The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1853-07-14
Singular Discovery.

There 10 nothing new under the SUM-
The American coffin which attracted st
much attention at the Great Exhibition il
1851, and which, by producing a vacuum By
means Of the air pump, was thought to be
an entirely new method of preserving corpses
from decay, has been just proved to have
been known in the middle ages. While de.
molishing, short time ago, the old church
ofthe ancient Welch College, at Helmstedt
near Brunswick, coffin made of lead, the
lid of which was made Of glass, Of immense
thickness containing the body ofa young
CIR! apparently about IL years of age, which
still preserved every appearance of youth
and freshness, although the coffin bore date
1861, was discovered.
A private letter from bystander tells us
that
"The face and figure of the child were
perfect as in life. not single sign of decay
being visible throughout the whole person.
The cheek preserved its delicate rose tint
the forehead its snowy whiteness. The
hair, which was of beautiful gold color,
was parted on the brow and fell in long ring
lets over the bosom, crisp and fresh as though
the child had lain down to sleep the moment
cred in gold flowers, the shoes of white vel
vet, the lace apron, all seemed bright as il
newly purchased; and more astonishing
still, the bunch of lilies held in the hand oi
the corpse, still looked as fresh and mois,
as though the dew still hung upon it, The
workmen engaged in the demolition of the
building were struck with awe, and imme-
diately went in quest of the chief magistrate
Of the place, who soon arrived on the spot,
accompanied by several of the inhabitants.
Unfortunately, the worthy functionary, hav-
ing recently been made the victim of a prac-
teal joke in the town, and being half suspi-
cious that the same thing was intended,
would not believe in the reality, and, seiz-
ing spade from the hand of one of the
workmen who stood near, dealt heavy blow
upon the lid of the coffin, and mashed one or
two of the diamond shaped panes of glass
Of which it was composed. In moment,
and while we yet gazed, thin cloud of dust
or vapor, like wreath of smoke, rose from
the coffin and dimmed the sight, yelling the
corpse from our view. When it disappear
ed, we gazed downwards in awe: nothing
remained Of what hsd struck US with so
ished, and left nought but heap of discol-
ored dust, few rags Of tinsel, and one or
two dried bones!'
The rage and despair Of Herr W, the
great antiquary and savant Of the place, knew
no bounds. He did his best to collect the
fragments that remained, and that SAME
evening the coffin was conveyed to Bruins
wick, where it will no doubt form one of tht
greatest ornaments of the museum. There
appears no doubt that the high preservation
of the corpse had been produced by the alb
straction of all air from the coffin. and it j.
supposed that the child belonged to soms
great Professor of the University, who hae
performed the experiment in secret, as it i
curious amid all these pains and care con
cerning the body of the child, no means
should have been taken to preserve her name
from oblivion. No name is engraved upon
the coffin, not even her initials-nothing but
the date of the year in which she died or was
buried Q46l. .)-Londou Atlas.