The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-30
THE PHENOMENA OF DEATH.
Sarah Bernhardt's Seven Different Ways of
Dying All Unlike the Real Thing.
New York Sun.

charge of one of the New York city hospitals
to reporter, twas that of my uncle. He was
hale, hearty man of eighty, bachelor,
wealthy, and surrounded with every comfort
in beautiful home not far from New York.
He had travelled in Europe, and was full of
anecdote and memory of his long life He
arose one morning, apparently in perfect
health. His buoyancy of spirits was noticed.
He was singing some of the quaint old Scotch
songs of his boyhood. He expected visit
from me- and, as he desired to confer with
me on a matter of business he arose from
the table after hasty and partial meal, say
ing he would drive down to the depot, not
far away, and bring me to the house. He had
the servant bring his ponies to the door, and
refused to let the man go with him, saying
he preferred to drive himself. He mounted
the box and drove off at a smart pace.
The old gentleman had not driven more
than few rods from his own house when he
was met by a neighbor, who noticed some
thing strange in his appearance. His horses
stopped. The neighbor dismounted and
went to the side of his carriage and spoke to
him. The old gentleman did not answer.
He sat upright in his seat, holding the reins
in his hand. He was dead. He had passed
away without a shock of any kind. There
was no apparent cause of his death, which
was probably occasioned by heart disease"
DR.. L. L, Seaman, physcian-in- chief of
Charity Hospital, Blackwells Island. took
great interest in observing the much vaunted
scenes of Sarah Bernhard aud when once
started on the subject is apt TO give a judg-
ment of the great actress performances some
what different from the general conclusions
of the dramatic critics. Speaking on this
subject the other day, DR.. Seaman said that
Mile Bernaardt had seven different ways of
dying and all of them were totally unlike
anything he had ever seen in medical prac-
tice covering many thousands of cases of all
kinds of death.
"Of course l do not hold myself RESPONSE
Bile for the deaths in my hospital any more
than for the births" said DR. Seaman. "Many
patients come in when they are almost in the
last moments of life. Many are known to be
absolutely beyond hope of recovery. But
my observation convinces ME that the dra-
matists and actors have far overestimated
the pains of death. and especially the posi-
bilties Of great mental effort Just previous
to the moment of dissolution.
st is in fact, about as difficult to tell
when man dies as to determine when ne
goes to sleep. Death is a gradual, not sud
den process. am speaking now OF death by
disease not of violent death. Possibly in the
representation of violent death the actors
may come somewhere near the truth, but
generally their pictures of death by disease
are. to one who knows the truth, simply
ridiculous. Dissolution is as painless and
unconscious as birth. The approach to it
may be protracted and painful. There may
be long and agonizing scenes resulting from
disordered Imagination. Death destroys one
organ after another, not all at once. The
last organs to yield are the lungs which
show their oppression in the breathing
and produce what is termed the death rattle.
AS soon as the lungs cease to act the black
yenous blood is no longer changed TO red ar
LII. 4
the heart and thus poisons the body like
narcotic. The energies of the brain are grad
ually lulled as in the approach of sleep, and
unconscious cerebral action produces the
murnTr of the names of friends or recollec-
tious of past life, or reference 10 whatever
has passed through the mind. But that
there Is pain in natural death | have long
since ceased to believe"
A veteran physician, speaking on this sub
lect recently, said: Judging of the thoughts
of men by their words Just previous to DEATH
l should say it often happens that dying
person gives no indication of thought upon
subject that has been the fayorite topic of
lifetime. l have known active business
men with important business affairs unat-
tended to who died with words upon their
lips that indicated ABSORPTION in some Incl
dent OF the moment, generally relating to
personal comfort 1t was that sort of death
that Washington Irving died, saying: well,
[ must arrange my pillows for another weary
night; il this could only end" Long suffer
ing under the Affections of a painful dis
ease will serve to divert the mind OF the
strongest. Even the philosopher, Ben.
Franklin, was forced to say with his last
breath: "A dying man can do nothing easy
1t is very common thing for dying persons
to express sympathy with attendants who
have been fatigue0 in attending them
Among the last words of Sir Walter Scott
were; Poor souls. l know you were up all
night
tracted suffering, and where the administra-
ton OF narcotics has not produced a wander
ing mind, dying person will manifest an
interest in whatever has been the uppermost
thought of his life. Lord Chesterfield is re-
ported to have illustrated his proyerbial po
likeness by requesting that friend at his
bedside should be offered a chair Very
often the last words indicate thoughtfulness
for loved ones, such as the utterance OF
Charles II: Let not poor Nelly starve,' or of
Thomas Jefferson, who said. Il resign my
soul to God and my daughter to my coun-
try 1t is but natural that whatever con-
sciousness is left at the moment of death
should be that of affection. L have seen it
expressed in a loving look. or pressure of
the hand. often long after the power Of speech
had gone"
How about the facial expression of dying
personsF'
THAT is often spasmodic. The laughing or
cryinE muscles are often excited in the con-
vuls ions of death when there are no CORE
spending feelings. In the same way there
are often muscular contortions of the mouths
of infants, who are believed to be smiling
when, III fact. they are troubled with stom-
ach ache"
Have you ever observed the visions and
ecstatic delights that are often spoken OF by
religious writer's"
Certainly. They are quite common, and
not at all confined to religious persons. Ex-
perienced physicians testify that most per-
sons die in a state of trance. Although they
are apparently conscious, they pass away in
a state of dreaming. Often they seem to be
listening to musical sounds Sometimes
thew seem to be beckoned to by angels"