anomalies and curiosities of medicine-第128部分

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s。　On　the　Ceylon　coast　the　mother…of…pearl　fishers　are　under　the　direction　of　the　English　Government；　which　limits　the　duration　and　the　practice　of　this　occupation。　These　divers　are　generally　Cingalese；　who　practice　the　exercise　from　infancy。　As　many　as　500　small　boats　can　be　seen　about　the　field　of　operation；　each　equipped　with　divers。　A　single　diver　makes　about　ten　voyages　under　the　water；　and　then　rests　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　when　his　comrade　takes　his　place。　Among　other　native　divers　are　the　Arabs　of　Algeria　and　some　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　Mexican　coast。

It　might　be　well　to　mention　here　the　divers　who　work　by　means　of　apparatus。　The　ancients　had　knowledge　of　contrivances　whereby　they　could　stay　under　water　some　time。　Aristotle　speaks　of　an　instrument　by　which　divers　could　rest　under　water　in　communication　with　the　air；　and　compares　it　with　the　trunk　of　an　elephant　wading　a　stream　deeper　than　his　height。　In　the　presence　of　Charles　V　diving　bells　were　used　by　the　Greeks　in　1540。　In　1660　some　of　the　cannon　of　the　sunken　ships　of　the　Spanish　Armada　were　raised　by　divers　in　diving　bells。　Since　then　various　improvements　in　submarine　armor　have　been　made；　gradually　evolving　into　the　present　perfected　diving　apparatus　of　to…day；　by　which　men　work　in　the　holds　of　vessels　sunk　in　from　120　to　200　feet　of　water。　The　enormous　pressure　of　the　water　at　these　great　depths　makes　it　necessary　to　have　suits　strong　enough　to　resist　it。　Lambert；　a　celebrated　English　diver；　recovered　L90；000　in　specie　from　the　steamer　Alphonso　XII；　a　Spanish　mail　boat　belonging　to　the　Lopez　line；　which　sank　off　Point　Gando；　Grand　Canary；　in　26　1/2　fathoms　of　water。　For　nearly　six　months　the　salvage　party；　despatched　by　the　underwriters　in　May；　1885；　persevered　in　the　operations；　two　divers　lost　their　lives；　the　golden　bait　being　in　the　treasure…room　beneath　the　three　decks；　but　Lambert　finished　the　task　successfully。

Deep…sea　divers　only　acquire　proficiency　after　long　training。　It　is　said　that　as　a　rule　divers　are　indisposed　to　taking　apprentices；　as　they　are　afraid　of　their　vocation　being　crowded　and　their　present　ample　remuneration　diminished。　At　present　there　are　several　schools。　At　Chatham；　England；　there　is　a　school　of　submarine　mining；　in　which　men　are　trained　to　lay　torpedoes　and　complete　harbor　defense。　Most　of　these　divers　can　work　six　hours　at　a　time　in　from　35　to　50　feet　of　water。　Divers　for　the　Royal　Navy　are　trained　at　Sheerness。　When　sufficiently　trained　to　work　at　the　depth　of　150　feet　seamen…divers　are　fully　qualified；　and　are　drafted　to　the　various　ships。　They　are　connected　with　an　air…pump　in　charge　of　trustworthy　men；　they　signal　for　their　tools　and　material；　as　well　as　air；　by　means　of　a　special　line　for　this　purpose。　At　some　distance　below　the　water　the　extraordinary　weight　of　the　suits　cannot　be　felt；　and　the　divers　work　as　well　in　armor　as　in　ordinary　laboring　clothes。　One　famous　diver　says　that　the　only　unpleasant　experience　he　ever　had　in　his　career　as　a　diver；　not　excepting　the　occasion　of　his　first　dive；　was　a　drumming　in　the　ears；　as　a　consequence　of　which；　after　remaining　under　water　at　a　certain　work　for　nine　hours；　he　completely　lost　the　use　of　one　ear　for　three　months；　during　which　time　he　suffered　agony　with　the　earache。　These　men　exhibit　absolute　indifference　to　the　dangers　attached　to　their　calling；　and　some　have　been　known　to　sleep　many　fathoms　beneath　the　surface。　Both　by　means　of　their　signal　lines　and　by　writing　on　a　slate　they　keep　their　associates　informed　of　the　progress　of　their　work。

Suspension　of　the　Pulse。In　some　cases　the　pulse　is　not　apparent　for　many　days　before　actual　death；　and　there　have　been　instances　in　which；　although　the　pulse　ceased　for　an　extended　period；　the　patient　made　an　ultimate　recovery。　In　reviewing　the　older　literature　we　find　that　Ballonius　mentions　an　instance　in　which　the　pulse　was　not　apparent　for　fourteen　days　before　complete　asphyxia。　Ramazzini　describes　a　case　of　cessation　of　the　pulse　four　days　before　death。　Schenck　details　the　history　of　a　case　in　which　the　pulse　ceased　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　perso