SUSPENDED ANIMATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11552, 16 January 1901, Page 6

SUSPENDED ANIMATION.

REMARKABLE CASE AT COLLINGWOOD. STARTLING MANIFESTATIONS FROM A SUPPOSED CORPSE. Melbourne, January 8. A remarkable caso of suspended animation, tho subject of which now lies at St. Vincent's Hospital, restored, but in a low condition, happened yesterday. Mr. Jas. Murdoch, an engineer, v. ho lived in Brunswick, took a cottage in Collingwood, No. 12, Smith-street, near Victoria Parade. Yesterday morning, with his wife and his daughter, he shifted into tlio new house. For some time he had been the victim of a severe attack of uraemia, and had been under medical treatment. Soon after his arrival at the house in Smith-street, and while his wife, daughter, and other? were busily occupied in removing furniture, he suddenly collapsed, and became insensible. A messenger ran to Victoria Parade for Dr. Howitt, and another to tho corner of Smith and Gertrude Streets for the police. Dr. Howitt; and Constable McGowan, of Fitzroy, and Constable McCarthy, of Collingwood. reached the houso in a few minutes. The doctor, who was the first to arrive, examined Mr. Murdoek, who was seated on a chair, and having tested tho heart and lungs, pronounced him dead. All ordinary symptoms of death were present, and no consideration was therefore given to the severer tests, which might have been applied had it been •suspected that there was in the case anything out of the common. Dr. Howitt- remained not more than two minutes in the house, which, between the shifting and the startling incident of Mr. Murdock's supposed death, was in a state of great commotion. When summoned Dr. Howitt was walking along the street, and being busy with other professional work, he left the place quickly, having first lifted the body from the chair and laid it on the floor. When Constables McGowan and McCarthy entered the hcuse they found Mr. Murdock prostrate, as the doctor had laid him. The face was white, the " whites" of tho eyes prominent, 2nd there was not tho remotest sign of lifo or breathing. Those facts, coupled with the pronouncement of tho doctor, left no doubt in tho minds of anybody present that Mr. Murdock was dead. Mrs. Murdoek was distracted with grief, and several times remarked th it had she known how dangerously ill her husband "nad been she might have done something to save his life. Curiosity prompted Constable McGowan to feel Mr. Murdook's pulse, but not the slightest sign of pulsation could be detected. Constable McCarthy then took out his official note-book, as the case was in his district, and proceeded to question Mrs. Murdock according to tho police regulations, for information, to enable him to furnish to tho city coroner and his superior officer a report of " a sudden death at No. 12. Smith-street, Collingwood." Fully 20 minutes had elapsed from the time the police were sent for. Half-an-hour later and the body would have been on tho way to the morgue, in the "shell" of the contracting undertaker. The event had wrought its change on the household, and silence prevailed, broken only by the constable speaking in an undertone to Mrs. Murdoek, who answered as well as her sobs would permit. Suddenly the spell was broken with startling effect. Tho supposed dead man opened his mouth and gasped. The others wero appalled, and for a moment neither moved nor spoke, but; gazed at each other in dumb inquiry, and then turned awe-«tricken to the supposed corpse. Again the mouth opened, and then came a gasp louder than before. Mrs. Murdoek sprang forward, exclaiming frantically, "He's not dead ! he still lives !" She stooped oTtr the body, and both she and the constables noticed distinct signs of returning animation. The patient began to respire, and pulsation was observable. A messenger "was sent in great haste for Dr. Howitt, but he was out, and Constable McGowan then ran to a neighbouring parsonage and telephoned to the fire station for the ambulance. When the firemen came Mr. Murdoek was placed 011 a stretchei and carried up Smith-street, but as it was feared he would again collapse. a van was hailed and he was placed inside and driven along Victoria Parade. As the quickest means of securing medical aid, the police- decided to take him to St. Vincent's Hospital. He was admitted by Dr. Chapman, the resident medical officer, | and put to bed. He was quite unconscious, but. alive beyond all doubt. Early this morning he was in the same condition. Cases similar to that of Mr. Murdoek occur in the medical records (says the Melbourne Age), where such "histories" are numerous. Arrest of circulation and respiration. which was noted by Dr. Howitt in Mr. Murdoek, is regarded by many as a certain indication of death, but there is the very well known case of the remarkable Colonel Townsersd, who had the power of voluntarily suspending both functions. Vesalius, the eminent anatomist, commenced to dissect a body, apparently dead, and when ho exposed tho heart found it still beating. The Abbe Provost, stricken with apoplexy and taken for dead, recovered consciousness, but died immediately afterwards. Bruhier, the French anthor. in 1744 compiled a list which included records ot 54 people buried alive, four dissected while living, 53 who recovered after beine placed in their coffin, and 72 falsely certified to as dead. A real difficulty thus exists at times in deciding whether a person lives. SI. Lesseune declared before the Soeiete Medicale d' Amietw that a pin prick was an infallible test, in that the puncture made immediately closed in case of life, but remained open in ease of death. Other observations in regard to pin pricks and incisions have been referred to as infallible: also the green tint on the akin of the abdomen. But doctors naturally differ when confronted with the abnormal.