The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-07-21
How We Die.

| that of my uncle. He was hale. hearty
man of eighty, 0 bachelor, wealthy. and
surrounded with every comfort in q
| beautiful home not far from New York.
He had trayeledin Europe, and was full
of anecdote and memory of his long life.
He arose one morning apparently in per-
feet 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 tile table after a
hasty and partial meal. saying he would
drive down to the depot, not far away,
and bring me to the house. He had the
servant bring BIS ponies to the door and
refused to let Il man go with him, say
ing he preferred to drive himself. He
mounted the box and drove off at smart
pace. The old gentleman had not driven
more than few rods from his own house
when he was met by neighbor who no.
ticed something strange in his appear
anoe. His horses stopped. The neigh
Dor dismounted and went to the side of
his carriage and spoke to him. The old
| gentleman did not answer. He sat up.
right in his seat, holding the reins in his
hand. He was dead. He had passed
| away without shock of any kind. There
was no apparent cause for his death,
which was probably occasioned by heart
disease"
DR.. L. L. Seaman. physician in chief
of Charity Hospital, Blackwell's island,
took much interest in observing the
much vaunted death scenes of Sara
Bernhart, and when once started on the
subject he is apt to give judgment of
the great actress performances some
| what different from the general conclu-
sions of the dramatic critics. Speaking
| on this subject the other day, DIR.
Seaman said that Mile. Bernhardt had
seven different ways of dying and all of
them were totally unlike anything he
had ever seen In a medical practice COW
ering many thousands of cases of all
kinds of deaths.
''Of course do not hold myself re-
sponsible for the deaths in my hospital
any more that for the births" said DR..
Seaman. MANY patients come in when
they are in almost the last moments of
life. Many are known to be absolutely
beyond the hope of recovery. But my
observation convinces me that the dra-
| matists and actors have far over -estimat-
ed the pains of death, and especially the
| possibilities OF great mental effort just
| previous to the moment OF final dissolu-
| tion.
1T is, in fact, about as difficult to tell
| when man dies as to determine when
| he goes to sleep. Death is gradual, not
| a sudden process. l am speaking now of
| death by disease, not of violent death.
Possibly in the representation of violent
| deaths the actors may come somewhere
near the truth, but generally their pic
lures OF death by disease are,to one who
knows the truth, simply ridiculous. Dis
solution 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 de-
stroys one organ after another, not all at
once. The last organ to yield are the
lungs, which show the oppression in the
breathing and produce what is termed
the death rattle As soon as the lungs
csase to act the venou blood is not
changed to red artificial blood, but it is
propelled unpurifed from the
heart and thus poisons the body like a
narcotic. The energies of the brain are
gradually lulled as in the approach OF
sleep, and unconscious cerebral action
produces the murmur of the names o1
friends, of the recollections of past life,
or reference to what ever has passed
through the mind. But that there is
pain in natural death have long since
ceased to bel eve"
A veteran physician, speaking on this
subject, recently said: Judging of the
thoughts of men by their words JUS
previous to death, I should say it offer
happens that dying person gives NJ
indication of thought upon subjec
that has been the favorite topic of life
, time. have known active business
men with important affairs unattended
: to, who died with words upon their lip
, that indicated absorption in some Incl
| to personal comfort. 1t was that sort o
a death that Washington Irving died
saying, We'll, must arrange my pill
/ lows for another weary night; if thi
3 GOULD only end Long suffering unde
serve to divert the mind of the strong
est. Even the philosopher Ben Frank
lin was forced to say with his las
. breath, "A dying man can do nothing
! easy It Is very common thing fo
s dying persons to express sympathy wit
attendants who have been fatigued il
attending them. Among them the las
: words of Sir Walter Scott were, Poo
souls, know you were up all night
''And yet, where there has not bee
protraoted suffering, and where the ad
= = ministration of narcotics has not pro
duced wandering mind. dying per
son will manifest an interest in whateve
: has been the uppermost thought of hi
}. life. Lord Chesterfield is reported t
have illustrated his proverbial politenes
), by requesting that friend at his bed
. side should be given chair. Yer
often the last words indicate thoughtfu,
b ness for loved ones. such as the utter
q ance of Charles IL, Let not poor Nell
! starve,' or of Thomas Jefferson, VIII
i said, I resign my soul to God, and m
,t daughter to my country It is but nat
q at the moment of death should be ths
i of affection. I have seen it expressed
g loving look, or pressure of the hanG
J.. often long after the power of speech ha
" gone.
/. "How about the facial expression
It dying persons?"
/. "That is often spasmodic. The laugh
/; ing or CRYING muscles are often excite
n in the convulsions of death when thel
n are no corresponding feelings. In I'll
Is same way there are often muscular cor
i tortions of the mouths of infants, WI
t. are believed to be smiling, when in IA
d they are troubled with stomach ache
;. Have you ever observed the vision
> | n~S nonkot;n dn1;0byo that a ~o ofkav ax,.