The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1906-01-10
SOMETIMES HAPPENS.
Mauyp OpIe Insist on Past Nortem Sur.
gerry to Satisfy Themselves That
Their Relatives land Friends
Are Dead. Instances Are
Recalled hy Doctors.
Recalled by Doctors.

The Washington POST says it not
infrequently happens that persons who
have bsen seriously i'll are thought by
friends and attendants to have breath
ed their last when there is still life in
the body. In fact, cases are on record
OF premature burial, and this particu.
larly so In times of war and pestilence.
So great Is the horror Of such q pro-
liability among some people that they
have insisted upon post mortem sur
gerry being performed upon them after
their death, something that would bs
fatal itself, In order TO prevent the
dire calamity of being buried alive.
There is one instance on record In This
city where a woman, member OF q
prominent family, who at the time Of
her last illness eyacted promise from
her family that when sue was pro-
nouncsd dead her heart should be
taken from her body. This operation
was made by her family physician, one
of the best known among the old prac-
titioners Of former years.
There are many residents Of Wash
ington today who bear well In mind
the circu instance of certain gen5le.
man, a physician himself, and at one
time a surgeon in the Confederate
army, who, when bis wife died, OBJ
jected for several days to her inter-
ment. There was not sufficient evil
dence Of death to prove TO him that
she was lifeless, and his contentious
that she was only In q trance, In which
he was sustained by others, were so
strong that onfy after several days
and when there could be no longer
doubt of her death, discompoSition'
having become much advanced, would
he consent to her burial.
Discussing these and similar topics
one day during the past week, q prac-
ticing physician mentioned clrcun-
stance that came Immediately under
his observation. when T was pur-
suing kind of post graduate study
not very long ago." be remarked "and
was nearing the end Of my worK in
the contagious disease hospital In New
York, call was made upon me one
uay to attend little girl who was Sc
riously Ill from diptheria, found the
patient in the attic Of a tenament
house on the East Side of the ci5y,
not more than block distant from
the hospital.
If you have ever seen that pathe-
tic picture in which you notice the
doctor sadly gazing upon an uacoasci.
GUS child lying upon pillows fixed upon
two chairs, aud the attitude Of the
sorrow.sJricken parents," be continu-
ed, you may get some idea Of the
scene presented to me when entered
the room. The absence Of the doctor
was the only thing that prevented the
painting from reproduction as a hv-
ing picture.
THE mother was sobbing, with her
head bowed over a table aud the faith
er was in q standing poSltio1 abso-
lutely dazel with sorrow. Tne child
was lying>on pillows stretched upon
two chairs. Don't touch her, doctor,
the father said to me. Sac is deAdl
And in heaven now, and 50 I tlou5nt
myself" said tas dooiot, "old up)n
careful examination, l found the faint
est indications Of respiration, aud
Without eng dalay I narolu,ei inIo
the windpipe tns lates surgical in.
strument invented for ou,, cases, aud
in few seconds plainly discovered
the Child Dreaming. Liter on, haV-
ing called for hospita! an oulauca, I
wrapped the child 10 blanket and
took her In my arms to the proper
ward.
ITO sun it all up, the little one re-
cov5rsd, and Waea her parent CANA
90 see her tney found ner closs upoa
complete recovery. l had ditfi,ul5y in
escaping tlelr embraces wneo tasy
knew for au ab soluIe tru51 that tnsy
still had their oaby.
When 1 hrs5 saw that child" he
said in conclusion, II felt as certain
she was dead IS l knew [ myself was
alive"
The Toy Pistol.