Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-04-01
For the Chronicle.
Premature Interments-Continued
"No, dead but sleeping

For the Chronicle.
Premature lnterments-Continued
.'No, dead but sleeping,
sDess3 is not always where he seems to be-"
Kind friend, guardian of sacred trust
ponderwell this ell-momentous truth. leave
no tests untried, ere 70 the silent tomb, the
precious reiic is consigned. Consider well
the rss5b1sssfify of your sacred trust, poor
fellow -i6ortai, lying low in death. Despair
not, vhiIesthe FEATURES remain natural and
unshake6 or decomposition is delayed.
A littse delay, little emotion, perhaps,
what if grea, deal, would not the restora-
tion and salvat ion of single one from a
doom. ..the bare thought of which the mind
instinctiSely recoils from, amply repay, Ges
methinks a thousand times) all our trouble
and exertion.
One who had been trayeling IN Germany
about two years ago. thus in Harper's Week
ly, describes an apparatus to prevent the un-
pleasant misfortune Of being buried alive.
At. place called Halla, he in company
with Professor B-,of the Orphans Asy-
lum of France, called on the sexton, who
after showing them all thej attractions of a
German ehurcbyord, for they do make their
burial places attractive in Germany, con-
Quoted them to the house in which the Head
are allowed to repuse on their way to the
grave. II is the custom OF the country, and
in almos, all the larger towns, preparations
are made for it to have such house as this
at the cemetery land person to attend to It
by day ami night. To this house the corpse
is brought by relatives and friends. and laid
upon a couch, well watered in winter, and
we'll aired in summer. The body is treated
with tenderness and care, as If the life
might yet be trembling in it, and by being
cherished, might be quickened, or by neg
lect extinguished forever. On each finger
of each hand, is placed thimble, and from
each of these thread extends to a central
thread, (the thread OF life indeedD and this
passes through an orifice in the wall, and
there is fastened to bell, so deicatey
hung, that the slightest movement would set
it ringing. 1t hangs by the ear Of one, who
waits BY day and sleeps by night, but ready
to start al this summons, and run TO the bed
side Of the reviving body. that has thus un-
consciously signaleG its need of instant aid.
The least pulsat:on will communicate the
lremor TO the thread, and thus ring the bell.
Even a motion that the eye of the most anx-
;ous watcher, might fail to detect is marked
by this salsrm! A watcher might sleep at the
port Of of.d4y, and be the most soundly asleep
when his help would be essential to the re-
viving patient. But by this arrangement,
the attendant is spared the fatigue ofwatch-
ing, and is ever on the alert to hasten with
all needfui appliances, the moment his aid
is required. The body is allowed to remain
in the rosm with these arrangements, I'll
decomposition begins to take place, or other
signs of death, too palpable to be mistaken
make their appearance.
They asked the old man if he ever knew
of one saved BY this cohtrivance, 'Oh yes''
was case not long since when a man was
found to be alive, after lying for three. or four
days in the dead house." Professor B.,
said the case was well known and related
the particulars. There was nothing in the
case more remarkable than that man
should fall into trance and come to him
self again in week or two. The same
writer continues.
"But found on inquiry, that the case was
not an isolated one. AS similar apparatus
was in use in other parts Of the country, and
employed with great frequency,so as to be-
come custom of society, it is plain that
there must be cases enough of restoration,
the result of the experiments tc sustain the
practice. Certainly it would fall speedily
into neglect and disuse if it were not that
now and then" it proves the salvation Of
friend. And if it does prove such an in
strumentality now and them if only one
person in a generation is saved from being
buried alive, is it not worth all the cost, and
thousand times more? If we ourselyrs, or
one we love, were thus deliver ID, would we
question the expediency of adopting the
plan universally"
The attention of this writer was drawn to
this subject by seeing in his youthful days,
the grave of lovely young lady opened.
"AfIer her burial the idea had got abroad
that she was not dead. 1t was said that she
had several times fallen into long frances
which had so much resembled death, that it
was hard to tell the difference. This time
no sign of life fingered round the heart, and
the niiss~rssShsen hsld before her mouth
and was not dmmed with the tainted cloud
OF breath. But the rumor grew from day to
day, till nothing would allay The excitement,
but open the grave and see. True, it could
do no good, but it would satisfy the public
m ind. As the dggers scraped the earth
from the coffin there was deeper silence
than when fort might before it was lowered
there. 1t was too slow a task to extricaie
the coffin. They split the cover, the face was
not to be seen, it was turned over, and the
shroud torn to rags, and the ho-rid evidence
forced upon every beholder, that struggle
terrible to think of, oh how much more ter
rble to endure, had been made in that dun
geon of despair"
To present such a misfortune will not
some spirited philantnrophic minds take up
this subject andfeel the public pulse. Surely
there are but few, but would contribute for
an apparatus and arrangements Of such vital
Importance to all. For none may know how
soon they may be placed in such critical
situation that such an instrument might
save them from dismal doom. have con-
versed with many on this subject. and seldom
meet with one whose views do not coincide
with my own, respecting the importance of
such precaution.
Fair correspondents of Belmont ever ready
for good and noble deeds. what say you on
this subject. Pardon the length U: this ar
tcle. The subject seems So highly impo:-
tant and deeply interesting that scarce
know when to stop. PRUDENCE.
Ce5-A minister, Who had received a num-
Der of calls and could scarcely decide which
was the best, asked advice from faithful
old African servant 'Yho replied; "Master
90 where there is the most DEVIL"