Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-05-09
pe,r,sea,,on Of Human Bodies.

| The American Medical Gazette for May contains
the following curious account of the petrihcaiior
vi human bodies:
| IN the old Cathedral Church of Bremen is q
vault the atmosphere Of which possesses the pecu'
liar property of preserving from decay ali bodies
that may be placed therein.
Visitors are shown eight human bodies. besides
a number of cats, dogs, monkeys birds. NC, all
of which by mere exposure 10 this atmosphere
nave become dried and free from all offensive eiilu-
via; resembling in appearance, coarse parch'
ment,.
The body nearest the door is that Of an English
Major, said to have lain here one hundred and
eighteen years
The second that Of a German student, who lost
his life in duel. The hard, dry flesh still shows
the sabre wounds on his throat and arm. His
body has been here no years.
The third is that OF Swedish Countess
whose body has remained free from the lot ol COM
mon morlals for l4O years.
The fourth of a Swedish General, who was
killed in the Thirty Years War" aud whose
throat sill exhibits the mark OF the wound OF
which he died.
The fth is that Of his aide-de-camp, who lost
his lie at the sa ne time, by cannon ball striking
him in the side The destruction OF the part is
plainly visible.
The sixth body is that of workman, who fell
from the steeple vfthe church when near It's com
pletion-- four hundred years agO-and broke his
neck Owing to this accident, the peculiar pro-
perties of this vault became known ; for the body
OF the deceased workman was laid in this vault
tor few days, and having evinced no sign ol de-
clmposition the singularity of the fact induced
The authorities to permit il 10 remain and here II
has remained during all that time
The seventh is the body Of an English lady,
who died 80 years since of caucer on the lower
Jaws the ravageS OF the deceose are still percep-
tible in The liberated flesh.
The eight is u body of a working man, who
had lain here for sixty years.
In marble SarcOpbagus, standing IN themlddle
of the vault, are said TO rep0Se the mortal remains
of the Swedish Chancellor, Van Englebrechten (;
but they are not permitted to be exposed To pubIc
view, on account of some still surviving relatives
.of the family.
Each of these bodies retains 10 great degree
the appearance peculiar to itself In lie. nus
tae Swedish General was short round faced man
inclined to corpulency; his ald'de-camp was
slender, well proporoned man, in the prime OF
life AS in general appearance, 50 also IN laclal
expression do these bodies differ; the parchment
like skin though drawn uShtly Overtime oohes' st"i
shows something OF the manner in which the
muscles beneath once worked.
The only reasonable solution of the peculiarity
of this result or other psrt Of the church pos
sesses it) thai have heard, is, that here all the
plumbers work of the building was executed, IN
melting and otherwise preparing the materials for
the root. Wecan only suppose, then that The en-
tire chamber became surcharged with lead,
that it has continued ever since 10 give forth va
pors, which, forming an anlisepc chemical COM
pound OF lead, have operated upon the cadaVera
exposed TO its influence.