The Washington times., 1918-11-29

TO determine IL life had entirely left
the body. Briefly, the facts in a num-
Der OF such cases show THAI the res
pi-ation or breathing function may
drop to such a low point that II Is
imperceptible and will not show on
any ordinary indicating apparatus. as
for instance the well-known mirror
test Also the person may be In
state OF syncope With the heart fune-
tioning at such a low state of activity
that II Is impossible by any ordinary
means employed by the physician. to
determine whether-the person Is actu-
ally dead for all time or only in a
temporary trance.
These facts are OF vital Importance
to all of us and OF supreme interest
to be sure, for we have all heard or
read of persons being buried alive or
while in trance state.
Many people probably have sco6ed
at such statements or stories. but
there are sufficient number OF cases
On reeord tos,Rtoye@ that we do not
as yet know hIL Concerning human
ste. and as to, what the real germ OF
life Is.
For instance. II one will go down
to the New York Academy OF Medir
cine. and there consult the records OF
4 number OF eminent British physi-
clans and scientists who visited India
some years ago, they VIII find the
official records, many OF which are
sworn to. covering the wonderful per-
formsnees Of tie so-eaiied Hindu
fakirs. ..
Hindu Fakirs Wonderful.
These opponents OF advanced
science can place themselves in a
state Of suspended animation, or
syncope. for long periods; even as
long ~ 4 month. During the time
he is in this syncope, the subject APP
pears to all intents and purposes to
be actually dead, and can even be
buried in the earth in Il sealed cof-
fin. After the prescribed time lie up.
the subject is revived by his friends
and he Is as much alive as ever.
The writer has consulted a num-
Der Of prominent New Yor!; physic-
iGSps on this phase of medical science,
among others DR.. E. n. Ove-ton. who
attended the well-known. actress
Miss Anna Held, who recently died
of pneumonia with complications II
was reported in the daily press that
she manifested n remarkable state of
suspended animation for two hours,
but this is not true. The patient,
however. did present a remarkable
case, and short syncope did occur.
pr. Overton recalled two cases in
his experience where a syncope, or
state OF suspended animation" oc-
CURED for = period of about five
minutes. The patients were pro-
nounccd dead to all intents and pur-
poses, after all tests. including those
Of respiration and heart action, had
been Thoroughly carried out
4 very interesting and little known
experiment was carried out in these
two cases, that OF injecting edrena-
lin into the heart proper with long
needle syringe. a quantity OF about
one-half cubic Centimeter being suf-
ficicnt. These patients were brough;
back to life in this way (these eA-
periments having been conducted at
a welI-kuowr New York hospitaiJ
after all bodily processes and o.
gsnic functions had ceased.
Woman Re,iycs.
One Of these patients. a woman.
was successfully resuscitated in this
way and died eventually by con-
tracing pneumonia.
AZ Dr. OycTIun explained. 1--WE can
not boost the heart or cause 1t to
work be.SOnd lis UNIT once the
critical period In is life has been
reached Eut in this case the patient
was an alcoholic and had been under
severe eNpOsrUe to the cold when re-
ceived at the hospital. The second
case was that OF a man, and at last
accounts h. was still alive.
The writer knows OF a case where a
woman thirty years of age passed into
O. state of suspended animation, due
undoubtedly to n severe sickness
through which she had passed and
who rcsuscitated herself after a syn
cope Of twenty-four hours. TVS lady
Is alive and wei! today at the age OF
siNty-five years.
The patient in this case had been
pronounced dead BY the attending
physician. and came back to a regular
state of life and activity when in her
coffin.
Thus when all Is said and done. we
are vitality interested beyond the per-
adventure of a doubt in knowing what
medical science has found out today
in order to determine surely and ac-
when life has past from the