Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-08-11
LIFE AND DEATH.

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record, of peculiar interest to metaphysi.
clans, the medical fraternity and people
generally, has come within the observa-
tion Of the people of Rosedale lately. in
the person of a Mrs. Powellson, who has
been under the treatment for diseases of
the liver and stomach. Mrs. Powellson
is a widow, whose husband died about
three years ago. She resides four miles
from Rosedale, and has lately moved
into that town so as to be constantly
under medical care for cancer of the
stomach and alterations of the liver.
For three years past the diseases had
caused violent spasms to take place, but
nothing outside Of the ordinary ccndi-
tim of snnh a state was observed until
about six weeks ago, when the physical
condition of the natIent underwent
wonderful change. the body after each
spasm becoming seemingly dead. while
according to Mrs. Powellson's statement,
the mind became freed entirely and
journeyed into an unknown realm which
she minutely describes.
When the spasm overcomes her she
suffers intense pain her medical adviser
describes her contortions as terrible to
behold. From this condition she passes
into state of seeming death, in which
the most delicate instruments of the
medical profession, in the hands of the
experienced practitioner, fail to discover
the slightest sign of animation. A COM
pound stethoscope reveals faint thrill
in some of the arteries; not pulsation
or flow of blood. but merely thrill. 1t
is certainly not actual death, and yet is
so near akin to it as not to be detected
by the present instruments, however del
icate they may be.
While in the latter condition the won
derful occurrences which she afterwards
describes took place. The first time
that she became so affected lasted thirty
minutes; the second time three hours,
and the third forty minutes. Since then
the periods of inanimation have been
from five minutes to three hours, and
have continued during the last six weeks.
Mrs. Powellson states that on becom-
ing so affected her mind or soul becomes
detached from her body, and, clothed in
the personality of the body. goes into
the spirit world. On her first trip every
thing about her was dark until her hus-
band took her by the hand and led her
to the light. The place where the dis
embodied spirits live is similar to this
world. except that the air is clearer, the
colors brighter, the waters clear and the
inhabitants happier. Everything is de-
scribed as more beautiful than here, and
the picture drawn by her is rayishing.
Her husband, who was 81 years old
at the time of his death, appeared to her
to be in his prime. He had physical
personality, capable Of feeling a SUBJ
stance. and felt like an ordinary person
to the touch. People there were described
as needing no food nor physical pabulum
to sustain life, and consequently had no
need to labor for support. They were
in schools studying and constantly Seek
ing to advance in knowledge. 4sa
Ms. Powellson is 4 years of age,
with her mental powers in good condition
when out of her peculiar state. Her
case is strange one. to which no exact
parallel exists within the knowledge of
learned medical men who have examined
her. TE#
DR.. Joshua Thorne gives as bis opinion
that it is one of the numerous similar
but not parallel cases where, owing to
peculiar conditions, the mind is freed
from the baser material of body and
brain and roams in liberty in another
sphere from this, held only by a slender
vital thread sufficient to retain the soul
or mind from breaking away entirely,
and yet too weak to retain it firmly IN
the body.-Kansas City Journal.
4 Il