The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1881-10-20
WHOLE NUMBER 755.
arterial channels, thus causing the ex-
tremities to grow cold.

The blood sent to the brain is not only
in quantity, but it is laden
with carbonic-acid gas, which, acting on
the nerve centers, produces gradual
benumbing of the cerebral ganglia,
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, a film creeps over the cornea,
and, with or without convulsions, the
dying man sinks into his last sleep. As
the power of receiving conscious impress
sions 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,
and the body free from pain.
eff had strength to hold pen, 1
would write how easy and delightful it
Is to die ~ we're the last words of the
celebrated surgeon, William Hunter
and Louis XIV. Is recorded as saying
with his last breath I" I thought dying
had been more difficult"
That the painlessness of death is due
to some benumbing influence acting on
the sensory nerves may be inferred from
bI16 1acC GIldG uutOWdIu oAtcIudl Dull
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
seemed as If rocking him asleep. Capt.
Thomas ventured to ask if he was dis
turbed by the tossing of the ship. "Ne,
H. sy,o cfofn
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 RevieU there
is related an instance of a 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 q pardon
was mentioned the prisoner cooly re-
piled that it was not worth asking for.
Those who have been near death from
drowning, and afterward restoredto con-
seriousness. 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. 1t Is not
feeling of pain, but seems like sinking
down, overpowered by sleep, in the
long, soft grass of the cool meadow"
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-
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-
tion 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 (the origin of all ife), and as con.
stantly passing into decay. their places
being taken by other p-otoplasts, thus
keeping up the "actiEe dance of life"
This dissemination or interstitia
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 effett
material thus produced. Every living
structure, after passing through certain
stages of development, maturity and
finally, retrogression, must come to al
end. This may be but the ephemera
existence of some of the lower forms o
fungi which, born in the cool of tn
morning, die as the sun goes down; or
like the famous dragon-tree of Teneriffe
may outlast the pyramids that keel
watch by the Nile.
The last topic for consideration is tn
pseudopia of death, or visions of tn
dying. This subject, coming under tn
realm of mental science, properly be
longs to metaphysics rather than phys
iology. Various theories have bee
advanced to explain these phenomens
but they must remain as hypotheses q
best, for they are not susceptible
demonstration. 1t is not an uncommo
occurrence for the dying, after ivin
some hours in semi-conscious cond
ton, to start up suddenly, and, wit
glowing face, point eagerly to som
! object invisible to the bystanders, anc
with animated voice and gesture, stat
that they behold the glories of heaven c
the familiar countenance of some frien
long since dead.
The question naturally arises as
whether these conditions are merely th
fantasies of a disordered and fast-diso
ganizing brain, or are the dying actual
permitted momentary view OF thos
mysteries hitherto unknown.
The traditions and superstitions
the past have led to popular belief
the latter theory. Shakespeare expresse
; the sentiment of his day when he place
in the mouth of the dying Queen Kat
arine these words:
Saw Won not even now blessed troop
| Invite me to . banquet; those bright faces
Cast thousand beams upon me like the sum-
Science. with its iconoclastic han
has swept away these pleasing fancie
. and in their places has constructed
8 fabric founded on analogy. In the a
sesthesia induced by chloroform conc
, ton is produced closely resembling til
= Immediately preceding death Caused
, the carbonic-acid poisoning) in whi
! visions are constantly presented to t
mind, the character of which depen
!, upon the natural temperament of t
individual. Thus it often occurs that
= patient, when under the influence
. chIorotorm, has peauno visions similar
= = those of the dying. It is my fortune
Il have at present patient who invariat
: when under the influence of chlofofo
asserts that she sees angels hoveri
around her bed. The impression is
Z strong that she becomes much annoy
, if the reality of these visions is disput
+ The asphyxia produced by burning ch
d GOALS ofttimes accompanied by disturb