The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-10-22

that are taken against committing their
bodies TO the tomb before decomposition has
set In. This Is the only unmistakable sign
that death had finally taken place. The peo-
pie Of Holland were among the first TO
awaken to the Importance OF this subiect,and
in 1764 a society was organized In Amsterdam
for the purpose Of looking into cases where
death seemed counterfeit rather than real
In less than four years they had resuseltated-
saved from entombment allyC-no less tnan
80 persons In 1868 the authorities at Milan
and Venice, and those at Hamburg, Followed
the example set by Holland, and little later
similar societies were formed at London,
Paris and Glasgow. As a result Of the work
and Investigations OF these societies, among
the members of which were some OF the fore
most scientists Of the times. II has been prov
ed that In great number Of cases where every
known test mad been applied and preparations
made for the burial the subjects had recover
ed. These experiences led PIof Morine, OF
the University Of Rome, TO offer prize Of
1900 francs for the best essay on apparent
death and the Marquis dOuehe left 10000
francs TO be used in discovering the best
means that could be applied In detecting the
counterfeit Of death. And 50 In all coun-
tries statistics collected on this subject are
startling, as revealing the danger Of prema-
'Now don't you think" asked the doctor
that this Is subject that people should be
discuss, should be walked up abOutP"
"What remedy have you TO offer, dOct0r?
Simply this: / hOld-and IL certainly can
not be successfully cOntradicted- the
setting In Of decomposition Is the only GER
tain sign OF death. In the absence OF this
burial should be delayed weeks and months,
II necessary, for so long as there Is no decay
life may hang by feeble thread, and, by
that subtleness OF which l have already
spoken, the recovery be spontaneous.
Another discovery that i have made"
said the doctor, sis that hlbernating animals
do not use their lungs during their period Of
hihaFnatl0n. several years / have been
studying the habits Of this class Of animals.
and do you know, am about convinced that
man can hibernate"
Here the reporter must have looked the in
erednlity he felt, for the doctor fastened TO
explain: Take the bear for example,; its
organs Of respiration are the same as mans.
and 1t hibernates for months without food or
drink. i have also been studying the Dhil0s-
ophy Of the adopts who used to be able 10 go
into the death trance at will Their prepara-
tton for this was long fasting, and the trance
condition following was, In my opinion,
season OF Information. am studying now
with view Of making some experiments In
this line, and the time may come when / will
permit myself TO be sealed up in an air tight
coffin and laid away until such time as shall
designate for it to be opened"
But, doctor. you viii not expect TO come
out Of test like that alive, do your"
"Yes, indeed, was the earnest reply. II
have twice been near the portals of the tomb
in my studies Of this subject Of life principle
and Of suspended animation, and firmly be-
leve / can go still nearer-that can 10 all
outward appearances be dead, and, remaining
that way for a length Of time, can still come
back living witness Of the truth OF my
theories and Investigations"
Speaking OF his fast he said: "The fact Is,
with most people the body rules the mind,
while the reverse should be the ease-the
mind should control the body. Appetite, and
II may be deprayed one, elamors for this or
that desired article, the people rush Oh TO
crafty IL. When | began my forty days
fasting said 10 my stomach: Here old fel-
low. have job for you. l want you TO
take good, long rest, and want no grum-
bling about it, That settled H. At 10
o'clock Of the last day OF my fast, when had
only two hours TO go. a little child that was
In the room where was thrust ripe peach
under my nose. III Adam was tempted as
was then do not wonder that he fell. l had
so little longer TO go without eating that
relaxed my will power, and truly my greatest
suferings were during the last two hours OF
my fast"