Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-11-13
TRANCE MEDICINE.
Drug which Frees the Soul from thu
BODY without Causing Death.

Body without Causing Death.
An artist living in Rome writes the Gin
cinnati inquirer about a model whom he
encountered in the Eternal City, and with
whom he dned.
During our meal, he SAYS, the man asked
if | would accompany him to his room.
His room, or rather den, was on an off
shoot of the Piazza Popolo. His collec-
ton of books was very extensive, of furni-
ture very scanty, instruments and walls
numerous, necessares mcagre.
/ He went to shelf and taking II small
bottle in his hand, slowly approached me.
"Trance proper" he said, "is suspended
animation. Now have something here
that will suspend animation in the most
intellectual, setting the spirit free to roam
at will with this difference, that the spirit
so set free can return to its body at pleas
ure have tried it for days in succession,
and it has never failed me-"
! | had seen many lunatics, and heard
many of them discourse quite us logically
and clearly rs he had just discoursed, and
yet did not believe him insane
at is Il drug he said "you have no
name for. Now for a trial. 1t is 6;30
will take dose will lie there apparently
dead until 1870, s, 0, 10, or any hour you
/
| spoonful and held it in his hand, waiting
! for me to name the time.
"IIalf-past seven be it ~ he eXclaime ii
as he swallowed the dose and lay down on
an old settce that stood near an open win
! dow.
Within minute he was lifeess. His
| limbs were limp the color was fast dis
appearing from his face; his lips
were rapidly turning blue. | was
watching him closely respiration had
ceased. | now began to feel alarm.
Fifteen minutes had passed, and in my
mind he was dead man. | grew terror
stricken, and began to pace up and down
the room. Then | called him. pinched
pulled at him with all my strength ;
pulled until he fell from the settee to the
floor. He dropped like a bag of sand,
giving not the slightest evidence of life.
| grew frantic and rushed around like a
wild beast all the while trying to think,
but one idea was uppermost. had allow
ed this lunatic to Kill himself in my pres.
ence with Il poison no one understood.
was the last one seen in his company.
What would become of me, al
most a. stranger, in strange
land Then | grew calmer,. try
| ing to remember something of the
lectures had heard on frances. The Col.
| Townsend Case was the first | recalled,
then Wier Mitchell, and his experiments
came to my mind; Rosenthals case OF
supposed death, in which the patient re-
covered after 4S hours, and lastly, Mad
| den'S cases. These thoughts had a quiet
ing effect upon me. | went to the body
there it lay just as it had fallen; | straight
ened it out still no sign of breathing. |
stopped and put my ear TO the heart. No.
there was not the faintest murmur in the
chest and the face and hands were quite
cold, the nose was now blue, looked
at my watch 1t wanted but three
minutes of the specified time. l sat on the
floor like one entranccd, watching the
body. Would he wake One minute
two minutes, crept by. Such long min
utes The third minute has gone, and
yet no sign. Now-yes, there is a fright
full contorton of the body; another, in
now a loud, deep breath. and lie sits up,
looking at me half laughingly.
81 saw how badly you We're worried,
said he, and then he recounted all
had done in that long hour.
would have been buck before time
plain the force with which l entered my
body. | was over in China watching the
execution OF IL rascally BouZe. | waitet
until his spirit rose to ascertain what
crime he had committed. The crimes OF
which he had been guilty were without
number Yet he had been killed for the
one good act of his life, refusing to rob
poor family for mandarin'a benefit be
cause, perchanCe, there would not have
been enough for both.
"He saw of what | was thinking, ant
from whence | came and instantly mad,
resolve to inhabit my body. | saw thi!
intent then the race and battle began
He was near to overcoming me severa
times, and the last tusSle YOU saw, for il
was here at the body, which he reached
first, but entered at the feet. | entered a
the head, and thus gained the advantage