New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-11-16
F4SClyATED AT SIGHT OF DEATH.

4 1 4
THE STRANGE CHARM OF A DYING MAN IN
HOSPITAL OVER THE OrHrR PATIENTS.
Among the many strange and peculiar scenes that
daily anpear in the routine of hospital me- there II mono
tbat avokens so much wonder in the bchoder as the
surprising fascination that deathbed scene seems to
have for the patients In large institutions. whore one
ar more people die every day. death Is looked upon by
the hospital attendants purely "a matter OF business
and they dispose OF dead bodies according to the rules
prescribed in such eases without exhibiting the
slightest feeling of respect. sympathy or tenc erne's
Familiarity with death renders them callou'. ana rs
soon a. the breath passes ont Of body. II Is put into
box and hustled % 10 the dead house with the utmost
indifference In striking contrast with tins total dire-
card for tine suennitg of death the remarkable tact
winch has often been noticed and commented unpn hv
nelson's familiar with hospital life. that patients who
have been badly injured or aye in low state ~ de-
press ,u from eyhlustng d ease and possibly have
only few hours ~ live are nled "lih an intense ana
pretcrnlt raj excitement by the essence % de"h
among them. Physcians and nnrses men oi strong
nerve and in rerirCt health viii frequently turn away
from the bedside Of dying man ami cn-e ont hr s-hi
of the last effort OF nature ~ assert - N' giving
mower bui patients near 40 hand. whose lives may Doe
hanging i'm thu balance " they can catch glimpse NJ
tn utr STRUGGLES of their communion I'm sickness. VIII
become utev absorbed with int rest ~ the s'ght a1d
v n watrh every movement AMI chau,e that takes
place rs dclth approaches, with undated interest
Th,- sranse interest in death s mover noticed in per
SONS n hfalth oni in the sick ones II IS not Induced r
irnnH mental r1ifn WlIrN NNIl fiI.NN lNH
the eup lton ~ the great ch4nt' lAFng pace W
another ar1 rir soon come 40 Thorn elve hTf coma
rather o be the ruter'wth of an nnp pain'h" nnrpn
trYllahle and mnrid ruri0sitv to know exactly h'N
poisnn dies $50 powerful an inlncnre does thi'
rla'ons interest cg rt nrnn The irn lin inn NJ 9rs
rrranns That Ties nr" ohlivo1s in zion own nllmn
Ihpv win sarirn iher comfort expose t'"ms'l o. tn
drat4 ~ air aud d4oler he role e the h'spal io
afatN this renu iit pa -srn They loo sitH ~ ih'
hrfot 81 death ns n nrro'ra TO h" ut'in'7 mint 90
tho attention which th"f lvn =" pc 7'f'f II noe
thr reaction from its unnatural at"iinrnn - 'lvata
ninfiras to raiienit nhl hospital a'ion1ani1 s.n-
nt,iiy i,ta taisitas 80 rfnflhi th.tn ifHu attnt
vh hni So n-n ia placed around th" cot 80 a7 10 90
clada ihe r4uhi aighl tun al rtoapi tho Immediate
practical demonstration Of lhi. STRANGE fascination
was recently rtIu hY IhttAt reporter al thn
Ninety ninth street Hospital re ''eomm'dni l,n5 Ia
tn hospital being restricted, ant The rooms mail and
uncomfortable in warm weather. "a large tent was
erected ia the ward last SUNNI Whrran patients we're
paeed who were dangernu.lY m or htd boon badly in
Jared 1hfre were twelve cots in the ont divided INTO
two sections, and separated by narrow passage 'aI
running through the centre OF the tent Al the tha
relt rred TO- the cots all occupied except ono TWO
of the patients were suffering from suu-troke two had
fractured skulls one had been shot in the head. another
had attempted suicide and all were III more or less
dangerous condition. The day vas hot ana sultrY
Scarcely breath of air stirring, and everything
was hushcl and quiet when the reporter entered the
tent. The patients all lay IN drowsy stupor, with
ewes half closed and obyiols Of their surroundings,
while the moved noi-eles,l Y among them and
brushed away the troublesome hies that lowered
broken BY rapid rum'lng IN the street in front OF The
hospital load clang the hospital bell announced
the arrival Of new patient the yard gate was opened
and an ambulance was driven IN and stopped ut the
tent door There sudden hustle about the place.
stree cher was quickly brought, and an unconscions
man dressed a oanter was carried INTO tn tent and
laid upon the empty cot The house surgeon made On
examination Of the man and entered the history Of the
case in tho record Painter Fell from scai0d and
sustained a compound depressed fracture at base Of
skull" which interpreted. meant certain death.
Two three Of the other patients aroused from
their stupor hy the moi and confusion turned their
heads slowly opened their eyes glanced istes-y IN
IL, direction Of the arrival for moment and then
rclaIsed into q scrni-cuWaDsc condition. The attend
inp physician gave a few directions 10 nurse made a
Of nsJ ection s the cots and left the tent.
The nurse took seat by the bed side Of the painter and
slowly moved a fan above hi, face lie renamed quiet
for a time then moved uneasy IN his cot. and began
10 moan IN low and dismal tone lie bfcai hed a~
there a heavy weight upon hs chest took long.
deep inspiration and then suddenly gave few short
gasps for air which in the silence of the place were
heard in every part Of the tent The pasmodc gasps
continued and the patients near hrs cot awoke
from their lei hargic condition and gradually became
mentally excited and restless. Not q word spoken.
but the impression commune tied from cot % cot.
10y an uul.n agency, tba the man was diving. and
every uaien in the tent suddenly became interested in
mm In their anxiety 10 get good view a. possible,
those who were able sat up in their cots and the
others raised their heads high possible upon their
rili0wa They entirely AFFORDED the actions of
the diving man Their eyes bulgcd ont of their heads
and min lcd expression OF surprise, wonder aud fear
spread over their faces. Their pains AMI sulerings
of death Every spasn that racked the poor painters
frame seemed 10 lie felt by these anxou. watchers.
and their faces assumed expression Of torture at
every attack There Was painful silence aDout the
place. broken now and then by low moan and The
suhdned whispering of the nurses. The house surgeon
entered the tent. walked quietly to the bedside of the
dru. man. felt bis pulse listened % the action OF his
heart. hcckoued the to raise the hap- OF the
tent 10 allow more air 20 enter, and gave tn patient
lrpodcrmic injection of NOR. hne directly over the
heart The other patients in'cntlv watched every
movement If The physician. hnt n soon a. he cii the
cent their eyes We're again fiyefod upnn the painter
The morl hnc 10 stole through his body did Us work
we'll tie .pasms ceased h breath regularly but
i.inty and q deaihlg uallor ,rrcal over hi. taco
The physician suddenly returned 20 che tent glanced
has, ~ the excited p1iient- and ordered the nurse
in an angry tome 90 place The around the cot Of
the DIVING ir1n The nurse hurried ior tlc -croon hgt
before hc returned fhc painter slowly rascd Dig 'ad
ouCucI hs frs tcrb long inspiration and irl hnck
urou thc pilhv-leal 1hcolher paenis inv oluntaily
sh1dinirl finNy monrcd Wf tfrel thrir inces uv1y
ffnm fr rerf1 ei.ht 'hnt ftr % h1'i hour he'd .i.
CROSSED fhcr attention uci'h tal rlnir,l v victim
ana 'he ia rnatian vas Of an end