The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1885-01-31
Stimulating Death mt Will.

CELSIUS speaks Of priest who could
separate himself from outward exist
ence at will, and lie as one dead. But
the case of Colonel Townshend, related
by Dr.. George Cheyne in his quaint
book entitled 1.-The English Malay;
or, Treatise of Nervous Diseases OF
all kinds, as Spleen, Napors, Lowness
of Spirits, Hypochondriacal and Hys-
terical Distemper, etc, London, 1733'
Justly exceeds in interest any other
known case of the kind, not merely for
the abnoraa! nature of the phenomena,
but also from the eXa It account of the
events in question related by accurate
observers trained in the scientific
methods of their day.
DR.. Cheyne's account of this case
bears that Colonel Townshend has
suffered from some internal malady, Of
asccrtained and well understood nature,
and that he came in litter from Bris-
tol TO Bath in autumn for the purpose
OF obtaining medical advice. Attended
by a DR.. Baynard, a Mr.. Shrine, his
apothecary, and by DR.. Cheyne himself
all three despairing of the Colonel
recoverY-the patient sent one morn
inc for his medical attendants, and
intimated that he had made his will
and set his house in order; "his Senses,
accordn g to DR.. Cheyne, being "clear,
and his Wind calm. Colonel Town
shend next informed his doctors that he
had sent for them that he might give
them details of Ian Odd Sensation he
had for some Time observed and felt in
h irls niT fal
Cheyne, that. composing himself he
could lie or expire when he pleased.
and yet by an Effort, or somehow. he
could come to Life again. which it
seems. : aids the author, The bad some
times tried before he had sent for U.S.
On hearing such a recital, the doctors
were naturally astonished. AS men OF
science, their Natural scepticiSm Of the
unusual, until proved by experiment TO
be likely or true, exhibited itself in Dr..
Cheyne's declaration that his hearers
could hardly believe the Fact as he re-
lated it., much less give any Account of
it unless odds the narrator, che
shoald please to make the Erpcrjmen!
before us, which we were unwilling he
should do, lest, in his weak condition,
he might carry it too far" The
Colonel, however, insisted on the trial be-
ing made, the preliminary duty OF feel
ing his pulse being duly performed.
when it was found to be ''distinct,
though small and hreedy;" whilst Ibis
Hearo had its usual Beating"
DR.. Cheyne may now be allowed to
relate the sequel in his own words: ale
composed himself on his Back, and lay
in Il still posture some time; while
he'd his right Hand, DR.. Bay7ard laid
his hand on his Heart, and Mr.. Skri1se
held clean Looking Glass to his
Mouth. / found his Pulse sink gradu-
ally, till at last | could not feel any. by
the most exact and nice touch Br
BuY4drd could not feel the least motion
in his Heart, nor Mr. SHRINE the least
Soil of Breath on the bright HiyTOr he
held to his Mouth; then each of us by
Turns examined his 4rm, Heart, and
BreHib. but could not by the incest
Scrutiny discover the least SqnlI tom
Of Lire in him. We reasone long
Time about this odd appearance as we'll
as we could, and all Of us Judging it in
applicable and unaccountable, and find
inc he still continued in that Condition.
we began to conclude that he had in
deed carried the Experiment too far,
and at last were satisfied ne was actin
ally dead. and were just ready to leave
him. This continued about half aB
Hour. BY Nine O'clock in the Mornin @
in autumn, as we were going away, we
Observed some Motion about the Body.
and upon Examination found his Pulse
and the Notion of his Heart era luallr
returning; he began to breathe gently
and speak softly; we We're all
astonished to the last Degree at this
unexpected Change, and after some
further Conversation with him and
among ourselves went away fully salts
fed as to all the Particulars of this
Fact. but COMPOUNDED and puzzled, and
not able to form any Rational Scheme
that might account for it. Thus fer
DIR. Cheyre. The sequel relates that
after calling for his Attorney an
adding a codjcil to his will. Colone,
Townshend received the Sacrament
and calmly and composedlv Expire
about five or six % Clock that Evening
Thus it appears to be proved beyont
doubt that this patient had the power
of composedly and perfectly Stimulating
death at will-tor DR.. Cheyne eX-
pressly mentions that Colonel Town
Shend had "for some Time observed
and felt in himself the peculiar powe
of which he gave his physicians such
satisfactory demonstration. There are
few among ourselves who will not APP
preciate to the full Dr.. Chevne's con
Guiding remark. that. having narrated
the Facts" deliberately and distinctly,
he may well 'leave to the PHi'oSOphick
Reader TO make what Infe ences he
thinks fit. - In addion to all the signs
and symptoms of sleep, we have added
in Colonel Townshend' : case the power
of intensifying the conditions OF somn0-
lence to an extent comparable only q
the extinction of vital action itself
Gentleman $ Magazine.