The Washington critic., 1885-12-31
ONLY IN 4 TRANCE.



Woman Believed to be Dead.
Says an old professor of anatomy in
the New York TriJuRe: No doubt
there are cases in which people, under
the influence of trance, have been
dutifully buried by their relatives and
friends. Bodies have been cxhumed
soon after being laid in their narrow cell
and have given unmistakable evidence
of return TO consciousness in the cof-
fin. The flesh has been found to be
scratched, and skin and tissue have
been found under the nails. Hair has
been seen in collins that was evidently
pulled out after burial, and bodies have
been turned over and in contorlcd
state
remember n case of my own. |
had been treating the wife of dear
friend of mine for some spinal trouble.
She fingered along for days and months
without permanent improvement and
was much puzzled She lost strength,
became much emaciated, and was
finally unable to walk. She remained
in half reclining position day and
night, In bed or on an adjustable chair
One morning my friend fastened to my
office and announced the death of his
wife, He said she was quite bright in
the evening, but after awhile became
drowsy and fell into deep sleep, and
died without struggle some time
during the night. The next day went
TO my friends house and saw the body. II
was in a room on the top floor, and the
weather being cool, was not on ice. The
face had an unusually natural expression.
Its appearance surprised me somewhat. The
body was cold and stiff, but there was an
Undesirable something about her condl-
ton thatled me TO doubt that she was dead.
She was to be bnred the next dav. The
more thought over the matter the stronger
became the conviction that she was alive.
told her husband that perhaps she was in
trance, and advised that she be kept until
modification set in, which would be sure
indication of death. He gladly acquiesced
and the funeral notice was countermanded
For three or four days | endeavored TO
resuscitate her by the use Of electricity aud
other means, but the most persistent
efforts failed to reveal any signs of life, and
finally gave up trying to do anything aud
resolved to wait for what might happen.
| The days passed and IL was weary work
| and wearing on the nerves to watch the
| body, I'm suspense. The neighbors inter
| ested themselves In the cause, and went so
| far as to call the attention Of the board OF
| health to the fact that q dead woman was
| being kept without burial and as had al
| ready given a certificate of death, 1t re-
| quired considerable persuasion and iniu-
| ence to convince the authorities that ] had
not suddenly become idiotic and was keep
| ing the body out of the grave out Of pure
| within. visited the house several times
| daily and carefully inspected the body every
| time. As the days passed and not spot or
sign of decay appeared upon any part of the
snow-white body felt that the chances
were increasing daily in favor of life, but
every one else was losing confidence, and
the dead woman's relatives and friends
| pleaded with her husband to have the body
buried, and he was more than half inclined
to accede to their wishes. The blind follow
ers Of custom would bury person, dead or
alive, within a certain number of days.
| The clamor for her burial grew stronger
until the twelfth day, when the nurse who
had been employed to remain with the body,
and who believed 1t to be dead, was startled
| just before daybreak to see the head turn to
the left side and the right fingers twitch
convusively. The nurse screamed and
aroused the husband and the other people
in the house, who came rushing into the
room. They saw the turned head and
clenched fist, and listened to the nurses
story. A bright light was brought aud
held close to the body. The expression on
the face was unchanged, but every one saw
that there was tinge Of red in the cheeks.
was sent for, but could not 90 to the
house for several hours, and when did
found the hand relaxed but the head re-
manned where IL had been moved. There
was no pulse, but the tinge had deepened
in the cheeks. was satisfied that she was
in trance and that the force that was
holding her in that condition was breaking
up. applied electricity vigorously again,
and subjected the body to a severe rubbing
without inducing any marked change.
In the afternoon, toward night, the head
suddenly moved again from side to side, and
when it stopped the eyes were wide open
and staring vacantly. There was no sight
in them. But from that time the convulsive
twitchings of the body became more fire.
quent, the skin became more lifelike to the
touch, and after the free use Of hypodermiC
injections of whisky ! was delighted to heal
the heart futter and family beat. Heat and
other agencies were employed to increase
the hearts action, and after a time the
womans chest heaved regularly in breath
ing. The body gradually grew warmer an(
the action of the vital organs assumed til,
normal state. Consciousness came at last
and was shown first by the woman suddenl,
raising her head, resting 1t on her hand, ant
asking for some water. She soon recognized
her family and friends, and spoke Of event
without any knowledge Of the long lapse o
time. In a few weeks she was well anC
strong again, every trace of the spina
complaint having left her, and she /
alive to-day. Her mind has always been
perfect blank as to any impressions received
while In the trance She has no recollection
of passing into or coming out of this state
but has never ceased to express her graft
tude for being kept out of the ground. How
many people have been buried while the
were yet alive no one can tell.
What are the tests for death There ar
many of them. A looking-glass held owe
the mouth is frequently used. If no mois
ture appears on the glass the person is pro
nounced dead. Electricity, 1t is said, up
piled to certain parts Of the body in life vii
, | produce effects that cannot be produces
after death. If blisters cannot be raise
upon a body most surgeons say, 1t nigh
as well be laid away. There are plenty o
other things that are looked upon by peopl
! as sure signs, but so far as my eXperienc
goes know of but one infallble sign, ant
| that is decay, and the friends of suppose,
dead person, who drops off suddenly
should take pains TO see that putrefactio
has begun before allowing the body to b
buried.