The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1881-12-08

ton. It is needless to say that these
theories are false in both conception
and practice. Death is physiological
process, and, like all other animal func-
lions, should be painless.
| When the fiat of death went forth, ma
| ture kindly provided an anesthetic for
| the body. AS theend Of life draws near,
the respiration becomes slow and shall
| low. interrupted now and then by
deep, signing inspiration, as though the
lungs were vainly endeavoring to throw
off the palsy slowly creeping over them.
As the intervals between the inspira-
| tlons grow longer the blood becomes
saturated with carbonic-acid gas-the
same which is formed from burning
charcoal. whose deadly fumes have 80
often aided the suicide painlessly to de-
stroy life.
While the power of breathing is grad
ually failing, the heart. which is in close
sympathy with the lungs. begins to
contract with less force, propelling the
blood only a short distance through its
arterial channels, thus causing the ex-
tremities to grow cold.
The blood sent 10 the brain is not only
diminished in quantity, but it is laden
with carbonic, acid gas, which, acting on
benumbing t Of the fee6S ceTebSai seaaslia elasliia.
thereby destroying both consciousness
and sensation. The patient gradually
sinks into deep stupor, the lips become
purple, the face cold and livid, cold per-
spiration (death damp collects on the
forehead, film creeps over the cornea,
and, with or without commissions, the
dying man sinks into his last sleep AS
the power of receiving conscious impress
slons is gone, the death struggle must
be automatic. Even in those cases
where the senses are retained to the last,
the mind is usually calm and collected,
aud the body free from pain.
&c If [ had strength to hold q pen, I
would write how easy and delightful it
Is to die - were the last words of the
celebrated surgeon, William Hunter;
and Louis XIV. is recorded as saving
with his last breath CT thought dying
had been more difficult"
That the pGinlessness of death is due
to some benumbing influence acting on
! the sensory nerves may be inferred from
the fact that untoward external, sur
roundlngs rarely trouble the dying.
On the day that Lord Collingwood
breathed his last the Mediterranean was
tumultuous ; those elements which had
been the scene of his past glories rose
and fell in swelling undulations, and
II.
Thomas ventured to ask If he was dis
turped by the tossing OF the ship. "No,
Thomas" he answered, Il am in O state
that nothing can disturb me more-I am
dying; and / am sure it must be con-
solatory to you and all who love me to
see how comfortably I am coming to my
end" In the Quarterly Review there
| is related an instance of criminal who
| escaped death from hanging by the
breaking of the rope. Henry w., of
| France, sent his physician to examine
him. who reported that after moments
suffering the man saw an appearance
Like fire, across which appeared beau
tiful avenue of trees. When pardon
was mentioned the prisoner coolly re-
piled that it was not worth asking for.
| Those who have been near death from
drowning, and afterward restored to con-
sclousness. assert that the dying suffer
but little pain. Capt. Marryatt states
that his sensations at one time, when
nearly drowned, were rather pleasant
than otherwise. "The first struggle
for life once over, the wAter closing
around me assumed the appearance Of
waving green fields. It is not
q feeling Of pain, but seems like sinking
down, overpowered by sleep, in the
Now, this is precisely the condition
presented in death from disease In
| sensibility soon comes on, the mind loses
| consciousness of external objects, and
death rapidly and placidly ensues from
asphyxia.
In spite of the natural antagonism to
death, moments reflection will show
| that it is as much a physiological pro-
| cess as life !; the two terms are correla-
I tive, the degree of vital activity depend
ing on the extent of molecular death oc-
{ curing at the same time. Strange as
the paradox may seem, without death
| we cannot live; every thought emanat-
ing from the brain, every blow struck
by the arm, IS accompanied by destruc-
ton OF nervous or muscular tissue. The
bioplasmatic or living matter which en-
ters into the formation OF every animal
tissue is constantly terminating into
cells (tl.e origin of all life), and as con-
stantly passing into decay, their places
being taken by other protopIasts, thus
keeping up the "active dance of life."
This assassination, or interstitial
death, occurs to such an extent that ma
ture, in her wisdom, has provided excre-
mentory organs for the purpose Of re-
moving from the system the effete
material thus produced. Every iVlng
structure after passing through certain
stages of development, maturity and,
finally, retrogression, must come to an
end. This may be but the ephemeral
existence of some of the lower forms of
fungi which, born in the cool of the
morning. die as the sun goes down; or,
like the famous dragon-tree of Teneriffe,
may outlast the pyramids that keep
| watch bv the Nile
The last topic for consideration is the
pseudopia of death, or visions of the
! dying. This subject, coming under the
| ,.oo1,,o of Yoaptol ocianoa 1OrcYoayIu ha