCd with his
amily and friends, and was cheerful
md serene. Then asuaturc's ancsthc-
-ic began To act, he became duh and
heavy. In answer to repeated inqui-
lies as to pain, he constantly replied
n the negative. At length he an~
,wered less readily. For an hour or
90 before death he answered only by
he signal of his fingers which had
been agreed upon, and by that signal
ne replied quickly and intelIigeutly.
Fifteen minutes before dissolution [
lsked him, DO you suffer pain" He
made the negative signal by
'aising the fOTetinger. After his he
made no sign, but slept peacefully to
he end.u