Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-09-27
A Wonderful fSesurrecti0r.


corded case OF resuscitdtion after apparent
death by hanging, SO remarkable as to be
worthy of notice and discussion outside of
purely professional circles.
The case is reported by Dr. Ernest W. White.
senior assistant medical officer to the Kent
Lunatic asylum at Chartham. near Canterbury
he patient was a woman 53 years old. afflicted
with that form OF insanity known as melan-
chOlia She had tried to kill herself before ad
mission INTO the asylum. and made several
attempts to take her life after being received
into the institution. Finally she succeeded in
escaping the watchfulness of the attendants
who had frustrated her previous efforts ut self
destruction, and hid herself in bath room,
where she was found hanging to a ladder by a
cord formed OF portions OF her dress eight min
utes after she had been seen alive by another
patient.
When cut down she was apparently quite
dead Animation was so completely suspended
that there was no symptom which enabled the
medical men present to distinguish her condi-
ton from that OF real death. This is the re-
nIarNabie feature OF the case. SO far as the
doctors could see the woman was dead The
skin was aShy pale. the surf0ce temperature
very low. the lips were vivid. and the ewes
diiated and instnsible to the action Of lfrht
there was no pulse at the wrist or temples: no
definite heart beat could be detected even by
Inc stetilo>cO!e respiration had absolutely
ceased. and uncOnsciOusness was complete
tract the muscles. If the woman had been n
Criminal who had suffered the extreme penalty
ol Tie law the physicians would doubtless have
been justified by the symptoms in pronouncinr
her dead; Yet she is alive to-day and not only
well physically but fast recovering from all
mental arrangement!
Dr. W illte and his assistants wisely refused to
act upon appearances. They gave their patient
the benefit OF the doubt in their minds, although
that doubt was very slight Resort was had to
mi tiIn
in medicine as the Sylvester method The move
ments We're performed slowly-only ten times a
minutc-but about ten minutes after they were
begun an exceedingly feeble attempt at natural
respiration was noted. and very weak pulsations
OF the heart were perceived by the aid of the
stcthOscope. Ten minutes is a lonr time tn
wait for the first signs of returning lite and II
Is To be feared that in many cases of apparent
DEATH especially by drowning the measures
necessary for resuSctatiOn are not continued
long enough to rekindle the smOudering spark
OF life that renaiHs in the body. There can
hardly be too much patience or perseverance,
In this case artificial respiration was steadily
maintained for two hours before the natural
breathing was sufficiently established to dis
pense with assistance in this way. II it had
been abandoned earlier. the woman would prob
ably have died. notwithstanding her partial
restoration to sensbility.
We need not follow the treatment in detail.
me patient became imperfectly conscious about
In the course of fortnight was in good bodily
health She lost her melancholy Illusions and
became cheerful. looking back at her attempt at
suicide with horror For two DAYS from the
time OF hanging, however, her memory was
complete blank.
This extraordinary case is interesting In
several aspects The complete stimulation of
death suggests possibility that physicians NAV
sometimes themselves be deceived as to the
fact OF death, especially careless practitioners
or those of comparatively limited information.
We have already referred to the lesson which it
teaches OF the need of steadfast and hopeful
perseverance in efforts to restore those who
nave apparently lost their lives by strangulatiOn
or drowning. 1t would appear that artificial
respiration is more useful and effective when
the movements are performed slowly than when
they exceed ten minute. This is an important
point Tor those to remember who are called
upon to render first aid to the injured Finally.
TINS remarkable occurrence may we'll lead to
speculation as to the many stories which have
been published of the restoration to life of men
who nave apparently suffered death by hanging
OH the galloWS
1t is probable that fully seven minutes had
elapsed between the moment of the act of sus-
pension and the time when the woman was cut
down. VINO can say that similar measures might
not have brought about a resuscitaton if she
had remained hanging twice as long? And
might not strong man possess the potential
ability to recover, with like assistance from the
effects of strangulatien lasting half an hour?
VINO can now assert with confidence that con-
wet with neck unkrOken, cut down after
hanging thirty minutes and turned over to
friends having all the resources of modern med.
zeal science at command, might not be called
back TO existence in this world?
Such an event is improbable enough. we
Know. but we do not see how it can be pro-
nOunced physically impossible in view of the
facts to which we have drawn attention.