The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-09-28
A Singular Case of
Resurrection
By F. A. Mitchell

The investigators of the Rockefeller
institute may be very proud of them
selves. Indeed, they have reason 70
be. They have substituted live parts
Of the human body for dead parts: the,
have set heart substance beating ont.
side its proper place in a mans breast
If they keep on they may in time make
a man u Of parts Of other men. But
If the stories Of what Indian fakin
have done In keeping persons alive IN
a comatosc condition for many years Is
true these R~ockefcllers or scientific
fclIers or whatever they are have vet
much TO learn from an antique ana an
parently undevelOped civilization.
There Is Il story going the rounds
among the undergraduates Of n certain
university which, If it can be substan-
tiated, puts the modern scientific inves-
tigator to shame. Arnold Gereau. as,
sistaut professor of chemistry-be has
charge OF the laboratOry-is one Of
those phenomena who spring up once
III n century. He Is very young. and
it IS well known that he was born with
certain mental powers, a certain SUI
pernatural knowledge Of things on
which many a man has studied for q
lifetime without making any progress
whatever.
Wilbur Stockbridge, IA member of
the class Of 10, so the story goes, one
day went to Professor Gereau with u
yellow bit Of paper on which was writ.
ten In old English style:
This is the body Of William ArbuckIe
private In his majesty's -th foot. Cap
tured In the patriot lines with mans show
ing our fortiications on the upper part of
Manhattan Island. He was condemned
for a spy. An Indian serving with the
same regiment-he had Joined 1t at Singa-
pore-proposed TO General Washington TO
put the man to sleep for an indefinite peri
Oh instead OF executing him. The general.
VINO was averse to the execution, consent
ed, and Arbuckle was turned over to the
Indian, who claims that any time after
fifty or even a hundred years life will
still be In the body. But not one man in
many millions will be able to effect a
resurrection.
Young Stockbridge told the professor
that in %excavating for building pur,
poses on the upper part OF Manhattan
Island on property owned by his family
a tomb had been discovered containing
the body Of a man in British uniform
OF a former period. The paper had
been found in the lead coffin in which
the body had been buried.
Gereau-mind you, | don't vouch for
this-arranged with the student to
bring the find to the laboratory, which
at the time was closed on account Of
the spring recess and would therefore
be at the professors individual dis
posal. No II has attempted to give
the process by which Gereau manipu-
lated the remains Of Private Arbucklc,
but it Is claimed hat he effected Il
resurrection. The professor AYERS that
he worked on lines which are being
followed by modern scientific investi-
gators. He must have had an inkling
Of the method by which animation
was suspended by the Indian or he
would not have been able to restore
1t by reverse action, which, he says,
he applied. He gives as q fundamental
principle that the Indian knew how to
suspend-not kill-the action Of the
heart. and Gereau restored the pulsa-
tons. which are the basis of animal
life.
Whether the story Is true or false
there Is one part Of it that fits in with
modern scientific investigation. 1t Is
said hat Gereau found tina certain
p,nr,bnr, nf thA bod bod ,eg-~
from The long suspension of their func-
lions. The resurrected man showed
signs of decay, and the professor fear.
ed that, though he had remained in an
ordinary condition of health for more
than 1870 wears, he would die within a
few hours after resurrection.
A test was begun Of different organs,
and the first tested-the kidneys
showed decay. Gereau at once tele-
phoned to the College Of Physicians
and Surgeons for a pair Of sound kid
neys and. removing the ones affected.
introduced the new ones. He supposed
for some time that Arbuckle had died
under the operation, but half a bottle
Of Irish whisky brought him round.
The liver was next tackled, and half of
1t replaced. There We're other parts
to be substituted, but those mentioned
were the principal requirements.
These operations required several
hours, and another hour passed before
Private Arbuckle spoke. Then he
opened AIS eyes and cried out In a
voice that seemed to come through dry
leather:
Corporal Of the guardw
Gereau was delighted. 1t looked as
If he might save his patient, for while
the nan had doubtless been deanimat-
ed In good health his being brought
back to consciousness was not only a
difficult matter, but a dangerous one.
There are several versions Of the rest
Of the story. Some say that Arbuckle
was sufficiently restored to remember
and speak Of his expected execution.
Others aver that Gereau, finding his
breathing defective, worked his arms
vigorously. but In spite Of his efforts
the nan died.
It Is said that at one time Arbuckle
sat up and was given a stiff drink