Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1889-08-29
ELECTRIC SHOCKS.
TWO MEN GIVEN UP FOR DEAD
RESTORED TO LIFE.

nESIOnED III LIE T..
A Professor Revives while Arrange
ments are Underway for his Fune-
ral.-The Extraordinary Case of a
Telegraph Lineman.
In all the experiments that have been
tried to test the electric current as a
sure means of death animals have been
used, says the New York letter to the
Cincinnati Enquirer. The machinery
seems to have worked well, according to
the reports of the electricians, and the
animals were killed decently and in
order in the fraction of O second. The
strength of the current used was 1000
volts, which is said to be strong enough
to kill any thing that lives.
In the face of all this comes Prof.
Senior, of New Haven, the distinguish
ed scientist, with the announcement
that electricity does not kill, but that
its action is to suspend the vital forces
and hold them in check for longer or
shorter period, depending upon the con-
stitution of the person who has received
the shock, and the utility of the agents
SAipAOtONt w dooloO III ICoUolluR tu6
balance of power in the system. Prof.
Semler, while experimenting with cleo
tricity, received shock equivalent to
$500 volts, l, 800 more than is to be
used i'll executions, and yet he is alive
and able to record his experience. He
received the terrible shock through his
hands, which were severely burned, and
was knocked down instantly in an I'M
conscious condition. In few moments
all the vital functions had apparently
been stopped, and he was believed to be
dead. Arrangements were made for his
funeral, but the professor had instructed
his family in case he should die sudden
ly not to bury him until signs of decom
position had appeared, and his body was
not put on ice. The body was cold and
stiff, and there was not the slightest sign
of life, but the black spots of decay
were absent. At the expiration of fifty
hours the professor astonished the watch
ers at his bier by suddenly opening his
eyes and calling for drink. He was
soon able to get up and attend to his
affairs. The shock that he received was
so powerful that it completely shattered
his nervous system, and he has since
been inclined to hysteria. He does not
remember anything about receiving
the electric current, but has distinct
recollection of the mental impress
sion while in the state of coma.
He compares it to nightmare, in
which there is enough consciousness to
know that one is dreaming and strong
effort is made to wake up. The expert
ence of Prof Senior led DIR. Harrington,
4ha GarpnCia Lob f1,e
city, to test the correctness of his
theory by alternately killing dogs and
other animals with electricity and re-
suscitating them. The result was highly
gratifying, and many of the animals
were restored to life after they had APP
parently been dead; but an animal is not
human being, and the experiments, for
this reason, were not perfectly satisfac-
tory.
Fortunately for science an opportu-
nifty soon came in which a man could
be substituted for an animal and test
made. Joseph Forney, hneman on
one of the local electric light compan-
les, while at work in the factory con-
Meeting wires with the switch board, re-
ceived shock through his hands, and
was knocked senseless. An ambulance
came within five minutes, and, as he
was not quite dead, he was taken to
Bellevue Hospital. Upon reaching the
Hospital the doctors pronounced Forney
dead, and he was removed to the dead
house. DIR. Harrington was holding an
autopsy there at the same time, and ON
learning the cause of death had the
body of Forney carried without delay to
the laboratory. There was neither pulse
nor heartbeat, and it looked like
waste of time to experiment with the
body. After the clothing had been rip
ped off, the body was placed in large
oven or retort III PROSTATE position.
Heat was applied under the retort, and
in short time the temperature had
reached ], 400 degrees, and it was main.
tanned at this point afterward. When
the body had become thoroughly heat
ed, it was taken out and laid upon q
table. Dilute oxygen gas was forced
into the lungs with pump, and ex-
men and moving the arms, as is done in
artificial respiration. This was kept up
until the body became cool, and it was
returned to the retort to be heated.
When the right temperature had been
reached IL WIS taken OUT, In6 oxygen
gas was used again. This was kept up
for eight hours. Then the body was'
placed in hot water, which was charged
with strong magnetic current, and the
head was packed in ice and allowed to
remain for two hours. Up to this time
there had been no change in the appear
ance of the body, but after the body was
taken from the water hypodermic in
lection of brandy was given in the
breast, and it was absorbed This could
not happen in dead body and DIR. Far
rington and his assistants went ON with
the work with revived vigor. The reg
ular routine of heat, oxygen. artificial
respiration, hot water and magnetism
was persisted in, with occasional injec-
tions of brandy and ammonia. In fif-
teen hours the body had turned a bright
scarlet, and after eighteen hours there
was movement of the right hand up
ward, as if to wipe the face. This was
followed shortly by twitching of the
entire body, and then there was sudden
Jump of the heart as if it were trying to
burst the ribs. 1t continued to beat vi
olently for several moments The respi-
ration was very rapid. The first exclam
alton from Forney's lips indicated that
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