The possibility of the retention of life and consciousness for any time after complete severance of the body above the hips, has not been much raised in medical literature, and naturally observations of such an occurrence are rare. Not long since there appeared a sensational paragraph in the newspapers in regard to a young man surviving hours after having been cut in two by a train. As our confrère, Dr. Gibbon's name was mentioned in connection with the case, we wrote him in regard to it, and received the following report
Charlotte, N. C., July 18, 1899.
To the Editor:
—The patient, a young man of about 20 years, from the western section of North Carolina, attempted to board a passenger train in rapid motion. Losing his hold he fell across the rail, and the wheels of several trucks passed over his body, completely crushing the pelvis and lower portion