Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1847-06-24

ID gloomy day in December, that
DeSM medical students and myself were
saunterng along the street, when we observed
man emering from rum shop, whose face
was awfully bloated, and who we afterward
understood was extremely dissipated.
! He had not proceeded many steps, for my
eye was on him, before he suddenly reeled
and fell dead on the pave. He was carried
into the rum shop Coroner was sent for,
and we were summoned on the jury OF in
quest. The verdict was, that he died of apo
plexy, superinduced by heavy potatlons OF
rum. The students and myself secretly re-
solved TO snatch the body that night, as our
resurrection men had been arrested a few
nights before by the police, with all their inn
| plements and subjects, and were thrown in
TO prison. We were, therefore, necessilated
either 10 do without subject, or 10 20 and
snatch one ourselves. In the meantime the
dead man had been put into a county coffin,
| for he was pennyeSs, and buried in Potter's
Field, in the suburb Of the city.
! 1t was bitter cold night, considerable snow
having fallen, when, mulfled in the old fash
toned plaid cloaks, we all got into a covered
cart, with our implements for digging, and pro
ceeded TO the scene of action. We soon ar
rived at the grave and went to work. AS the
dirt had only time to freeze on the surface, we
found no difficulty in arriving at the coffin.
A tall, stout and uncouth, though comical
| Virginian entered the grave. He tore off the
upper part of the lid Of the coffin, and as there
was no shroud. his face was exposed.
"Give me leetle of that thar critter," said
the Virginian, 'to warm this here child, be-
fore toat Mr.. out of his house up stars"
! He drank his brandy and seized the subject
| by the head, when he suddenly dropped il on
the shavings, and exclaimsd--sEI swar, gentle
men, this here's a quar- busness-the mans
comm 10 life 90
"Ohl" said two or three in breath, sit
is your fancy-snatch out the subject, and
don't keep US freezing"
"May be eternally um-fuddled t. It arn't
a fact; ! heard him snort, but if we say SO, |
swar I'll toat him out"
! Finding him SO confident babe him get
out OF the grave, and on stepping into il, dis
covered TO my own and to the astonishment
of all, that the subject was actually breathing.
So soon as the air was admitted he revived
from the fit of apoplexy. We complete
| ly on the horns of dilemma, for if we took
| him with US we knew not what to do with
him, and il would expose the fact that we had
been violating the grave; and if we left him,
he would certainly perish with cold. We al
last resolved TO wrap him in our cloaks, pu,
him in the cart. and take him TO the Hospital
Here we wrapped him in blankets, placed
him before fire and gave him brandy in
small quantities frequently In about an houl
we removed him to the Medical College, the
dissecting room Of which we had left very
warm, and there bathed him with spirits un-
I'll ne revived sufficiently to speak, having his
perfect senses.
s'Whar do you think you've been, neigh
Dor :" asked the Virginian,
"You are indebted 10 us for your lfe," con
tinued another, 'for you were dead, and had
we not dug you up for dissection, YOU would
never have breathed again"
"You are trihing with me'' returned the
revived man. at was but moment ago
that stepped out Of the tavern ia s.
street, but il puzzles me TO know how, came
here"
We solemnly assured him that he had fal.
len in a fit, that he had been buried, and that
we had dug him up. and thus saved his live
! But we could not induce him TO believe a
word of it, though he could not conceive by
what means he came where he was, contend
ing to the last that he had just stepped out Of
the tavern. He seemed to think that some
kind of magic had been played off upon him.
The poor fellow lived eight days, but leac-
ton took place, fever came on, and in def
ance Of all we could do. he died. The cir
cumstances madea strong impression on my
mind for some length OF time. 1t satisfied me
that many persons are buried alive, by hurry
I ing them prematurely to the grave. As a
mother proof, IN graves that have been opened
the bodies have been found turned upon one
side or the face. All corposes should, ifpos-
sible, be placed in spring top coffin. placed
IN public mausoleum, the door of which
should be so arranged that the resuscitaed
person could easily openit. There Is such a
lnausoleum IN the cemetery at Balhmore,
called Greenmount. 1t was there that the bo-
dy OF Paul Roux was placed, who was mar
dered in tavern, in Charles street, by McCur-
ny. His friends had no trouble in removing
the corpse. All bodies should remain there
until purfeiacton and decomposition COM
mence, for there is no certain sign OF DEATH
u Is very difficult matter for the most pro-
found physician to declare, where life leaves
of and death begins.
But TO return 10 the dissectng room. In
the room in which dessected, there were
twelve tables, dead body or subject occupy
ing every table, and to every subject there was
class OF four students. There were seven
hundred students at the University, and so
many engaged IN dissection. that three resur-
rectionist were out every night procuring sub
jects.
! Ii was general rule. that the student oil
every class who was in the disseciing room
first at night, should have his choice Of the
part Of the body he wished to dissect. 1t was
on a cold and snowy night; the boarders OF
the house where lodged wished TO go to the
Theatre, by which means ! obtained my tea
very early and rugged off to the University
for had great curiosity 10 diSsect the brain
and examine the pineal gland, which Desear
les and other philosophers have declared TO be
the seat of the soul also, that il contains
grains oil sand wished TO see the spot where
Reason, the monarch Of the mind, sat upon
her gorgeouse throne.
When arrived at the University and as
cended the long narrow flight Of stars, |
heardnot asingle being in the vas, building, and
not a sound, save the sound Of my footstep
reverberating along the radatng passages OF
the building | entered the dissecting room
! found the stove very warm. | was standing
near frozen subject, which one of the resur-
rectonists had brought up and placed against
| the wall, as you would lean stick of wood
nearly perpendular The heat OF the stove
thawed the knees; the subject suddenly sunk
down and fell sprawling at my feet. The
sudden movement startled me. as even
an unexpected touch will alarm the most OF
persons; but Immediately recovered my self