Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-21
BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE.
Strange Story Told by an Old Pro-
fossOr.
From "a Nelo - Tri6n...

hF"|t tNo 'etp NTh fFtoNfls
An old professor of anatomy, who had
been a demonstration in the medical collie
ges Of New York and Philadelphia for
maAy years, was busily working on a
mans heart, which lay upon marble
slab before him, when a reporter entered
his Office.
This is the finest specimen 1 ever saw
OF heart disease he said, holding the
heart up and gazing at it with unallOyed
admiration. 'It did very poor work Tor
an unfortunate fellow, who was found
dead In an ice cart, and who was never
identified. would like to know the his
| tory OF the man who carried such an i'm
perfect organ around with him; but, alasl
| he dIe0 and lett no record behind, except
this mute piece of tissue, to tell the story
OF his suherings. Science is thus always
losing valuable facts through the over
sight of individuals"
The conversation turned after a time to
the resuscitatiOn of persons supposed to
be dead. The surgeon remarked:
mo doubt there are cases in which
people under the influence of a trance
have been dutifully buried by their rela-
tiVes and friends. Bodies have been ex-
humed soon after being laid in their mar
row cell, and have given unmistakable
evidence of a return TO consciousness in
the coffin. The flesh has been found to be
scratched and the 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 a cOntorted state.
81 remember case Of my own. l had
been treating the wife of dear friend for
some spinal trouble. She fingered along
| for days and months without permanent
| Improvement, and | was much puzzled.
She lost strength, became much emacia-
| ted, and was finally unable to walk. she
| remained in lining position day
I and night, in bed or on an adjustable
| chair. one morning my friend FASTENED
| to my Office and announced the death of
! his wife. Tie said she was quite bright in
| the evening, but after a while became
drowsy and fell into a deep sleep, and
died without struggle some time dur
| ing the night. The next day | went to
my friends house and saw the body.
1t was IN room on the top door,
and the weather beng cool, was not on
ice. The face had an unusually natural
expression. It's appearance surprised me
somewhat The body was cold and stiff,
but there was an indescribable something
about her condition that led me to dOubO
that she was dead. She was. to be buried
| the next day, The more | thought over
the matter the stronger became the con-
viction that she was alive. ! told her
husband that perhaps she was in a
trance, and advised that she be kept until
modification set in, which would be Il
sure indication of death. He gladly ac-
! quiesced, aud the funeral notice was
cOuntermaDded.
"For three or four days l endeavored TO
| resuscitate her by the use of electricity
and other means, but the most persistent
| efforts failed TO reveal any signs OF life,
and finally | gave up trying to do any
thing, and resolved to wait what might
| happen. Three days passed and it was d
weary work and wearing on the nerves to
watch the body in suspense. The neigh
| Dors interested themselves in the case,
/ and went so far as to call the attention OF
! the Board Of Health to the fact that wO-
man was being kept without burial, and
as l had already given a certificate OF
| death, it required considerable persua-
sion and influence to convince the author
tiles that 1 had not suddenly become
idiOtic and was keeping the body out OF
the grave out of pure whim.
1 visited the house several times
/ daily and carefully inspected the
body every time. As the days passed and
not a 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 los
ing 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 followers of GUS
tom would bury person. dead OF alive,
within 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 il 60 be dead, was
startled Just before daybreak to see the
head turn to the left side, and the right
fingers witch cOnyulsively. The nurse
screamed and aroused the husband and
the other people in the house, VINO came
rushing into the room. They saw the
! turned head and clinched fist, and listened
| to the nurses story A bright light was
| brought and held close to the body. The
! expression OF the face was unchanged
but every one saw that there was a tinge
I OF red in the cheeks. was sent for, but
could not go to the house for seVera
hours, and when did l found the hand
relaxed but the head remained where il
had been moved. There was no pulse, but
the tinge had been deepened in the cheeks
l was satisfied that she was in a trance
and that the force that was holding hel
| in that condition was breaking up. l APP.
piled electricity vigorously again, AND
subjected the body to severe rubbing
without inducing any marked change
Gin the afternoon, toward night, the
head suddenly moved again from side u
side, and when it stopped the eyes were
wide open and staring vacantly. There
was no sight in them. But from that time
the conyulsye twitchings became more
| frequent, the skin became more lifeiike "a
the touch, and after the free use Of hypo
dermic injections OF whisky | was de-
\ lighted to hear the heartflutteT and family
I beat. Heat and other agencies were EN-.
\ plOyed To increase the hearts action, and
! after time the woman's chest heaved
/ heavily in breathing. The body gradually
grew warmer and the action Of the
vital organs assumed the normal
state. Consciousness came at last
and was shown first by the woman
suddenly raising her head, resting il on
her hand, and calling for drink Of water
She soon recognized her family and
friends, and spoke Of events without any
knowledge Of the long lapse Of time. In
a few weeks she was well and strong
again, every trace Of the spinal complaint
having left her, and she is alive to-day
I Her mind has always been perfect
! blank as 10 any impressions received
/ while In the trance. She has no recollec.
tion Of passing into or coming out Of this
state. but has never ceased TO express hei
gratitude for being kept out ofthe ground
How many people have been buried while
I they were vet alive no one can tell