Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1881-02-10
How it Feels to be Frozen to Death.

The LeadVllle CbT0BIcte says: OuT
readers will remember that nearly a
month ago a man wasfound in an uncon-
scious condition in little cabin in CAL
ifOrnia Gulch. He was at first thought
dead, but those who lifted him up found
that he was still alive, but almost
frozen. In this condition he was taken
to the Sisters Hospital where it was
found necessary, to save his life, to am
putate the left foot at the ankle and the
toes of the right. He stood the opera
ton bravely, and in spite of great ner-
vous and physical prostration, he rallied
and was discharged few days ago to
battle on crutches with the wide, wide
world-an uneven warfare indeed,
While he still lay at the hospital a
Chronicle reporter on his rounds one
day happened into the building. and ul-
timately found himself at the bedside OF
the man who had so narrowly escaped
frozen death. The sufferer was a
quick, intelligent young man and seemed
glad to enter into a conversation. In
the course of this he narrated in q
graphic way his experience in the lone
ly cabin. Iusubstance he said;
3 / was three miles up the gulch the
afternoon before, looking after some
prospect holes had up there and didn't
start for home until quite late. ! had
no more than started when the snow
began to fall, and in fifteen minutes the
storm was in full fury. | knew the way
well, but the tierceness of the storm
alarmed me, and the snow fell so
thick and fast that all landmarks
were soon blotted out, and it was
utterly impossible to see more than
twenty feet before ones face. My
principle guide had been the trail made
by the burro's feet, but the thick white
mantle that speedily covered the earth
so entirely obscured this that had no
earthly means of knowing whether or
not was on the right path. After wan
dering blindly on for half an hour be-
came convinced that / was not, and in
fact, the extremely rough ana rocky
nature of the path gave me warning
that had strayed far from the proper
route. Up to this time l had forced
persistently ahead, but then l stopped,
my back to the gusty wind and tried
to calmly consider the situation.
Taking the extreme supposition that l
had walked in an exactly opposite di-
rectlon from the right one l could not
be over four miles from home, but in
the binding storm had no assurance
whether would be right in walking
back or forward, right or left, but final
ly at random chose the first, and con-
tinued my journey straight ahead. Up
to this time had feltnO cold, but when
stopped to think the warmth created
by my active exertions died away and
began to feel severely the biting air.
Besides this the temperature was plainly
falling lower and even my warm breath
began to CONCEAL in brittle ictcles in my
beard and on my scarf, just in front OF
my mouth. Still walked briskly on, but
some how my utmost exertiOns failed
to circulate my blood and warm me as
it had before. Ten minutes after be-
gam to feelstinging pains in my feet and
hands and the numbness that invaria-
bly, follows extreme cold. Itwas about
this time that noticed my eyes seemed
swollen and the lids so heavy that had
difficulty in opening them. When they
were closed a constant succession OF
brilliant lights flashed before me and
presently these lights began to appear
when they were open. In every direc-
tion seemed to see them-green, pur-
pie, red, blue and golden-until with
difficulty could trace the outline OF
my hand as I held it before my face.
If l staggered before l reeled
blindly now, and when 1 pressed my
benumbed fingers to my face | found it
covered with frozen tears. By this
time the pain in my limbs and feet had
grown to the most intense agony. The
prickling sensation felt at first was gone
now, and in its place long, steady,
keen pain as from great open wound.
At one time CROPPED my way to little
sheltered place beneath some rocks,
and pulled my mittens off in vain at
tempt to warm my hands by friction.
| The flesh was perfectly livid and blue
in places, as if it had already began to
decompose. The nails were deep blue
and quantities of blood seemed to have
settled directly beneath them. Finding
it impossible to create any warmth,
rose to my feet and walked on, resolv-
ING to die, if die l must, in desperate
struggle. The prismatic cOlOrs had now
faded before my eyes to long parallel
bars that seemed to stretch from the
horizon. As l walked faster / noted
too with Joy that the pain in my feet
was not nearly so intense as before.
attributed this to the rapid circulation
of the blood, but was sadly deceived,
for when stopped down and touched
my foot it responded no more to the
fingers than block of marble. 1t was
practically dead. Up to this time my
mental suffering had equaled my physi-
cal, but with my stifiening body my
mind seemed to grow dull and torpid
too. Presently feltnO more pain, and
heavy and drowsy sensation substitu.
ted itself This grew stronger, and
felt as though it would be heaven itsell
to sink down into one of the snowdrifts
and 90 to sleep. A most delicious sense
of lassitude and tired ease began to
creep over me and it seemed as If the
warm breath of summer were playing
in my face. knew dimly and vaguely,
as one knows things in dream, that
was freezing to death, but had no care
or anxiety about it whatever. NV out