Where Did Jesus Die? — Page 218
? 218 Dr. Bourne’s paper on his theory, which is to be published else- where in more technical form. Normally, discussion of the Resurrection centres on the histor- ical proofs (now generally accepted) of Jesus’ subsequent appear- ances on earth. To question His actual death may be thought her- esy—but there is reason to think that Jesus in fact fainted on the cross, was believed dead, and recovered after a period of coma. Dr. C. C. P. Clark, writing in the New York ‘Medical Record’ in 1908 suggested that Jesus’ apparent death might have been a fainting attack. In 1935 Professor S. Weiss, an American authority on fainting, pointed out that fainting was the usual cause of death in victims of crucifixion, and this is now accepted among medical scientists. The essential feature of fainting is a fall in arterial blood pres- sure, caused by active dilatation of the smaller arteries of the body, mainly in the muscles. Blood then gets away from the arterial side of the circulation with greatly decreased resistance. At the same time the heart is slowed, and may stop for several seconds. The onset may come without warning, though not usually, and there may be a sense of impending death. Blood pressure falls precipitously, the brain’s oxygen sup- ply is reduced, consciousness is lost and the subject falls down. Breathing is shallow, the pupils are dilated, and the appearance death-like: not even the deepest coma so closely resembles death. The abolition of muscle power which causes the fall is a safe- guard to the brain, which is readily damaged by oxygen-lack. In the horizontal position, blood pressure is restored, and conscious- ness returns. However, deathly pallor may continue for an hour