123 



he cured them both. He cured ail kinds of hysteric 

 iits. He likewise cured the falling sickness, and with- 

 out any relapse, provided he could see the patient in 

 three or four fits." 



9. As long as the soul and body are united, amaa 

 is said to be alive. But it is extremely difficult to de- 

 termine the precise time at which life ceases, or what 

 that is, which is absolutely necessary to the continu- 

 ance of it. Is respiration ? But when this is entirely 

 ceased, as is the case in a person strangled, blow 

 strongly into the lungs, and they play again : which 

 shews he was not dead before. Is the beating of the 

 heart ? But when this also is ceased, in the foremen, 

 tioned case, take the same method, and when the 

 lungs begin to play, the heart begins to beat anew. 

 Is the circulation of the blood ? But persons drown- 

 ed who have been so long under water, as to have no 

 pulse remaining in any artery, and consequently no 

 circulation, have recovered by the use of proper means 

 and lived many years after. Is the fluidity of the 

 blood ? Nay, but it is a common thing in Sweden to 

 recover to life one who has been twenty, four hours 

 under water ; and who not only has no pulse, but is 

 as stiff all over, as any dead corpse can be. What 

 then is death ? Undoubtedly it is the separation of 

 the soul and body. But there are many cases where- 

 in none but God can tell the moment wherein they 

 separate. 



Many who seem to be dead, may be recovered. 



- A person suffocated by the steam of coals, set 



on fire in the pit, fell down as dead. He lay be- 

 tween half an hour and three quarters and was then 

 drawn up, his eyes staring, his mouth gaping, his 

 skin cold, not the least breathing being perceivable, 

 nor the least pulse either in his heart or arteries. 



A surgeon applied his mouth to that of the patient 

 and by blowing strongly, holding the nostrils at tho 

 same time, raised the chest by his breath. ImuiedU 

 G 2 



