The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1826-05-17
Me0(caI.
PREMATURE L.vTERME.VT.


Since the frequent publication of cases
in which persons have been committed
to the grave before the principle OF vi
ta,ity had ceased TO exist, has not excit-
ed the popular horror of premature IN
tet,.ent which could have been hoped
and expected, il becomes the duty of
the profession to interfere, and check
practice from which every feeling of
humanity ought TO shrink. If the life
less body of a solitary and fviend'ess
pAuper is taken from the grave tor the
purpose OF enightening the age on some
point essential TO the future welfare and
healh Of mankind, slamor and tu-
multi. "hormble sacrilege," =" unfeellng
wretches," sound in every ear, and the
s2ory of the inhuman act spreads, with
the rapiAity of wid-ire, to every quar-
ter Of the country.--.t mae, after fit
of sickness, ceases to breathe; the by
ISLANDERS say with a eigh, "aias! he is
dead" and before twenty-four' hours
are eapaeI, he Is buried with the usual
GaIe ony, AMI left, ii he chance to
T7tvi<e, 10 siillc aud horrily himself to
death in his narrow mansion. Such
eases occur much, very much oftener,
than is generally imagined. Take, tor
example, the number Of Gases 10 which
she co!lin is opened after burial, and the
,.rooar!ianai nunber 10 which there
have been evident nit'ks-~ot revival /;
take .thcn Tie whole .u0mbc: Of cases in
which The coffin is not opened alter
burial, aud then see what is the pro-
portionAi number 10 which we have a
sight TO suppose life has existed In the
grave lis there a human being who
does not shudder at the result II is
but few weeks since u man IN Ohio,
snnposed TO have died of the small qox,
was pul in a coffin and placed in the
church yard, while the grave was
made. Some children, who stood
near the coffin, thinking they heard a
groao, mentioned the circumstance 10
the grave digger, who, however, took
80 notice of ii, and the body was inter
red.--The children having talked OF
what they heard, attention was excited,
and on. the folio wing moraing the body
was taken up, when, dreadful TO relate,
the torn state of the sbroud lett no
doubt that the poor wretch was buried
alive - This case, which we have on
undoubtpd authority, was published IN
the newspapers, aud there 1t ended.
No anathemas were pronounced, no
one accused Of inhumanity, no excite
ment was produced, and 10 resolutions
10 interdict interment until decomPosl-
ton commences. Chemical decompo-
sition is Me only sure and uaerring sign
Of death, and until this commences, no
body should be committed TO The grave,
or even left without watch.
1t is singular Constitution of our ma
ture, that we should be so unreasonable
as to shudder and rebel against practice
ia itself so innocent and useful as dissec-
ton, and regard with indifference a
practice so truly inhuman, SO unspeaka-
bly, cruel and dreadful, as premature
jnterment.
We must take men, however, as we
find them, and as common sense and the
common voice have not put q stop TO
<lfe habit Of burying as soon as appear
nnces Of life are gone, it becomes the
dnly of the Faculty to enforce it them
selves. Let us always advise, for we
can only give our adoice, that 10 body
be inferred until putrefaction commence
es; and if this will not produce the
desired reform, let our authorities pass
lap TO the same effect. II is the only
method OF putting a stop TO this serions
evil. Bost. Med. Intsliigencer