Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1901-04-24
MYSTERY OF DEATH. A Philadelphia Police Surgeon Gives His Experience With the Dying.
 Absence of All Fear.

If there is such thing as being an authority on death, Thos. H. Andrews,
 surgeon to the bureaus of police and fire, should rank high as an expert
 In the course of thirty-seven years of active practice he has conducted over four thousand post mertem eEamina- tions, and has seen at least half that number of human beings die.
 He talked freely on the subject of death yesterday. He has looked into the eyes of dying men and women and children of every kind and condi- tion, and this is the summing up of it all:
 Death is as much of a mystery to me now as it was when first saw a human being die.
 Mature is never so kind to man as when she is severing the ties that bind him to this earthly life. She removes all fear, ameliorates every harsh sur rounding, softens every sound and smooths the narrow pathway to the grave with kindly hands. The easiest thing in life is to die"
 ''In your experience, Dr. Andrews" " 1 asked, "have you ever found case in which fear of death rose to the point where men fought and screamed at its approach1"
 Never. In severe sickness death comes in the guise of welcome wis itor. On the battlefield or as the re- suit of accident or sudden shock.when it comes to man swiftly, who but moment before was in perfect health and half an hour later will be dead, a fortitude which I cannot describe and have never been able to analyze sus- tains the victim"
 Do men and women of the higher grades of intelligence exhibit any diff ferent emotions as death approaches than those gifted with less mental power9 Does the professional man or scientist betray any different feel ings or emotions from those exhibited by the day laborer or the most ignor- ant of men?"
 ''No and yes" was the reply. The scientist, the man or woman of keen and trained faculties, un- less their lives have been conspicuous for an exhibition of faith in religion and its teachings, are slower to accept ministrations of clergymen and others. The man of low intelligence yields at the first approach and calls for relig- ous consolation.
 Has there ever been any demon 'tration, physical or otherwise, on the part ofall the numerous whom you nave seen on the threshold of death which you could interpret as posi- i've indication of a future life?"
 Not One."
 "l have found," continued Dr. An irews, that persons of clean life, of 1 honorable, upright religious character lot only do not display an indiffer- nee to the approach of death as those f grosser life do, but welcome it as elief from care and toll. There is omething about the approach of death hat reconciles man to it. The senses re dulled, the perceptive faculties are 'lunted and the end comes quietly, like gentle sleep.
 "ln this condition, I mean on the of death, those who retain heir faculties to any degree become lore or less philosophers. They know nat death Is inevitable; that it is only question of hours, and they accept ne verdict without any demonstration nd in philosophical way. In all my Hperience 1 have never found a case which dying man or woman com lained against the inevitable, at 'mpted to fight its approach or even ared it, said pr. Andrews. "It is only in good health that we ( ar death. When we become i'll. when ( e have sustained some injury of ,ry serious nature, the fear of death ( ems to disappear. V "Ihe one great unsolved problem. a sfore which science thus far has stood | sarmed, Is the secret and the mvs- e " of the origin of life. Side by side 0 th it l may say is the mystery of 'ath. l have never seen, and I have h yer heard, of any authentic evidence is pm the deathbed of any one which d uld be accepted as scientific proof s the existence of a life beyond" ."- t liladelphia Press. d