Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-08-10
IS DEATH PAINLESS :?
Or. Hammond Answers the Ques-
 tion in the Affirmative.

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 tion in the Affirmative.
 It is only necessary to sec a person die to be convinced that so far from being pain full process the act of death is rather pleas ant than otherwise writes Dr. William w. Hammond in the St. Louis PeSt-DiSpdtch. The physical phenomena that leads up to the departure of vitality from the body are often characterized by great suffering. There may be pain suffocation due to the IT, regularity in the action of the heart and lungs, and above all intense mental anguish. But when death begins all feel ing of discomfort in mind or body disap- pears; pain in whatever part it may be sit uated ceases to be perceived; the heart may beat with still greater irregularity, tho lungs fail still moro notably to perform their functions; nothing has happened to dissipate the fear or rcmorse or sorrow that have harrasscd the dying person, but the perceptions, the intellect, the emotions, the will are blunted and no longer respond to excitatons that formerly moved them.
 Death as we see it ill persons who have suffered from moro or less protracted Ill., ness is not generally an act that is accom- plished i'll few moments of time. It may even last for several hours, during which period the vital forces are eXtinguished little by little, so gradually in fact that we are not able to determine the exact instant at which life becomes extinct
 Psychologists speak of death as occurring through the cessation of the action of either the brain or the heart or the lungs. But the brain can not be regarded as an organ absolutely essential to life, however neces- sary it may be to it's regular and systematic course. The entire organ may be removed from certain kinds of animals and yet lite al oc ,,oOfo1flI- for o c tbOnUh it were still there to dominate the rest of tho body. The heart beats, the lungs respire, the stomach digests, and the several glands continue to elaborate the SecretionS proper to them, and not only all this, but actions are performed which are well calculated to excite astonishment in those who see them for the first time and who have embraced the idea that all intelligence resides in the | brain. Thus, for instance, if the brain bo entirely removed from the head of frog and the web between the toes be pinched the limb is immediately withdrawn; if the shoulder be scratched with needle the | hind foot of the same side is raised to re- move the instrument; if the animal is held | up by one leg it struggles; if placed on its | back-a position to which frogs have great | antipathy-it immediately turns over on its belly; if ono foot be held firmly with a pair of forceps tho frog endeaVOrs to draw 1t away; if unsuccessful 1t places the other | foot against tlre instrument and pushes | firmly in the effort to remove it; still not succeeding it writhcs the body from side to side and makes a movement forward l | have seen rattlesnake strike after it's head | was cut off, and q viper has been known to crawl straight for it's hole in the wall after suffering like mutilation.
 Nor are such experiments the only evi- | dence we have that life may persist though l the brain be absent, It sometimes happens 1 that individuals of the human species are | born without brains. In one instance of the | kind life was present for six months. | Though very feeble this being had the l faculty of sucking and tho several functions l of the body seemed to be well performed Its eyes clearly perceived the light and dur ing the night it cried if the candle was aI- lowed to go out After death the cranium was opened and there was found to be an entire absence of the cerebrum. In an- other case, that of a male infant which lived eighteen hours, there was found | after death no VeStige of a brain, neVerthe- less respiration was established the pupils contracted tho light; bitter juice put into the mouth was immediately rejected and loud noises caused movements of the body.
 In another case in which the cranium was
 entirely empty life continued for four days, yet this being opened and shut it's eyes, cried, sucked and even ate broth.
 The brain, therefore, is essential to life
 only so far las it is essential to the contin-
 ued action of the heart and lungs. When it Is the seat of disease in certain of its parts
 the action of all the organs of the body is
 more or less impaired although they may
 continue their functions in such manner
 as not to be immediately destructive to life
 It is only when brain disease leads to the
 arrest of the action of the heart or lungs
 that death becomes inevitable
 Death beginning at the heart occurring
 either as the result of brain injury or dis
 ease, or like factors affecting the organ
 itself, may take place suddenly or
 after a very considerable pericd of
 time has elapsed. In neither case is
 the act of death painful. Should the
 heart stop suddenly the brain is at once de-
 prived of its due supply of blood; all sensi-
 bility is immediately abolished. There are
 few imperfect respirations and life has
 vanished, probably withoutthe stricken per
 son having the slightest consciousness from
 the moment that the current of blood failed
 to reach his brain. Such cases are compara-
 lively infrequent, but they are common
 enough for us to have become acquainted
 with the phenomena by which they are
 characterized. The aspect of person dy-
 ing in the manner described shows that
 there has been no suffering, mental or phy-
 slcal; the countenance is placid and the
 position Of the body that of entire repose
 In other instances the state of the patient
 for a considerable period before death is
 marked by great suffering. The respiration