The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-11-07
A Wonderful Resurrection.

.aE ~ 0LANSAAA4
From the N. Y. Sun.
In the London La meet of September
6 is recorded a case O + resuscitation at.
ter apparent death by hanging, so re-
markable as to be worthy of notice
and discussion outside of purely pro-
fessional circles.
The case is reported by DR.. Ernest
w. White, senior assistant medical Off
Ger to the Kent Lunatic asylum at
Chagtham, near Canterbury. The pa
tent was a woman SO years old afflicted
with that form of insanity known as
melancholia. She had tried to kill
herself before admission into the asylum
and made several attempts to take her
life after being received into the insti-
tuition. Finally she succeeded in es-
Gaping the watchfulness of the attend
ants who had frustrated her previous
efforts at self-destruction, and hid her
self in o bath room, where she was
found hanging to a ladder by q cord
formed Of 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
pletly 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 remarkable feature of the case. So
far as the doctors could see the m
was dead. The skin was ashy pale, the
surface temperature very low, the lips
were vivid, and the eyes dilated and
insensible to the action of light; there
was no pulse ut the wrist or temples;
no definite heart beat could be detected
even by the kaleidoscope respiration had
absolutely ceased, and Inconsistencies
was complete. Even the application
of galvanism failed to contract the
muscles. If the woman had been a
criminal who had suffered the extreme
penalty 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
we'll physically, but fast recovering
from all mental arrangement.
DIR. White and his assistants wisely
refused to actupon 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
Sylvester method. The movements
were performed slcwly-only ten times
q m~inute-but about ten minutes after
they were begun an exceedingly feeble
attempt ut natural respiration was
noted, and very weak pulsations of the
heart were perceived by the aid of the
stethoscope. Ten minutes is q 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, especial.
ly by drowning, the measures necessary
for resuscitation are not continued long
enough to rekindle the smoulderins
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 fol
two hours before the natural breathing
was sufficiently established to dispense
with assistance in this way. II it hat
been abandoned earlier, the woman
would probably nave died, notwith
standing her partial restoration t.
sensibility.
We need not follow the treatment il
detail. The patient became imperfect
ly conscious about eleven hours afte
the act of strangulation, and in tn
course of a fortnight was in good bodil,
health. She lost her melancholy ILL.,:
sions and became cheerful, looking
back at her attempt at suicide with hor
ror. For two days from the time O
hanging. however, her memory was
complete blank.
This extraordinary case is interestini
in several aspects. The complete sim
ulatioa of death suggests a possibilit,
that physicians may sometimes them
selves be deceived as to the fact G
death, especially careless practitioner
or those Of comparatively limited infor
nation. We have already referred t
the lesson which it teaches OF the nee
of steadfast and hopeful perseverance
in efforts to restore those who have az
parently lost their lives by strangulatio
Or drowning. 1t would appear that al
sficial respiration is more useful an
effective when the movements are pei
formed slowly than when they excee
ten a minute. This is an important poir
for those to remember who are Gale
upon to render first aid to the injured
Finally, this remarkable occurrenc
may well lead to speculation as to til
many stories which have been pnblishe
Of the restoration to life OF men VII
have apparently suffered death b
hanging on the gallows.
1t is probable that fully seven mir
utes had elapsed between the momeI
of the act of suspension and the tim
when the woman was cut down. VIII
can say chat similar measures nigh
not have brought about q resuscitation
she had remained hanging twice
long? And might not q strong ma
possess the potential ability to recover
with like assistance, from the effects
strangulation lasting half an hour
Who can now assert with confident
that a convict with neck unbroken, c,
down after hanging thirty minutes an
turned over to friends having all ii
of modern medical science
command, might not be called back
existence IN this world?
Such IN event is improbable enough
we know, but we do not see how it &C
be pronounced physically impossible
in view of the facts to which We ha'
drawn attention.
Senator Anthony's Library.