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.
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