Graham's Magazine Vol XXXII. No. 3. March 1848Various
General
Graham's Magazine Vol XXXII. No. 3. March 1848
Various
Literature -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals
"The following narrative appears in a recent number of
_The American Magazine_, a respectable periodical in
the United States. It comes, it will be observed, from
the narrator of the 'Last Conversation of a
Somnambule,' published in The Record of the 29th of
November. In extracting this case the _Morning Post_ of
Monday last, takes what it considers the safe side, by
remarking--'For our own parts we do not believe it; and
there are several statements made, more especially with
regard to the disease of which the patient died, which
at once prove the case to be either a fabrication, or
the work of one little acquainted with consumption. The
story, however, is wonderful, and we therefore give
it.' The editor, however, does not point out the
especial statements which are inconsistent with what we
know of the progress of consumption, and as few
scientific persons would be willing to take their
pathology any more than their logic from the _Morning
Post_, his caution, it is to be feared, will not have
much weight. The reason assigned by the Post for
publishing the account is quaint, and would apply
equally to an adventure from Baron Munchausen:--'it is
wonderful and we therefore give it.'...The above case
is obviously one that cannot be received except on the
strongest testimony, and it is equally clear that the
testimony by which it is at present accompanied, is not
of that character. The most favorable circumstances in
support of it, consist in the fact that credence is
understood to be given to it at New York, within a few
miles of which city the affair took place, and where
consequently the most ready means must be found for its
authentication or disproval. The initials of the
medical men and of the young medical student must be
sufficient in the immediate locality, to establish
their identity, especially as M. Valdemar was well
known, and had been so long ill as to render it out of
the question that there should be any difficulty in
ascertaining the names of the physicians by whom he had
been attended. In the same way the nurses and servants
under whose cognizance the case must have come during
the seven months which it occupied, are of course
accessible to all sorts of inquiries. It will,
therefore, appear that there must have been too many
parties concerned to render prolonged deception
practicable. The angry excitement and various rumors
which have at length rendered a public statement
necessary, are also sufficient to show that _something_
extraordinary must have taken place. On the other hand
there is no strong point for disbelief. The
circumstances are, as the Post says, 'wonderful;' but
so are all circumstances that come to our knowledge for
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