按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ased for three days and asphyxia was almost total； but the patient eventually recovered。 There is a noteworthy observation。 in which there was cessation of the pulse for nine days without a fatal issue。
Some persons seem to have a preternatural control over their circulatory system； apparently enabling them to produce suspension of cardiac movement at will。 Cheyne speaks of a Colonel Townshend who appeared to possess the power of dying； as it were； at will；that is； so suspending the heart's action that no pulsation could be detected。 After lying in this state of lifelessness for a short period； life would become slowly established without any consciousness or volition on the man's part。 The longest period in which he remained in this death…like condition was about thirty minutes。 A postmortem examination of this person was awaited with great interest； but after his death nothing was found to explain the power he possessed over his heart。
Saint Augustin knew of a priest named Rutilut who had the power of voluntarily simulating death。 Both the pulsation and respiration was apparently abolished when he was in his lifeless condition。 Burning and pricking left visible effects on the skin after his recovery； but had no apparent effect on his lethargy。 Chaille reports an instance of voluntary suspension of the pulse。
Relative to hibernation； it is well…known that mice； snakes； and some reptiles； as well as bees； sometimes seem to entirely suspend animation for an extended period； and especially in the cold weather。 In Russia fish are transported frozen stiff； but return to life after being plunged into cold water。 A curious tale is told by Harley； from Sir John Lubbock； of a snail brought from Egypt and thought to be dead。 It was placed on a card and put in position on a shelf in the British Museum in March； 1845。 In March； 1850 after having been gummed to a label for five years； it was noticed to have an apparent growth on its mouth and was taken out and placed in water； when it soon showed signs of life and ate cabbage leaves offered to it。 It has been said； we think with credible evidence； that cereal seeds found in the tombs with mummies have grown when planted； and Harley quotes an instance of a gentleman who took some berries； possibly the remnants of Pharaoh's daughter's last meal； coming as they did from her mummified stomach after lying dormant in an Egyptian tomb many centuries； and planted them in his garden； where they soon grew； and he shortly had a bush as flourishing as any of those emanating from fresh seeds。
Human hibernation is an extremely rare anomaly。 Only the fakirs of India seem to have developed this power； and even the gifted ones there are seldom seen。 Many theories have been advanced to explain this ability of the fakirs； and many persons have discredited all the stories relative to their powers； on the other hand； all who have witnessed their exhibitions are convinced of their genuineness。 Furthermore； these persons are extremely scarce and are indifferent to money； none has been enticed out of his own country to give exhibitions。 When one dies in a community； his place is never filledproving that he had no accomplices who knew any fraudulent secret practices； otherwise the accomplice would soon step out to take his place。 These men have undoubtedly some extraordinary mode of sending themselves into a long trance； during which the functions of life are almost entirely suspended。 We can readily believe in their ability to fast during their periods of burial； as we have already related authentic instances of fasting for a great length of time； during which the individual exercised his normal functions。
To the fakir； who neither visibly breathes nor shows circulatory movements； and who never moves from his place of confinement； fasting should be comparatively easy； when we consider the number of men whose minds were actively at work during their fasts； and who also exercised much physical power。
Harley says that the fakirs begin their performances by taking a large dose of the powerfully stupefying 〃bang；〃 thus becoming narcotized。 In this state they are lowered into a cool； quiet tomb； which still further favors the prolongation of the artificially induced vital lethargy； in this condition they rest for from six to eight weeks。 When resurrected they are only by degrees restored to life； and present a wan； haggard； debilitated； and wasted appearance。 Braid is credited； on the authority of Sir Claude Wade； with stating that a fakir was buried in an unconscious state at Lahore in 1837； and when dug up； six weeks later； he presented all the appearances of a dead person。 The legs and arms were shrunken and stiff； and the head reclined on the shoulder in a manner frequently seen in a corpse。 There was no pulsation of the heart or arteries of the arm or templein fact； no really visible signs of life。 By degrees this person was restored to life。 Every precaution had been taken in this case to prevent the possibility of fraud； and during the period of interment the grave was guarded night and day by soldiers of the regiment stationed at Lahore。
Honigberger； a German physician in the employ of Runjeet Singh； has an account of a fakir of Punjaub who allowed himself to be buried in a well… secured vault for such a long time that grain sown in the soil above the vault sprouted into leaf before he was exhumed。 Honigberger affirms that the time of burial was over 40 days； and that on being submitted to certain processes the man recovered and lived many years after。 Sir Henry Lawrence verified the foregoing statements。 The chest in which the fakir was buried was sealed with the Runjeet stamp on it； and when the man was brought up he was cold and apparently lifeless。 Honigberger also states that this man； whose name was Haridas； was four months in a grave in the mountains； to prove the absolute suspension of animation； the chin was shaved before burial； and at exhumation this part was as smooth as on the day of interment。 This latter statement naturally calls forth comment when we consider the instances that are on record of the growth of beard and hair after death。
There is another account of a person of the same class who had the power of suspending animation； and who would not allow his coffin to touch the earth for fear of worms and insects； from which he is said to have suffered at a previous burial。
It has been stated that the fakirs are either eunuchs or hermaphrodites； social outcasts； having nothing in common with the women or men of their neighborhood； but Honigberger mentions one who disproved this ridiculous theory by eloping to the mountains with his neighbor's wife。
Instances of recovery after asphyxia from hanging are to be found； particularly among the older references of a time when hanging was more common than it is to…day。 Bartholinus； Blegny； Camerarius； Morgagni； Pechlin； Schenck； Stoll； and Wepfer all mention recovery after hanging。 Forestus describes a case in which a man was rescued by provoking vomiting with vinegar； pepper； and mustard seed。 There is a case on record in which a person was saved after hanging nineteen minutes。 There was a case of a man brought into the Hopit