The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-07-29
DOUBT AT THE LAST.
EVIDENCES BY WHICH PHYSICIANS
DETERMINE DEATH.

Fcar-Some Peculiar Cases.
So deceptive are many of the ordinary
evidences of death that medical science
has given to this subject n great deal of
attention. 1t used to be supposed that
people were often buried alive through
accident, and writers of romance have
dwelt upon this species of horror with
much junction. During the war of the
rebellion many soldiers were said to
have been inferred while living who were
merely in a lethargy or stupor arising
from loss of blood, exhaustion, cold and
fear. Bodies have often been found
turned over in collins, as if the occupants
had walked up and tried to get out. In
numerous other cases of u similar sort
the tongue has been discovered protrud-
ing from the mouth, as if from suffoca-
ton, and there have been stains from
bleeding on the burial clothes
Now, such facts as these were amply
sufficient III former days to convince the
most skeptical that the persons concerned
had been inferred alive. But it is now
known that such phenomena are exhib-
tied by dead bodies under conditions
wholly normal. The turning of II corpse
in its coffin is brought about by the ex-
pansion of the gases of putrefaction.
The projection of the tongue from the
mouth Is an effect of the same cause.
Bleeding often occurs after death. In
fact, such hemorrhage is known to have
taken place eight days after death. In
this instance the bleeding was from
wounds inflicted during life.
The stoppage of the hearts beating is
not regarded as satisfactory evidence
of death. In some cases ON record that
organ has apparently ceased to perform
its function for as much rs Is min
utes, and yet the person has revived
Tidy, the great English authority, speaks
of the instance Of certain Colonel
Townshend, who was seemingly able to
die at will and to come to life again
when he chose. On number of occasions
he had deliberately suspended his own
vital processes for short time. Finally
he consulted physicians on the subject,
deeming his ability to do this suffi-
GENTLY abnormal symptom to be some
what alarming. In the presence of the
doctors he voluntarily lapsed into state
OF torpidity. his heart stopped and his
breathing also, mirror held ut his
mouth showing no dimneSs.
This case was apparently unique. At
the same time the peculiar faculty de-
veloped by Colonel Townshend-who
died that same night for good and all
bears II seeming likeness to the peculiar
power exhibited by certain fakirs of M
dia. For centuries it has been IL familiar
trick for certain of these fakirs who pos
sessed the accomplishment to permit
themselves to be buried alive for montiis,
coming to life again after being dug up.
That this remarkable feat is wholly bona
tide has been satisfactorily demonstrated.
1t has been repeatedly performed in the
presence of most skeptical witnesses uu-
der circumstances which preclude all
possibility of deception. 1t is an arti-
fetal suspension of vitality, bearing some
relation TO the natural Information of
bats and other animals.
If the finger of II person in whom the
vital spark still fingers be tightly bound
with IL piece of string, the end of the fin
ger will soon become red and then blush.
But if the individual be dead no such
effect will be produced by the applica-
ton of ligature. If during life clean
and bright needle be thrust into the
muscles of the body, tho steel rapidly
rusts on being withdrawn. After death
no such oxidation takes place, it is said.
However, the certainty of this latter test
is disputed. One of the most familiar
methods Of determining absence of life
is that of producing a blister by heat. as
with the fame of IL candle. If the skin
beneath and around the blister becomes
red. the individual lives; otherwise lie is
dead
One of the most reliable tests of this
question is made by holding the hand of
the supposed cadaver between the eye
and the light of n candle or lamp When
thus examined, the hand of II living per
son has rosy color between the fingers
This is not the case with corpse. Only
a few days ago IL woman was found dead
in bed at a hotel in Chicago with pistol
iii her hand and IL bullet hole III her tenn
pie. y man who is supposed to have
left her II few hours previously was ac-
cused of having murdered her, but the
coroner's jury decided that it was IL case
of suicide. So far as tho newspaper re-
ports indicated, the jury dill not pay any
attention 10 one most important point in
the evidence. Ii the revolver was tightly
Srasped i'll the dead womans hand. she
must have committed suicide. 1t is not
possible for another individual to tighten
the relaxed grip of a dead person upon
q weapon.
Ii the person has committed suicide.
the weapon will be found rigidly grasped
with fingers stiffened by the rgor mortis.
But after death the fingers cannot be
made to take Il grip firmly This is re-