Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-07-10
About SuHocaiI0n.

The following facts in relation 10 the
'ase with which the suiloraiiun Of
person can bn effected under certain con-
ditions. which wprc related T. a reporter
of the Ev,ulHg Post by one of the most
eminent surgeons In New York city ur
county. will b" read with interest This
gentleman said, in speaking of the muir
dor of Mr.. Hull. As soon ms YOU begin
tn lose any uf the vital elements oi iifr.
you begin 10 Jose strength, and oxygen
(the iiic-giyinE element in ia" airl is
what purilie. the blood, and giyo- IL
power uf sustaining our life; tho mo-
mcnt ,hat 10y any means you are do
pTiyel ~ q fresh supply Of air YOU begin
10 los" strength Thus the moment that
cotton or clothing or anythin. similar ~
placed over 10" nose or mouth the per-
son Immediately begins 80 lose strength
The question how long will . person T'-
tain consciousness after the supply of mir
is cut OF depends entirely upon the facts;
whether the -uppiy of air Is entirely or
partly cut or Ifa li':lr air j. admitted
that will create some vitality and will
prpmot" TIA" possibility 81 the person,
struggling.
If by struggling the person succeeds
in getting more air the strength l. cor
rcspundiugly increased Thus the per-
son may get the better Of the would-bc
murderer. But when thpcNc,usipu oftho
air j. perfect then the time Of conscious
moss la-ts only while the beating Of the
heart cirCuiat"s what good blood there
j. already in the body about the body.
The heart beats scycnty-iwo time. "A
minute, and il will take but "a Jew Sec
ond- 60 use up the good blood. When
we inhaio. the air comes in contact with
~. L a 4
is. puts oxygen into u. makes II red and
good and capable of sustaining our life
This red blood the heart forces through
the veins and over the body. When We
CVhalc we breathe out. the carbon unitcs
with the oxygen 10 form carbonic acid.
which has been eliminated from the
blood By each respiration we take in
life. and send out the destroyer Of life
which is all the time forming inside ol
us. As the blood circulatcs through
the body IL becomes carbonizcd. and
when IL meets fresh oxygen II gives of
It's carbon or poison. When the supply
Of air j. cut off all the blood becomes
carbonizcd. carhonic acid is formed. the
heart keeps on pumping the blood and
carbonic acid from the heart into the
head and about the brain. Carhonic
acid il the best kind Of sedativc and
acts rs a narcotic. Stupefaction similar
90 drunkenness Is produced. II is Just
as If the person were put to sleep. The
arteries become overloaded and congcst
ed. congestion Of the brain is created and
tranquil death results.
Once I was called To the home of one
Of the most reputable ladies in the coun-
try. | found her dead. lying on n sofa.
The servant girl had come into her room
1uVt.- -. fhn tt,rrt,tnn 60 mn alFn shH hTr
When the girl went out tho lady. just
dressed. threw herself down on the
sofa and picked up the morning news
paper. The lady did not appear at the
breakfast table. and at about ten O'Clock
they went up stairs to her room To sec
what was the matter. She lay on the
sofa apparently asleep. The newspaper
was in her lap, and one hand lay upon
IL. the other arm rested gracefully over
the back of the sofa. There was no eX-
preston Of pain on her face. Her posi-
tion on the sofa was perfectly natural.
There were no signs of struggle. but
she was dead. Upon examination ]
discovered that her false teeth had
dropped back and closed up the larynx
so as 10 cut off the supply Of air. She
had fallen asleep, the teeth had dropped
back and she had died without n struggle.
She was n large. strong, vigorous wo-
man IN good health. believe thorough
ly that she passed away without any
consciousness of the fact that she was
dying. A person who is asleep can he
smothered by means of very little force.
A large strong woman can be smothered
by weak girl If all the air is promptly
excluded. by covering the mouth and
nostrils. If the woman Is asleep quite
possibly there would be no struggle at
NIL and no consciousness.