The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-06-09
DEATHS UPON THE STAGE
NOBODY IN REAL LIFE DIES
 LIKE THE ACTOR

Villain shufies oR the Mortal Coil Is often Amusing.
 The novelists description of disease
 and death is nearly always absurd, and the way the average actor dies is enough to make a hospital cat laugh. If an actor takes a dose of poison, for instance, he may usually be seen to
 gasp few times. sink rapidly down, and, after lying apparently unconscious
 for several seconds, raise himself on his
 elbow, make a long speech, then gasp a
 few times more, and lie out dead,
 Now, there are only a few poisons
 which will kill in the remarkably short
 period an actor takes to die and they
 do it in a very different way from that of the actor. Prussic acid may be
 taken as the type of these, A man who took prussic acid would probably fall in a few seconds-often before he has time to put down the glass-and he would certainly not rise on his elbow and make a speech
 On the other hand, if the poison were
 
 excitement and brilliancy of thought; then, after some time. deep sleep, pass ing into unconsciousness, while death would not ensue for saverad hours. Yet actors often sink into immediate unconsciousness after their draught of opium.
 Sometimes they vary the course of events with violent convulsions. work ing their limbs in the most extraordi- nary manner. This is intended to rep resent death from strychnine. Strych- nine, however. causes long, steady slow convulsion, converting the muscles into so many steel ropes, and bending the back until the body rests on the head and heels.
 Some time ago, in Paris, an actress Mile. Croisette-for the first time rep resented strychnine poisoning truly on the stage. She went to the great Dr. Charcot and got a description of the Then she read up the sub ject in medical books, and poisoned a number of dogs with strychnine, watching their death struggles, So successful was the lady in her repre- sentation that medical joural advised medical students to go to the play and study the symptoms. But she was a rare exception to the rule.
 Arsenic is sometimes the pretended cause of death on the stage Here, again. the representation is untrue. What ought really to happen is this: The actor would get a violent pain in the stomach, which organ he would press with his hands. while he rolled about on the floor, probably screaming with agony. But that would make the audience laugh, so he dies in dignified wacy, that no one ever saw in real case of arsenic poisoning.
 It may be said, however, that in ex- tremely rare cases arsenic causes no pain. But in all cases death would not ansue for a considerable time-several 1 hours, or perhaps, a day or two. No | audience could patiently wait for the | event. so the actor is bound to misrep- 1 resent the action of the poison.
 Shooting through the heart is very 'requent dramatic incident Generally | he actor silently collapses But in ae- ual death by shooting through the | leart the occurrence Is of quite diff | erent kind. There would probably be | l gurgling cough, blood would flow | rom the mouth, and there would be a | ook of great distress in the face. | There would also be what is called re- lex action of great intensity All the muscles of the body would contract vi- 'lently, and, as the leg muscles are the strongest, the dying man would jump n the air, Probably he would wave his ,rr,1S 11Nn hot fo1
 A photographer named Harry Lar lyns was shot through the heart. He eaped in the air, ran along the hall into he garden, and fell dead under a tree.
 A soldier shot through the heart capped over a stone wall, and ran right nto the enemys lines before he fell. Yearly always there is this violent. 'lind, unreasoning action when a per on is shot through the heart
 Death from disease Is also exaggero- ed. It must be tragic, and it must ave certain amount of dignity about to suit the requirements of the stage 'ut, as rule, death really takes place cry quietly and slowly.
 In ninety nine out of a hGndred cases he patient is unconscious for several ours before the final extinction of life Te cares for nothing, and lies quietly, Ike a person asleep.
 On the stage, however, he is made to 0 through all sorts of contortions and truggles. Most actors appear to be ac- tainted with the convulsions of epilep- y-themselves scarcely ever falkland Q they die of all sorts of diseases in Whether it be consump- |, on, heart disease, apopleXy or shock,
 is all the same.
 Camille, in Dumas play, nearly al- { avs dies in strong convulsions She is lffering from consumption, and is sup 1T osed to die from the bursting of a ( food vessel in the lungs. It Now, if a very large blood vessel I ursts, there might be certain small I mount of convulsive action. But, as t rule, the patient would die either from t or gradually and quietly t om loss of blood. It Heart disease, again, is totally mis- presented. Death from this malady
 simple and quiet-just a profound inting fit, which rapidly terminates ( se. But you will see an actor moan Id ory, beat his chest throw his arms bout, and give up the ghost in C rong, general conVulsion. These are