The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-11-14

church Upon the gallows the
murderer said that the only re-
gfet he had was that as she was
taken away before she had time
to prepare to meet her Maker, as
he had done.
so that there Used to be greater.
reason, in the minds Of men, why
a patient who was hopelessly
a patient who was hapelessly
stricken. However. there Is a good
deal still to be said upon the sub
|ject because of the effect upon the
sick person OF such information.
1t is well known that in nearly
every case death is hastened by
the knowledge that It is near. A
few people, especially number
of soldiers upon the battlefield.
have been informed that they
we're about to die and refused to
believe It and got WELL An Ohio
soldier at Missionary Ridge who
was shot "through and through"
with a large bait, was informed
that it was not necessary to have
the wound dressed as he could
not survive the night. It made him
mad and he swore at the surgeon
and said he would show him that
the surgeon did not know what he
was talking about. Up to few
years ago the soldiers was still
living and enjoying life. But such
cases are exceptional. As general
proposition people do not recover
after they are Informed they are
about to die. OF course there is
good reason for the doctor to
make such a statement--th the chan
ces must be all against the pa
tient or the statement would not
be made--but 1t is probable that
such statement from a physician
would prove fatal whether the
disease was a fatal one or not.
Then, there is the question Of
whether 1t is better to permit one
to die hopeing and believing that
he is going to recover: the ques-
tion of whether 1t is not a duty
we owe to every sufferer to make
his last moments as pleasant as
possible, and not to harrow up
his feelings by Informing him that
his bark is being pushed off into
the unknown sea. Each must ans
wer the question for himself. OF
course. Some there may be who
want to be informed of the prob
able termination OF the disease.
many there are. who do not want
to hear anything about it. II the
physician could know how each
person felt about 1t there would
be no question of duty-his duty
would be, to follow out the wishes
of the patient when the malady
came to the point where the in.
formation could do no harm.
Usually the patient has express
ed no desire one way or the. other.
Generally, he says The wants to
know the worst bot doctors know
that they can not be governed by
what sinking man says The
problem. then, is wholly in the
hands of the physicians and they
must use their own Judgment. z
IL does seem all the more beau
tiful, however. to permit strick-
en- person to pass out of This
world into another unconscious
of the fact that he is closing his
eyes upon this good world. That
is probably not orthodox, but the
columns OF newspaper are not
supposed to be any too orthodox.
III Is the moe beautiful to think
that the good man gone closed his
eyes In peaceful bliss, ignorant
OF his departure from this world.
to open them in another and bet
ter world. No fright. no alarm for
the safety of the voyage, no pangs
or regret at having accomplished
so little. no sorrow for the suf-
ferings of the loved ones left be-
hind to cucumber the passage over.
just plain sleep. a closin up
OF the earthly account, satisfied
with the day, unconscious of the
morrow. ignorant Of the beginning
OF life. hopeful of the ending
such death would seem to be
the better death the more sensible
one. Springfield. Ohio, Daily News