s 
ra 
DEATH. 
in great hemorrhages; or by a fecretions from the 
blood, as of the urine in diabetes; of fweat in chronic dif- 
eafes; of the inteftinal feudal in a diarcheea, and dyfentery 5 
menorrhagia, fluor 
or, in ‘common langnage, the application of cold, is frequently 
fatal to the powers of life. (See Dp.) So true is the 
obfervation of Seneca, ‘nafcimus uno modo, multis mori- 
mur.” 
The confideration of the locas aha ae ef death is ge- 
‘bidanel fhuoned, ae on a né it lofes much of its 
horro nofe who have peace ‘witneffed it allow that 
it 1s ast seen a painful procefs. In fome delicate and 
irritable perfons, a kind of ftruggle is indeed fometimes ex- 
cited, when refpiration becomes very d difficult ; but more fre- 
quently the dying obvioufly {effer’ nothing, and exprefs no 
uneafinels. obfervation accords with that of an elegant 
and int Ole ne who o bferves, ‘6 in thofe who die of 
ashe dieafes, the gradation is flow and os on- 
e patients are fometimes in a dying ftate during 
fe a ae ; they appear at fuch times to rae little, but 
to languifh for complete diffolution ; nay, ave known 
them exprefs great uneafinefs, when they have been re-called 
from the commencement of infenfibility, by the cries of their 
in 
turbance of a aaa is ey onl 
fenfibility {eems to be impaired, 
eee of ads funétion. Befides, 
thofe beautiful lines of sine 
‘ Sleep after toil, port after ftorm 
Eafe after war, death after 7 a oeatly pleafe.” 
iar. Med, Hift. b. 
I. 
iafenfibility often see death for ue fond lentle time. 
It is the t:fk of humanity, however, to mitigate the fuf- 
ferings of the dying, and, where nature has ae _ none, 
o take care that the officioufnefs t infliG 
tude of core notions milchievous erie 
among the vulgar Indeed fome of thefe notions are of 
confiderable ant: quity ; ; but it does not appear that, in thofe 
early ages, the attendants oe ee to accelerate the death 
of - Bs fferer. In the 100 and 17th centuries, a 
aie. ard relics, were 
then thrown upon — for the confolation of thofe 
sate te be aa has Acai 
Dying put on the eeds 
Or in Peace cignent to ae vdifgnis’d. / 
ets of thefe impreffions ftill remain. It is a 
valent notion among nurfes and fervants, that a patient, 
ale of fwallowing have com 
whofe death is lingering, cannot a life while he Ties on @ 
this country. hen the patient is fup- 
pofed by the ars to be nearly in a dying ftate, they with- 
draw the pillows and bolfter ais ioc = head, fome- 
times with fuch violence as to ead, and to 
add greatly to the difficulty of iis if ns to produce 
a€tual fuffocation. Another improper practice is the preci- 
pitation with which the attendants i out the SS immedi- 
ately after death has taken place. Th e often been 
e apartment, in little more thaa 
a an ines after a patient had died fuddenly. 
too certain that the helplefs patient feels all thefe 
miele after he has become unable to exprefs his fenfa- 
tions diftinct 
ed fi 
ans of prevention of fuch fuffering in 
the dying are eafy. 
“ Difturb him not—let him pafs peaceably.” 
Shakefpeare. 
“* When the toffing of the arms, which I have defcribed,”” 
fays Dr. Ferriar, ‘ the rattling ok in re{piration, and en 
on, all unneceflary ro 
and buitle about the dying one fhould be pro snibited: 
The bed-curtains fhould be drawn nearly clofe, and unlefs 
them 
ee when he cannot {wallow, fhould be gears abiained 
r 
“ When he no longer breathes, one perfon only fhouid re- 
main in the room, who fhould take care that no alteration 
be made in the fate of the bed. Every thing fhould be 
conducted as if he were in a tranfitory fleep. H the weather 
can be no juft reafon for the pene with which 
it is ufual to lay out the bod 
ble tim 
be completely cold 
and all remains of fenfibility will have been pee ifhed.” 
on the ee fibility of te in ae 
a very blameabl 
t to be performed es half of that peed: 
See his treatife p VIncertitude des Signes de Ja Mort. 
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