Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-07-05
LIFE OR DEATH?
THE MYSTERIOUS PHENOMENA
OF SUSPENDED ANIMATION.
rho Difficulty Of Distinguishing the
Living From the Dcad-Itc-
InarkabIc Case of tho
Eakir of Lahore.


Oh the mysterious phenomena of cl.alcpsy,
:llc writer says:
There is the case of Colonel Townsend.
lie was able OF his own volition to simu-
ate death 50 closely that all the usual
'igns Oh that change were present. DIR.
George Chcync witnessed this operation,
md has recorded it in detail. Colonel
Townsend remained apparently dead for
July half an hour. On one occasion lie
performed the experiment in tic presence
ST three medical men, who found that
respiration and pilsation gradually ceased
lrtil no trace of either could he detected.
in fact, the three observers became con-
iinced that the rian really was dead, aud
iicy were about Ia leave him, under that
belief, when signs of life appeared, and
secn catalcpsy, but i; was certainly Il case
II suspended animation.
Dr. W. Il. Carpenter says in his
"physioIogy:' cit is quite certain that
IN apparent cessation OF all tie vital
functions may take place without that
nitro loss of vitality which would leave
:llc organism in the condition Of dead
body, liable TO hc speedily disintcgratcd
By the operation Of chemical and physical
'::cncics.' II is also apparently II fact
HAT such apparent cessation of the vital
iunc,ions" may continue for an indefinite
period when the right conditions exist.
The best known illustration of this is the
ease of The Fakir Of Lahore, who was
buried for six weeks, ut the instance of
i'unicct Singh, as attcstcd by Sir Claude
Wade, the British Resident at the Court
If Loodhiana. in 1897. In this thor
,ughly authenticated casc-w which, how
ever, Is but one al Il class of similar facts
Known to An%lOln Indians aud Travellers
The Fakir was first put into linen bag,
The bag was placed in II wooden box,
fastened with :; paddock, the wooden box
| was deposited in :. cell in the middle of Il
square brick vault, every aperture of
which hui one WAS brickcd up, while the
7cmaininS door WAS built up with mud
ibovc the lock, and fastened with the
| iajaiI's seal. As II final prccaution, Il
company of soldiers WAS detailed to guard
the vault day and night, four scmtrics
constantly palroiing its four sides dur
Ing the whole period. When, at the cx.
piration of six weeks, the vault and the
box were successfully opened, Sir Clande
Wade, who, with Runjcct Singh, had
entered the building, and taken their
places close TO the body, 50 as to sec
everything, this is what appeared before
ihem: 1.-The servant then began pour.
ing warm water over the figure; hut as
my object was to see if any fraudulent
practices could be detected, proposed tc
Runjcct Singh To lear open the bag and
aafc Il perfect view of the body before
my means of rcSuscitaticn were cmnloycd
accordingly did so; and may here re-
mark that the bag, when first seen bv us,
appeared mildcwcd, as if it Ind been
buried some time. The legs and arms Of
the body were shrivcled and stiff, the
lace full, the head reclining on the
shoulder like that Of corpse l then
called to the medical gentleman who was
attending me to conc down and inspect
the body, which he did, but could dis.
cover no puls;.tion in the heart, the
temples, or the arm. There was, how.
ever, Il heat about the region of the brain,
which no other part OF the body cX-
hibi;cd.
ellie servant then recommended bath.
Ing him with hot water, and gradually
relaxing his arms and legs from the rigid
state i'll which they were contracted. Run.
lcct Singh taking his right and his left
leg, to aid by friction in restoring them
20 their proper action; during which
Zinc the servant placed a hot wheaton
sake, about IN inch thich, on the top Of
the hcad--a process which he twice or
thrice renewed. lie then pulled ont of
Ills nosirils and ears the wax and cotton
With which they were stopped; and after
great cxcrtlon opened his mouth by in.
'eriinS the point of Il knife between his
teeth, and, while holding his laws omen
with his left hand, drew the tongue for.
ward with his right-in tie course of
which the tongue flew back several times
20 its curved position upward, III which
it had originally been, SO as TO close the
outlet. lie then rubbed his cycl;ds with
shcc Cor clatiiictl but!cr) for some seconds.
aniil he succeeded in opening them, when
;he eyes appeared quite motionicss and
glazed. After the cake had been applied
;or The third time to the top of his head
ais body WAS violently convulscd. the
iostrils became inflated, respiration en-
aicd, and the limbs began to assume n
natural fulncss; but the pul,ation was
NIL family pcrceptblc. The servant
hen put some Of the ghcc OH his tongue,
ind made him swallow it. A few min
lies aftcrward the cycballs became di-
atcd, and recovered their natural color,
when the Faliir recognizing Runcct
Singh sitting close to him, articulated. in
low, sepulchral tone, scarcely audible
DO you believe me nowl' Runicct
Singh replied in the affirmative, and in
rested the Fakir with pearl nccklccc
md superb pair OF gold brccclets, and
>;cccs of muslin and silk, and shawis
orinln@ wiiat is called klclat, such rs
S usually conferred by the Princes of
ndia on persons Of distinction. From
he time OF Tie box being opened to the
;ecovery of the voice, 10, more than half
III hour could have elapsed: and in an
'ther half hour the Fakr .ilkcd with
myself and those about Lin freely,
hongh fccbly, like sick person; and
sc then left him, convinced that there
laU bppu no fr1ttI nv colIueion -, tl, 49,