The Press., 1893-11-23
The Case of M. Yaldemar
By EDGAR ALLAN POE


 sider it any matter for wonder that the extraordinary case of M. Valdemar has excited discussion. It would have been a miracle had it not-especially under the circumstances. Through the desire of all parties concerned to keep the af. fair from the public, at least for the pres ent, or until we had further opportunl. ties for stigation-through our en- deavors to effect this-a garbled or ex' aggerated account made its way into SO ciety and became the source of many un- pleasant misrepresentations, and, very naturally, of great deal of disbelief.
 It is now rendered necessary that give the facts-as far as I comprehend them myself They are succinctly these
 My attention for the last three years had been repeatedly drawn to the sub ject of mesznerism, and about nine months ago it occurred to me. quite sud. denly, that in the series of experiments made hitherto there had been a very re- markable and most unaccountable omls- sion-no person had as yet been mesmer' ized in articulo mortis. It remained tC be seen, first, whether in such condition there existed in the patient any suscepti- bility to the magnetic influence; second ly, whether, if any existed, it was i'm paired or increased by the conditions: thirdly, to what extent or for how long period the encroachments of death might be arrested by the process. There were other points to be ascertained, but these most excited my curiosity-the last in especial from the immensely impor- tant character of its consequences. In looking around me for some sub ject by whose means I might test these particulars 1 was brought to think of my friend, M. Ernest Valdemar, the we'll known compiler of the "Biblio- theca Forensica" and author (under the nom de plume of Issachar Marx of the Polish versions of "Wallenstein" and "Gargantua. M. Valdemar, who has resided principally at Harlem, N. Y., since the year 1889, is or was particu- larly noticeable for the extreme spare ness of his person, his lower limbs much resembling those of John Randolph, and also for the whiteness of his whiskers in violent contrast to the blackness of his hair, the latter in consequence being very generally mistaken for wig. His temperament was markedly nervous and rendered him good subject for mes merle experiment.
 On two or three occasions had put him to sleep with little difficulty, but was disappointed in other results which his peculiar constitution had naturally led me to anticipate. His will was at no period positively or thoroughly under my control, and in regard to clairvoy- ance I could accomplish with him noth- ing to be relied upon. always attrib- uted my failure at these points to the disordered state of his health. For some months previous to my becoming acquainted with him his physicians had declared him in a confirmed phthisis. It was his custom indeed to speak calmly of his approaching dissolution as of matter neither to be avoided nor re- gretted.
 When the ideas to which have allud- ed first occurred to me, it was of course very natural that should think of M Valdemar. knew the steady philosophy of the man too well to apprehend any scruples from him, and he had no rela- tives in America who would be likely to interfere. spoke to him frankly upon | the subject, and, to my surprise, his in | terest seemed vividly excited. I say to | my surprise, for, although he had always yielded his person freely to my experi- ments, he had never before given me any tokens of sympathy with what did. His disease was of that character which would admit of exact calculation in re- spect to the epoch of it's termination in death, and it was finally arranged be- | tween us that he would send for me about 24 hours before the period an- nounced by his physicians as that of his decease.
 | It is now rather more than seven months since 1 received from M. Valde- mar himself the subjoined note:
 My DEAR p: You may as well come now. 1 D. and F. are agreed that cannot hold out beyond tomorrow midnight, and l think they have hit the time very nearly.
 VALDEMAR
 1 received this note within half an hour after it was written and in 15 min utes more l was in the dying mans chamber. had not seen him for 10 days and was appalled, by the fearful altera- tion which the brief interval had l WIOtlSuI III ulIu. Ills IdCo wore @ l0aQ6n hue; the eyes were utterly lusterless, and the cancellation was so extreme that the skin had been broken through by the cheek bones. His approximation was ex- cessive.
 The pulse was barely perceptible. He retained nevertheless in very remark able manner both his mental power and a certain degree of physical strength. He spoke with distinctness-too some palliative medicines without aid-and when l entered the room was occupied in penciling memoranda in d pocket book. He was propped up in the bed by pillows. Drs. D. and F-- were in attendance. After pressing Valdemar's hand took these gentlemen aside and obtained from them a minute account of the patients condition. The left lung had been for IS months in 8 semiosseous pr cartilaginous state. and was of course entirely useless for all purposes of vital