The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1884-10-17

| WAS IL WOilltH, DO years Olu, tilllCic'
with that form of insanity known a
melancholia. She had tried to kill her
self before admission into the asylum
and made several attempts to take he
life after being received into the insti
tuition. Finally she succeeded in escap
ing the watchfulness of the attendant
who had frustrated her previous effort
at self-destruction, and hid herself in
bathroom, where she was found hang
ing to ladder by cord formed o
portions of her dress, eight minutes
after she had been seen alive by another
patient.
When cut down she was apparently
quite dead. Animation was so com
pietely suspended that there was nc
symptom which enabled the medical
men present to distinguish her condition
from that of real death. This is the
markable feature of the case. So far
as the doctors could see the woman was
dead The skin was ashy pale, the sur
face temperature very low, the lips were
livid and the eyes dilated and insensi-
BILE to the action of light; there was no
pulse at the wrist or temples; no def
mite heart beat could be detected even
by the stethoscope; respiration had alb
solutely ceased, and unconsciousness
was complete. Even the application of
galvanism failed to contract the mus
cles. If the woman had been a crimi-
nal who had suffered the extreme penal
ty of the law the physicians would
doubtless have been justified by the
symptoms in pronouncing her dead;
yet she is alive to-day, and not only
well physically but fast recovering from
all mental arrangement.
DIR. White 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 artificial respiration according to
what is known in medicine as the. Sill
vester method. The movements were
performed slowly-only ten times
minute-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
stethoscope. Ten minutes is a long
time to wait for the first signs of return
ing life, and it is to be feared that in
many cases of apparent death, espe-
cially by drowning, the measures neces- |
sary for resuscitation are not continued |
long enough to rekindle the smoldering |
spark of life that remains 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 dispense
with assistance in this way. If il had
been abandoned earlier the woman
would probably have died, notwith-
her partial restoration 10 SEN
ibility.
We need not follow the treatment in
letail. The patient became perfectly
conscious about eleven hours after the
lct of strangulation, and in the course
If fortnight was in good bodily health.
She lost her melancholy illusions and I
'ecame cheerful, looking back at her
ttempt at suicide with horror. For
wo days from the time of hanging,
owever, her memory was complete
lank.
This extraordinary case is interesting
n several aspects. The complete sim
lation of death suggests a possibility
hat physicians may sometimes them
elves be deceived as to the fact of
cath, especially careless practitioners ,
+ those of comparatively limited infor- !,
lation. We have already referred to I
le lesson which it teaches of the need s
steadfast and hopeful perseverance !
/ efforts to restore those who have !
pparently lost their lives by strangu- ,
ltion or drowning. 1t would appear !
lat artificial respiration is more useful {
nd effective when the movements are I
erformed slowly than when they a
lceed ten minute. This is an impor- t
mt point for those to remember who s
-e called upon to render first aid to t
Ie injured. Finally, this remarkable a
,curence may well lead to speculation s
to the many stories which have been |,
iblished of the restoration to life of k
en- who have apparently suffered a
,ath by hanging on the gallows. u
1t is probable that fully seven min
es had elapsed between the moment II
the act of suspension and the time L
hen the women was cut down. Who ii
n say that similar measures might b
It have. brought about resusciation ii
she had been hanging twice as long? b.
I'd might not strong man possess OF
e potential ability to recover, with OF
,e assistance, from the effects of stran- re
lation lasting half an hourp Who &C
n now assert, with confidence, that &C
nvict with a neck unbroken cut down CT
.er hanging thirty minuts, and turned pl
er to friends having all the resources to
modern medical science at command, &c
ght not be called back to existence NJ
this worldp pl
Such an event is improbable enough, ca
know; but we do not see how it can co
pronounced physically impossible, El
view of the facts to which we have pl
lwn attention. tr'
co
r.,