I 



SUSPENDED ANIMATION. 411 



but invariably turned round on the face under the law of 

 its own gravitation. But though this satisfactorily dis- 

 pelled a most painful impression, it has neither fully 

 dissipated the popular horror of being buried alive, nor 

 disproved instances in which that has actually taken 

 place ; and a general belief prevails that there are cases of 

 unusually long-suspended animation, or asphyxia, under 

 which the same thing is continually liable to be repeated. 

 That the medical profession have not been able to 

 authenticate any such cases of long-continued asphyxia, or 

 suspended animation, is however a very important fact. 

 To suspect that highly honourable profession of any 

 collusive suppression on the subject seems impossible; 

 but that the reader may fully understand the subject, and 

 place the question beyond suspicion to his own intel- 

 ligence, let him consider what the conditions of asphyxia, 

 or suspended animation, are. Now a complete cessation 

 of the pulse, and a consequently complete stoppage in the 

 circulation of the blood, which cannot proceed without 

 pulsation, are primary features of asphyxia; and such 

 conditions have not been found capable of continuing 

 beyond a certain time without such a change taking place 

 in the stagnated blood as utterly unfits it from resuming 

 its circulation or retaining those elements of vitality 

 which are necessary to the resumption of human life. 

 The time usually allowed for this fatal change taking 

 place in the condition of the blood is that ascribed to 

 cases beyond which restoration from drowning, hanging, 

 syncope or fainting, and suffocation, have never been 

 known to take place, and is held by such experience not 

 to exceed a few hours. On this subject an eminent 

 authority, Mr. Smee, says : " Where one dies suddenly 

 without a clear equivalent cause which is irremediable, the 

 heat of the body should be maintained at least twelve hours 

 by hot bottles, and artificial respiration should be at 



