Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-10-11
Premature Mterment ofthe Doos

Several attempts have been latelv
the English in France, to rouse the a,, asae
the French government 10 this subiec, '"AOao
produce total change in the svsiem a %l 10
endeavors, however, do not appear to b,v. 'aat
attended with success, and complaints ara n
in England that those humane .anrl;.., naae
have been treated with GOODNESS boMsr;asHOns
incivility. DR. Macnab Scotch nh:s. On
who had resided in France for manv y ,,u'Sa'
stated to have made some spirited eys s?
| on the subject during the ministry of N w
Cazes. and it is mentioned as oircum. ,,o We
creditabe to that gentleman, tina, his con5 5st
was an exception to that observed by HE 1.''
de/essors and successors the present minis PIX
Just as NJ. De Cazes was about to pronosa
alteration IN the French law of burials h. :"
signed the seals Of Office. The memoir, e
DR.. Macnsb has been since published IN Fns
land. 1t is an interesting document, and &C s..
have perused it with some attention, we NV
sumo the following brief extracts will be F ..
ceptableto our readers.
"lndividuals of whatever rank" saws II.
Doctor, "from crowned heads 10 The abor,r,;s
the fields, are equally victims to this unna,u,'
custom-,he rich and the poor-the child nsw
ly born-the youth in the flower ofiife. and ,bo
favorites of creation the fair sex, are alike ey.
posed to the danger of perpetual death, from
premature lnterment. lTevery age and cour.
try, history has furnished numerous instances Of
individuals, who in apparent death, have been
preserved by accidental causes from prema;urs
interment. The short period of twenty fonr
hours allowed by the existing laws of France
for the purpose of ascer,aining the real or an
parent death Of individuals, is far too short
There arc many cases in which the signs Of an.
parent death are witnessed, and which Cannot
BE- determined for days after they have been
manifested. | could enumerate diseases in
which such signs are common"
Dr.. Macnab then proceeds, in illustration of
his position, to relate among others the follow
ing
"The danger to which the elegant Lady Rus.
sell was exposed, is too well known both in
France and England TO require details She
remained seven days and nights without any
sign Of life, and her interment was only delay.
ed on account of the violent grief which Lord
Russell experienced at The idea of being sepera-
ted from beloved wife On the eighth day,
as the parish bell was toIIing for church, Lady
Russell suddenly raised her head, and to the
amazement and indescribable JOY of her hus
band, told him to get ready 10 accompany her
to church. Her recovery was rapid and com
plete, and she lived many years afterwards 10
render her Lord The father Of afamily."
The second instance is related by the celebra.
ted Oder of Geneva, in these words:--
81 knew girl twenty-five years old, named
Eliza Roy, who narrowly escaped being buried
alive She lived at distance Of two leagues
from Geneva. For some years she had been
subject to Nervous attacks, which frequently
deprived her of every appearance oflfc; but al
ter the lapse ola few hours, she would recover
and resume her avocations as if nothing had
happened. On one occasion, however, The sus-
pension of her faculties was so protracted, thai
her friends called medical man of the neigh
borhood, who pronounced her dead. She wa
then sown up in close shroud, according 10
the barbarous custom of the country, and laIo
upon the bedstead. Amongst those who called
TO condole with the parents, was partlcu"
friend of the supposed deceased, OF her own age
The young woman, anxious to take last loon
at her friend, unrpped the shroud, and imprint
ed kiss upon her cheeks. Whilst she wa
kissing her, she fancied that she felt her orea'De
She repeated her caresses; and being shorty a.
sured of the fact of her friend not being dedu
she applied her mouth to that OF the girl, r a,u
in short time the latter was restored 10 HIS
and able to dress herself