The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-05-20
SCIENCE NEAR
LIES BORDER
Amazing Experiments Conduct
cd at Johns Hopkins,
FROZEN ORGANISMS REVIVED


parentiy Comprises Principles Of
Both-Bacteria Survive Terrific Cold
and Retain Characteristics.
Some marvellous experiments in the
astrological and psychological labora-
tories Of the Johns Hopkins Medical
school at Baltimore have recently
yielded results indicating that there
is third state. intermediate between
life and death and apparently related
in principle to both.
The fact that life in various and
many organisms may be suspended by
freezing in liquid air and by other
processes and the possibility Of resus-
citating these organisms after pc
riod Of several weeks or even months
gives color to the theory recently dis
cussed that it may be possible to re-
suscitate the bodies of Captain Scott
and his companions, who were frozen
on their return from the south pole.
There is a state known as "latent
ife," in which the organisms, having
every appearance of being lifeless,
nevertheless again manifest vital char
acteristics. Bacteria, the lower plant
organisms, have enormous powers of
resisting conditions that tend to death.
Bacteria of various diseases are seen
in the laboratory frozen at tempera-
ture Of liquid air of 800 degrees F.
They do not die, as a rule, but survive
this extremely drastic treatment and
retain their specific vital pathogenic
characteristics.
Revived After Freezing.
There are instances where such cold
blooded animals as frogs and toads,
snails and even fish have had their
lives suspended by this freezing proc
ess, sometimes so thoroughly that their
intestines can be taken out, and yet on
being ''thawed out" after a period of
weeks revive most actively. These ami
mails are perfectly normal when placed
in refrigerattng jar Just large enough
to hold one animal. The jar is filled
with liquid air at a certain tempera-
ture, and after a short time the ami
mails appear lifeless. A month later
they are removed and on being mas
SuSSh obON SlSiS VA lAlC, o1CSh lCNlf-
ing completely.
From these experiments no claim is
made that after death life can be re-
stored, but it is held that in many in
stances where life is thought to be eX-
tinct it is only masked, and it remains
for the scientists to discover. through
experiment, whether they are dealing
with death itself or with latent life.
AS stated by one deeply interested
in the work, in the warm blooded ami
mails, even man himself, one does not
find such extreme instances Of sup
preston of vitality as in the case of
lower organisms, creatures with more
sluggish and therefore less easily de-
ranged metabolism; hence, the theories
are not yet applied to humanity.
No Action as In Life.
The interesting inference drawn
from these cases of latent life or sus-
pended animation is that, though vital
tty cannot be said to have vanished
yet the organism during all that time
is not taking food, oxygen or water.
1t is not giving out carbon dioxide or
water or other chemical results of life
1t is not moving of its own volition
and in the higher animals both the
cardiac and respiratory activities are
in allegiance.
Some interesting and successful eff.
forts were recently made in the medi,
cal school to revive the apparently
dead heart of an animal, as explained
by DR.. Alexis Carrel, who lectured be
fore the students. In about FIVE cases
out of ten the heart of a chicken took
on renewed energy several hours after
death.
\ Immediately after death the heart
was frozen and preserved. Later il
WAS resuscltated by massage.