The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-01-21
BACK TO LIFE
JUST IN TIME
How Mrs. Hirth, Apparently Dead, Escaped Being
Embalmed.
Embalmed.

I symptoms were sufficient 10 convince the
undertaken that Mrs. Hirth was Tot dead.
but had fallen into one Of those extracr-
: binary frances that are SO like unto death
that they are often mistaken for il.
lie called il Mr.. Hirih and the women
In attendance in the other room and to-
! gether they applied restorat!ves. which soon
caused Mrs. 1iirth to open hsr eyes. Doc
tor Watt was sent FOR. and he completed
the task % bringing the apparently dead
woman back 20 life.
While Mrs. Hirth gave signs of con-
seriousness ami evidently recognized these
: around her. she could not speak. The doc
tor, fearful lest the comatose state might
return. ordered her taken to st. Nlary's
Hospital on Missouri avenue. only a few
blocks away from her home. An ambu-
lance was sent for and the astonished
neiGhhors. who had mingled their grief with
that OF Mr.. H:rtk over the demise Of his
wife. witnessed a strange sight.
The board walk which leads frCm the
rear OF the yard in which stands the home
Of the Hirths 70 the street is at leas; 30
feet long. Along this walk. supported by
the strong arms OF her husband and a
friend. Mrs. Hlrth. who two hours before
had lain CT an undertaker's cooling board.
walked 10 the ambulance. There she was
placed On a Tattress and slowly driven to
the hospital.
All this happened last Sunday between
the hours OF : a. m. and 4 p. m. Since then
Mrs. IIirth has slowly returned 70 con-.
seriousness and the power Of speech.
She is still a very sick woman. but her
doctor and nurse have great faith in her
rallyirg strength. She has now survived
apparent death Just one week. With per-
fectly clear mind she has told the Sister
Of ST. Francis Xavier who is constantly
at her bedside that death. If like the trance
that came 70 her last Sunday. had no ter-
rors for her.
The lapse into Inconsistencies, according
TO Mrs. Hirth's limited facility for 6escrib-
ing her sensations. Was gradual. II stole
over her like the approach OF sweet sleep.
Nor was her apparent death sleep disturbed
by the narrowing scenes and noises Of
funeral preparations. Of which. we are told,
persons in the cOmatcse state are often
conscious. ia their great horror and an
gulsh. In fact. she knows nothing Of all
this. but recalls that she sank into a dream
less sleep.
The patient now in 81. Mays Hospital
knows nothing OF having been stretched on
a cooling-bourd. ready to be embalmed.
When consciousness did return. she was
back IN her bed, preparing fer the trip to
the infirmary. which in itself was 4 won
derfui feat for a woman who had just come
cut of a trance.
So far Mrs. Hirth has received no visitors
at the hospital. though many friends called
to see her. She refuses to see any one ex-
ccpt her husband. and prefers the solitude
and quiet Of her comfortable room.
Fer the present she will not be told OF
her thrilling escape from death and weird
experience on the cooliug-board. 1t may be
that she Will never know, for neither her
nurse. the sister Of the Order OF St. Fran
els Xavier. nor her husband wishes her to
know anything about it. Her health is too
precarious and she Is too feeble in her ad-
vanced years to bear with equanimity
recital Of tina strange event In her life.