Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-05-29
From Rich. State, May 22nd.
DEAD YET ALIVE.
EXPERIENCE RELATED BY
A wELL-KNowN RICHMOND PHYSICIAN.
A Man Who Might Have Been Buried
Alive.

A Man Who Might Have Been Buries
Alive.
Dr. William B. Gray, well-known ply
sician of this city and an experienced prac
titioner, when asked by a State reporter to
day what his opinion was ia regard to th,
Bishop case, replied that as he did no
know anything of that case he was not pre-
pared to express an opinion. But, said DIR
Gray, / know Of two cases of catalepsy
which came under my personal observation
One was man by the name of Gooch. Hi
attack was short one lasting only two
days While it was apparent to me thai
the man was not dead, yet to careless OBJ,
server he might be so regarded. The 9TH
er was a
| MOST REMARKABLE CASE.
It was in the fall season. A man by the
name of Lilly, who lived in Fluvanna conn.
ty, ard a neighbor of mine, retired one Sun
day night in perfect health. The next
morning he arose at the usual hour, dress
ed himself and went to his desk and began
to write. After which he gotup and walk
ed to the fireplace. His wife entered the
room, and seeing her husband standing
erect in front of the fire, informed him that
breakfast was ready. Lilly paid no atten-
ton to his wife. and she called to him again,
and getting no response she approached
nearer to him and observed that ho was
oblivious to everything. Mrs. Lilly at once
dispatched messenger for my father, the
late William A. Gray, the family physician.
l accompanied my father, and on entering
the room we found Lilly standing before the
fire motionless and noticing nothing. and on
his bed lay his will, which was informed
he had written that morning after rising
from his bed. l couldn't get him to swal-
low anything nor speak, nor to give any at
tention to anything. We put him to bed
and treated him with such remedies as we
deemed advisable. His condition continued
to grow more serious from day to day. On
Thursday we biistered his entire spine, his
ankles and arms. On Friday we supposed
he was dying; he had no pulse we could
detect; no action of the heart; his features
were sunkeu, shrivelled and ghastly. We
tore his blisters with our finger-nails, hop
ing thereby to excite circulation, but in
vain. After working on him for hours we
were finally forced to give mp, as we were
worn out by exhaustion, and We left him,
supposing that he was dead.
A AMIDNIeHT SUMMONS.
retired that night about o'clock to
get sleep aud rest, which l greatly needed,
and was aroused about o'clock by cries OF
| ''Doctor Oh, Doctor ~ by three different
persons who had heen sent by Mrs. Lilly
to come to her house Immediately. As the
house was only about mile I did not wait
for NY horse, but hurried on foot through
the darkness, and On arriving there found
Lilly sitting in chair before the fire al
alone, his family and friends having left the
house and were in the yard il state Of
widest excitement
Lilly sat with blanket around his shoul-
ders, bis face in his hands and his elbows
on his knees, and in front of him was CUP
Of warm water, which had been prepared
fer cleansing bis body preparatory for buri.
al. Lilly took no notice of me; he had a
perceptible pulse and q brighter and a more
rational counteEsnce. Summouing his
family back into the house / called for some
egg-nogg, which was quickly provided
Lilly shook his head, declining TO take it.
1 told him that it was necessary, and he
must take it. Again he shook his head.
then told him if he would not take it vol
unfairly force would be used, and / called
two men to my assistance. Lilly, seeing
that was determined to give him the egg
nogg, for the first time spoke, saying, "pl
take it." and taking the glass. he swallow
ed its contents. He then pulled up the leg
of his drawers and called my attention tC
the blsters which had torn with my flo
ger-nais Oh Friday. Lilly then related his
experience from Monday morning. He said
that he was conscious the whole time and
knew everything that had transpired; could
tell what the attending nurses had talked
about. He said of all agony mortal had
ever suffered he experienced it in it's great
est intensity when tore his blisters.
KNEW HE WAS CONSIDERED DEAD.
He knew that he was regarded as dead,
and heard the family making arrangements
for his funeral; saw the tub of hot water
brought in for washing his body, aud dur
ing that tina had to lie there on the bed
unable to speak, move muscle, or wink
his eyes; that while his friends we're sitting
before the fire with their backs to the bsd
waiting for some article of clothing prepar.
atory to dressing the corpse, he made 9
vigorous effort to move, and to his surprise
and Joy discovered that he could move his
limbs Not having had anything to pass
bis lips since the Sunday previous (sever
days), the first thing he did was to get ou
of bed and make for the bucket of water,
which was on a shelf in the corner OF the
room and near the bed; in doing 80 made {
slight noise, and while he had the buckle
up to his month his friends, who were il
the room, rushed pell-mell from the room
seeking safety in the yard at remote poin
from the house. Mi. Lilly rapidly recover
ed and lived for many years.
0ad Origin of Some Words.