The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-09

Electricity the Safest Test to show " hexh-
er Lite Is In the Body
Iraae cases OF csfalepsy are very rare
and present 3 remarkable similarity &c
dsaih- DR. S Weir Mitchell Tells OF
an extraordinary case Many years
ago ne saw a young lady from the
West and was told not 10 mention a
particular subject in her presence or
very serious results would follow He
mentioned the subject because of de-
sire 10 see what the result would be.
ana The young woman al once said
N ON viii see that | am about to die =
Her breath began TO fail and grow less
and less The heart beat less rapidly.
and finally the doctor could not distin-
guish the radial pulse. though he could
at al times detect the cardiac pnlsafion
" tn the ear. There was al last no
visible breathing, although little WAS
shown by the mirror The young wo-
man passed into q true condition of
catalellaSy. and 10 the great alarm OF
Dr. Mitchell remained in that state q
number OF days, something Short of a
Week When she finally returned 10
consciousness the Doctor felt immense
ly relieved, and had no inclination 10
repeat The experiment.
There il no authenticated case of a
person having been buried during
Stale OF cataaepsy and, indeed. doctors
hold TO the opinion that The burial of
person still aliFe l. almost unknown
IA reference 10 this point DIR. Mills. in
an article on Trance. SAWS: The
condition OF a patient in state of
trance has been frequently and not in
aptig compared 10 that of hibernai-
ing animal Trance may last for min
uies, hours. DAYS. week or even months
Astonishing stories regarding frances,
some true. others-and these The
greater number false. frequently fina
their WAY into newspapers. Electric
lily furnishes the only sure ST 10 de-
terrnine whether life still remains in
body In apparent death says an
authority, the pulse can no longer be
discovered. and only the faintest sound
can lie distinguished in the region os
the heart- IL therefore becomes
necessary 10 have within reach
crucial test of the pers ST.
enee OF general vitality. Such a
test exists In the Parable current
Within two or three hours after gen
nine death the muscles cease to be ex-
citable by the induced current, but in
case OF apparent death this form OF
elecfro-mascular eOnt-actility never
disappa ars Every other test that has
been proposed has failed under certain
circumstances. This alone gives uni
formly positive Indications Prof
Nirchow the great German anatomisf.
N no Is said 10 have dissected more
bodies than any other living man, also
recommends electricity as the only
positive test One pole of the bat
very. he says. should be attached TO
the diaphragm, the most powerful
muscle OF respiration and the her 10
the mednlla obl0nga1a- which controls
the nerves descending from tie head
10 the neck. and Is the vital citadel OF
the oody-the center OF respiration and
circulation
The danger Of being buried alive is
guarded against In Berlin and Munich
by keeping the supposed dead bodies in
the Tnorgpe on coucfes. SO arranged
that the slightest movement al anr
time. night Or day, rings an alarm and
summons medical assistance So far
the assistance has never been required
ln connection with the dangers of being
buried alive or c1lt up before dead
Now YORK 0ocfO- mas discovered a new
risk-that of being frozen TO death by
being placed on ice By undertakes.
Il have seen in my own practice. he
Is quoted as saying. eases where per-
sons had hardly ceased TO breathe when
they We're placed on ice This was
done before the physician could see the
body. and ii is a matter horrible 10
ponder over 1t seems 10 be craze or
a superstition with some people to
hurry their dead into the ice-box. -
PhiladelDhia Record