The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1866-05-09
Buried Alive.

| Buried Alive.
To fall into the trance-like lethargy
which follows disease, and only open your
eyes in coffin to die of the choking sem
sations of bitter reflection and foul air !
This has been, alas the lot Of many. The
pallor and facial alterations of the honorcd
corpse are received as proofs of his death.
But all these are not conclusive evidence
that the body is bloodless, and that the
soul has left it. A visit to the hospitals or
to the private homes of the sick will dis
cover many who, in sleep, present more
to be removed to tie tomb. We have seen
such cases, and we can attest the facts
When the supposed dead looks unchanged,
except that the eyes have been closed and
the face bears the hue of death, it is Grim.
inal in the physician to certify to his de-
misc till he makes an examination of the
body.
The following facts, showing the num-
erous instances in which persons have been
buried alive, have been collected for many
years by French gentleman, from med
ical history.
At Toulouse, a lady having been buried
in the Church of the Capuchin Friars, with
diamond ring on her finger, servant
entered the vault to steal the ring; and, us
the finger was swelled, and the ring would
not come off, he began cutting the finger.
On hearing loud shrek from the deceas-
ed, the thief fell senselcss. AT the time
of morning prayers, the monks having
heard some groans, found the lady alive
and the servant dead. Thus death had its
prey; there was but change of victims.
This is the true origin of the story which
has had such variations.
A street porter in Paris, having died at
| the Hotel Dieu, was carried, with the other
dead, into the same grave. Recovering
his senses toward eleven at night, he tore
open his winding-sheet, made his way to
| his house, knocked at the door, which was
not opened to him without some difficulty,
and took new possession of his lodgings.
At the close Of the last century, wo-
man in Paris was thought to be dead, and
the body was put on some straw with a
taper at the feet. Some young men who
sat up with the corpse, in frolic overturn
ed the taper. This set the straw on fire
The deceased, whose body the flames now
reached, uttered piercing shrek. Time
| ly assistance was rendered, and she so wei
4
came the mother of several children.
On the 2lst of November, 1868, thu
Able Preyot, well known for his literary
productions, was taken with an appoplec
tic fit as he was travelling through the for
ests of Chantilly. Being supposed dead
he was carried to the house of the Mayor
Of the village, and the magistrate directed
a post inortem examination to be commenc
!, ed. A piercing shrek uttered by the un
fortunate man proved that he was alive
He died under the scalpel.
| DIR. Deyeux, a surgeon of st. Come Hos
pital, Paris, had maid, servant, wht
had been three times brought to burial
She did not recover her senses the las
!, time till they were lowering her coffin int,
the grave. That woman having died anew
the body was kept six days, lest they shoult
have to bring her back fourth time.
4 A Mr.. Rosseau, Of Rouen, had marie,
, a lady of fourteen, whom he left in pcrfcc
f health, after starting on short journey
, After q few days he heard that unless h
returned Immediately he would find hi
| wife buried. On reaching home, he sa,
the funeral ready. In an agony of grie
he had the coffin removed to his room an
unscrewcd. He placed the body on a bee
and ordered twenty-five incisions to be mad
) on it. At the twenty-sixth, probably deel
er than the others, the deceased exclaimed
, s'How severely you hurt metz Medics
assistance was Immediately given. Th
Q lady had afterwards six children.