Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1879-07-31
A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY.
shipping Live stock In u Comatose
Condition.

Condition.
Mention was made in the SENTINEL some
days ago Of the discovery Of a vegetable
poison, by the use of which animals could
be re ,dered irsensible. and, after being
transported hey ond the seas. could be
resuscitated, and then slaughtered. The
statement seemed 80 improbable that the
account which we publish below, and
which proves its correctness, will be read
with interest. 1t is taken from an English
paper. After telling Of several expert
ments, 1t says:
Messrs. Grant and Rotura then deter
mined upon the erection Of the works Just
finished at Middle Harbor. an enterprising
capitalist, Mr.. Christopher Morton, Of
Pitt street, finding the necessary funds.
Arrived at the works in Middle Harbor, /
was taken into the building that contains
Mr.. Grants apparatus for generating cold.
which has already been, in Mr.. Nicolle's
time, too often and fully described to re-
quire any further notice from me. At
tached to this is the freezing-chamber q
small, dark room about eight feet by ten
feet. Here were fourteen sheep. -four
Ill IL Rihbs vi sbSA
sides in q heap, alive which Mr.. Grant
told me had been in their present position
for 10 days. and we're to remain there for
another three months. Selecting one Of
the lambs, Signor Rotura pnt it on his
shoulder and carried it outside into the
other building. where q humble Of shallow
cemented tanks we're in the floor having
hot and cold water taps to each tank, with
u thermometer hanging alongside. One
of these tanks wan quickly filled. and its
temperature tested by the signur, / mean
time examining with the greatest curiosity
and wonder the 10 days dead" lamb.
The days Of miracles truly seem to have
COM back to US, and many of those stories
discarded us absurdities seem to me less
improbable than this fact. Witnessed by
myself. There was the lamb, to all ap-
pearaDces dead. and as hard almost az a
stone the only difference perceptible to me
between his condition and actual death be-
ing the absence of dnll glassiness about
the eye, which is heightened BY the en-
largement Of the pupil, is very striking,
and lends a rather weird appearance to the
bodies. The lamb was gently dropped into
the warm bath. and allowed to remain in
it about % minutes, its head being raised
above the water twice for the introduction
of the Thermometer into its month, and
then it was taken ont and placed on its
side on the floor, Signor Rotura quickly
dividing the wool On its neck and inserting
the sharp point Of a small silver syringe
unde the skin and injecting the antidote.
This was a pale green liquid. and as l be-
lieve a decoction from the roo OF the astra-
CHARTS, found in South America. Tn
lamb was then turned on its back, Signor
Rotura standing across it gently compress
ing its ribs with his knees and hands, in
such a manner as 10 initiate their natural
depression and expansion during breath
ing. In 10 minutes the animal was strug-
Cling to free itself. and when released,
skipped out through the door, aud went
gamonlIng ard beating over the little
garden in front. Nothing has impressed
me so entirely with a sense Of the marvel
lous. One is almost tempted to ask in the
presence of such a discovery. weather
death itself may not ultimately be baffied
by scientific investigation.
You will see at once the benefits claim
ed by the discoveries of this process.
Cargoes of live sheep can thus be sent to
England by large steamers, aud although
a freezing atmosphere will still be an es-
%sentiai, "A temporary breakdown necessita-
ting a stoppsge of eight or ten days in the
production If cold would be Of no conse-
qGence. When the shtep are landed in
England, any that fail to entirely rally will
he perfectly good meat, whereas the Others
can be turned on to pastures or driven to
market. OF course the same results can
be achieved with bullocks, but their
greater weight makes them more difficult
to handle with safety. and the carcass is
rendered brittle in freezing, making them
the more liable to injury. 1t sounded odd
to hear Mr.. Grant aud Signor Rotura lay
ing stress upon the danger Of breakage ON
the voyage.
..Signor Rotura tells me that, though he
has never attempted his experiment on a
human being, he has no doubt at all az TO
it's p rfect safety. The next felon under
capital sentence lie has requested Sir
Henry Parkes to be allowed to operate on.
He proposes placing him in the freezing
chamber for one month. and declares that
he has 90 fear of a fatal result. As to
whether this temporary suspension would
effect the longevity OF the subject, he can
give no positive information, but believes
its duration might be prolonged for years.
| was anxious to know if n period of. say
five years of this inertness were submitted
To, whether it would be SO much cut out
of ones life,or if it would simply five years
Of unconscious existence tackled on TO
ones s~entient life. Signor Rotura could
give no positive answer, but he believes. as
no change takes place. or can take place
while in this frozen trance-no consump-
ton. destruction, or PREPARATION of tissue
being possible-it would be so many un-
and proitless years added to a life
time.
'Signor Rotura proceeds to South Amer
lea at once for a large supply OF the two
.;.e fnr Aha ,,f. aopI,,at ,f hiS nrn.
cess, and both these substances at present