Newspaper Clipping of the Day

Via Newspapers.com

It is not uncommon for people who have had organ transplants or massive blood transfusions to report that they to some extent "take on" memories, or even personality traits, from their donors. (I myself know two people who claim this happened to them.) The following story, however, takes this alleged phenomenon to a whole 'nother level. The "Baltimore Sun," August 25, 1925:

London, Aug. 25.--Physicians and psychologists throughout England today are interested in a strange telepathy by which Frederick George Lee, professional supply source for blood transfusions, gets death messages from those his blood should save.

Lee, an ex-army sergeant, is employed at the Middlesex Hospital, and has given his blood twenty-four times since 1922 for transfusions. Seventeen of the patients have lived; the other seven died.

In each of the seven eases, at the exact instant of the patient's death, Lee has felt a severe pain in his arm and has immediately been overcome with illness. By these symptoms he knows that the patient has passed on. What makes his case all the more strange is the fact that Lee never sees the patients to whom his blood is given.

Lee started his career as blood "transfusioner" three years ago. Applying at a labor bureau for work, he was asked if he would give his blood to save the life of a 10-year-old girl at the Middlesex Hospital.

"I've kiddies of my own at home," he replied, "and if you think it would help her. I'll do it."

Since then he has been providing his blood for patients in the hospital. Lee is 34 years old, and has had no serious inconvenience from his sacrifice of thirty-six pints of blood beyond the pain and nausea at the time of a patient's death.

Scientists are puzzled at the strange phenomenon.

Book Clipping of the Day

This eerie little tale was published by Frederick George Lee in his 1878 book "More Glimpses of the World Unseen."  It was prefaced with, "The following story was told to a lady by the sailor who witnessed the appearance."

David ____ went to sea under a very drunken, cruel, and profane captain. This captain fell ill, after hard drinking, and lay sick in his cabin. It was a moonlight night when David ____ and two other sailors were talking on deck, when they saw a form or figure suddenly fly out of the cabin, as it were, and felt an unmistakable gust of wind as it passed. He said to the others, "Did you see that?" They replied, "It is the soul of our old master." The figure was like a man's head and face, quite recognisable, with black flapping wings. It seemed to fly away into the dark distance.

David then went down to the captain's cabin and found him dead. No one else would go near to the corpse. So David wrapped and sewed it up in a hammock, said a prayer over it, and threw it into the sea.

I don't claim to be an expert on such matters, but this probably was not the best omen for the captain's afterlife.

Book Clipping of the Day

Photo via Yahoo News

In his 1894 book "Sights and Shadows," Frederick George Lee included a story told to him by a friend, the Rev. William C. Vaughan:

Some years ago I was accustomed to go on saints’ days to the early morning service at a parish church three miles distant; I used to breakfast afterwards with the clergyman, and then returned home in time for the late morning service. He lives in my memory as a man scrupulously careful to keep to the exact truth in all he said.

On two All Saints’ Days I attended service, but, on the third, circumstances had changed, and at the church where I then ministered we had a special preacher on the eve whom I had not met before, but who was to be my guest. My first thought on seeing him was, "How like dear G." My pleasure was much increased at discovering he was a cousin, and I feel inclined to give him credit for unexaggerating truthfulness. We sat up late talking, and here is a true story :— 

"In one of our manufacturing districts a zealous clergyman laboured, who made it his rule to hold a midnight service on every New Year’s Eve. After the New Year had begun, and the congregation dispersed, he still waited in church interceding for his flock. This had been his custom for some years; when one New Year’s morning, after turning the gas off and shutting the church door, he went across to the vicarage close by. On his way upstairs he passed a window which overlooked the church—the whole building was lit up, and he ran down and out again, afraid of fire. It occurred to him, however, to look through a window of the church before reopening the door, and to his amazement he beheld his whole congregation assembled, with himself in the pulpit preaching. As he gazed in astonishment, he perceived upon the countenances of a certain number, one here, and one there, that peculiar hue which comes on the face so often before death: and he drew away. But as the year went on, he made it his special care to prepare for their last earthly hour all those on whom he had seen the mark; and lo! they all died before the year was out ! 

"Again the next New Year’s night he saw the church filled in like manner, himself there, and the hue of death laid upon other faces; these he cared for and prepared for their latter end, till one by one they dropped off and were buried, their number made complete ere the twelve months had all passed. 

"So it happened another year, and another, and more, nor said he anything of it to anyone, but kept it to himself; till a New Year Day he summoned to him his curate, and declared, 'My people were there last night too, but I did not see which of them should die, only on my own face appeared the hue of death, and you I wish to prepare me for that hour.'

"His death occurred shortly afterwards."