Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-07-03
Atexaudria 0azette
Crossing fiic Dark kiEcr.

O1c frequently nc2rS noWauoS - VI Ihe AL ~
lion of medicioc in tie vti6s, by means ct
hypodcruic syringe, ss Gee Of the neT fash
ionci mod:s 5G culc. Ny oHn cxperletc, ll
the matter, limited as it is. rlsy be ussiu! as
warning, both to physicians and sufferers, and
it mag be interesting, first, because it is real
s:cosdy, as &c must all die some time or 9TH
or, | suDposo most Of Us wonder now and
| then how il will feel. Now, if what l went
thrcugn with wcs not DEATH it vas at lcss: SC
near i: that as far as physical sensation went 1t
was practically the same thing.
| J had beca III for some time, sutttrlog from
the lrt1lcot returns OF severe pains. which the
doctors thought might be rheumatic, or might
| be ncurisis, or might be something else. AT
auy rate, they could not bit upon the medicines
either to relieve these pains or to prevent their
recurrence. Meantime, whi!o they were eX2e'
riucn,ing, Hsa get!ing weak and thin; 50 =
| was determined to try and case me OF my mis-
ery, f even only fer time, 10 hopes that na-
ture would gather little strength. and p: :rhaps
succeed iu doing shat the doctors had failed IN
curing ma.
had great objection to taking orium on &C:
count of its we'll Known Injurious ett-cts, and L
had bor0c great deal Of the pain rather than
take it, tic doctors, however, ovcrcame my
objections By assuring me that the objection OF
morphine under the skin was not attended with
the same injury to the constitution, and was
usually mCro ctfieaci0us 10 cases like nine than
any other wsy Of takiog this drug. Accordingly
was furnished with very small syringe,
which would bold Just the right dose, to the
cnd CT which was attached a sharp pointed
gold tube about the 81, OF sailors needle.
A small bottle Of morphine was also provided,
and | promised f.ithiu'!y to use it according 10
directions % the return OF the severe pain.
My medical attendant was vtry anx!ou5 TO Try
it then aad thcro hiuscf, but as at the time
of his visit was crj Dying on interval OF ease,
would nol c)usent TO this. feeling cophdent-
as, indeed, he himself Gid-ot my capacity to
administer it, and being without any anxiety as
to the result
twinges which had been at me for 20 hour or
more gsv1 unnistakable warnlsg OF another
night Of l9eplcss torn aut, uoess | could tiod
relief soncTnere: OF course thought OF the
little syrugc If had had any apple ehenslons
about the effect, certainly should have had
some assisarc, at hand; but am an uoluagl'
native Individual, taking things as they c)me.
so | said good night, went to my room, sod
,ious for the night were complete. took my
new freed out o.! lis pretty little morocoo casa
and flied the sytiCge oDly about two thirds
full OF the soluti0o. Tor such were my doctor q
orders, and as | had u:vtr previously taken
morphine il any wsy it is to this precautioD l
probably owe my life. TheD, atc]rdiug to 10,
struclioD, pachcd up q piece CT the cali CT
my lex tightly b,tween tbs fnger and thumb OF
my Left hand, trcd the tub, uoder the sklo
with dexteIiy which, remember, pleased
me at the ,ime, as | thought what sklful
surgeon might have been lest to suffering hu-
manly BY the untoHard oirculs anccs Of my
early life, and gently Introduced into my sIs
ten The magic illi wtich was to relieve mo
of all sutF.riog Il dil it with veugea0c..
gud With uac acxcepttd rIpidlty, too.
The frs. sensation vas SO CT something not
belonging to me c.aHiicc under my skin, aud
mounting rapidly up my backbone, spreading
| ;hcuc, al! over my body as it went. This was
COZ at all paIoful to me, nor vas | at all alarmed
| by il, though certainly very peculiar. l tock
| it all at first as part Of the programme, and
troubled myself no more about it than so far as
| 10 hastily unlcck the door, thinking: There
! is 10 tei!iug how lorg shall sleep, AID II
don't op2p the door 10 the nornns they'll be
| ftirhtcnai."
By this time The crawling feelicg had mount,
| I'd the back OF ~ neck cjud trace it as it
| moved ; ICY limbs were tcgnu!ag to refuse to
serve rne: | vas obliged to tottcr to the bed
Without putliog ous my light, fIr though DO!
be leas; slscry | should have fallen had [ not
| helped myself by chs;is and tables. There
lay, eyes wide orco, sccsas all alive, quite Gu:
of pao, but 10 ldeG @! going to sleep. When
tie craving thing, whatever it Ta7, reached
the back OF my head, 1t seemed to give Sight
blow 10 that part, aud immediately J. lost al
power over my !im5s. Still retained perfect
Consciousness. heard the movements golnc
| on in different parts OF the house. l say the
moon rise and peer 10 At nre CT tho WndoWs
| and remembered wllh slight feeling Of an
| noyancc, that, about midnight, the light 1ouIc
| come 10 iu'l upon my bed through another WHO
dow The curtain Ct which ] neglected to pul
down. II had seen burglars breaking int
the 1o7n | c5cld noi have moved oor spokco
| Was &c. troubled about this, however. mol
icdecd ;1uch ab-u, anything else on earth.
watched lny symptoms With care aod interest
and felt ca..ain gG3 going 10 sleep, thoust
what was Coming Dtxt could not guess. Tht
only feeling cf c3rcGrn about anything that
remember vas a bought that arose 10 mJ
ni5d like thi. "What horrible iuss Eti'
will make when she tcd5 ne 10 this state
Even this did net trouble Inc much, for Il
really did not seem to be shy bushes of rD!ae
By degrees, but SO slowly as to he hardly
notcs able. les: al cop.c!cusuess of nv cx'
treui,ies. a, first, though, ! could not coz
troll thrn, ! waa qli.e aware tha. had hand:
ard f.ct, ~ a mao 10 perfect health knows /
without either tOuchlog then or feeling pleas
ure or paio ia them. Now | seemed to lose
thcu, to 90 from them, or rather shrink from
them. as from sensible contact with n forelg'
body. more into myself This peculiar loss C
Consciousness extended very gradually up %!
!imbe. Sill | had ny senses; my eyes |cr
open, | ctu!d SEQ everything around me,
could hear as we'll as ever, my MUD was cea
and perfectly tr#tqlil. was neither fright
cucd nor sgitated. Dor anxious, nor | mus
conf.ss, vas | impressed With a0y D:calla
solsnui'y attaching to The occasion. Perbap
this vas owing TO my habilual mat!er-of'fsc
disposition. | seemed to myself Just as cou
plete without apy arms and legs as when ha