The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1901-04-17
NO TERRORS in DEATH
Dread of Departure from Lie
Is Never Strong in the
Last Hours.

rf tbera j. such a thing as being an
on,horitv on death Thomas H. An
draws SURGEON to the bureau OF po-
lice and fire. should rank high as an
expert. saws the Philadelphia Press
In the course Of thirty-seven years OF
active practice he has conducted owe.
1000 post norton examinations ana
,os soon at least half that number OF
human beings die.
He talked freely on the subject OF
death. and in most entertaining man
nor if such paradox is possible he
went back to the days when he was
the first medical cadet from Pennsyl-
vania with the sanitary commission
wben he helped to sew up the gaping
wounds of war at Fair Oaks, Cold
uarnor and in the Seven Days fight
,,,ban he was assigned to the steamer
wilson Small. on the Pamunky river
q aoatinr charnel house with 300 cases
Of typhoid fever on board
Later on he was stationed here IN
PHILADELPHIA at military hospital
under charge of the famous surgeon,
Paul Beck Goddard. For sixteen
yours he was demon 5trator Of anatomy
., Jefferson Hospital: was coroner's
MUSICIAN for years, and is now enter
inc on his fourteenth year as surgeon
70 The bureaus of police and fire. He
hos looked into the eyes OF dying men
and women and children of every KIND
and condition. and this is the summing
am of itar. Death is as much of a
rnvsterv to me now as it was when /
frsr saw human being die. Nature
j. never so kind to man as "neu she
j. severino the ties that blnd hlm TO
this earthly life, She removes AZ
faor amaIiorates every harsh sur
ronndino. softens every sound, ana
e,nooths the narrow pathway TO the
crave with kindly hands. The easiest
Thing in life is to die :,
"Tn YOUR experience, Or, Ana eWs'
asked. "have you ever found q case
in which fear of death rose to the
ooint where men fought and screamed
ut it's approach:'
Never. In severe sickness death
comes in the guise OF welcome Vlsl-
tor on the battlefield or as a result
ofaccident or sudden shock, when 1t
comes to a man swiftly, who but mo
ment before was in perfect health ana
VINO half an hour later viii be llteless,
forfifude which I cannot describe
and have never been able to anaIyze
sustains the victim.
no men and women Of the higher
GRADES of intelligence exhibit any dlf-
farent emotions as death approaches
nom those gifted with less mental
nowary Does the professional man or
the scientist betray any different feel
inqs or emotions from those exhibited
by the day laborer, the peasant, or the
most ignorant OF mem r,
ono and yes,' was the reply The
scientist. the man or woman OF keen
intelligence and trained faculties, un-
less their lives have been conspicuous
for an exhibition of faith in religion
and it's teachings, are slower to accept
mipistrations of clergymen and others
The man of low intelligence yields
at the first approach and calls for re-
ligious consolation.
1.-THE reason for this is, | think, that
the vast majority of professional men
outside of the clergy, and particularly
doctors and scientists generally, are
not inclined to believe or accept what
they cannot demonstrate as a scientific
fact. And yet. as rule, these men
and women willingly accept religious
ministration when death is only mat
ter of hours.
II recall an instance during the war.
One of the most distinguished men in
the confederacy was brought to me
for treatment. I saw at once that ms
death was a matter of hours only. He
was one of the most brilliant ana
charming men | eyer met. toia u INA
that he could not live, and a,ked nam
if he desired to talk with clergymen
lie replied in a rather careless way
that he did not feel disposed to change
his views. That death, as he believed.