The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-07-28
Premature Burials.

data upon the horribly fascinating
subject of premature burials.
We remember, he observes, the Viy'
id terror produced, while yet in oul
boyhood, when an elder sister read q
story entitled ''Buried Alive" The
person had fallen into a cataleptiC
condition, becoming cold and rigid
while yet unconscious, and was duly
eoffined and buried. lie was ex-
humed by "resurrectionists," carried
to a medical college, and placed on
the table of the demonstrator of an
atomy; a few shocks of the galvanic
battery partially aroused him, and or
the wounding of his breast by a knife
he gave signs of life, and by proper
treatment was fully resuscitated.
| Ten or twelve years afterw.ard a
I refatfVe, Wnere we were visiting
told us of having been present when
the body of her son-in-law was made
ready for the coffin, and, perceiving
as she imagined, warm spot on the
left breast, daughter who was sit
ting by when this was told, cried out
with horror, "Do not talk any more
about it; the idea is too dreadful to
think Of" But we did think over
again of the horror of interring a
living person. 1t was hardly proba-
bic, in the case in question, that such
thing did occur, for the body re-
manned unburied long enough to al
low return to consciousness.
But in this country the peril of in
terment before death has actually
taken place is very often great. For
years past it has been very common
for persons in supposed health to
fall down suddenly, with every ap-
pearance of having died. We do
not regard sudden death with horror,
as it is often painless, and exempts
the person from anxiety and other
unpleasant experiences which so
often accompany lingering dissolu-
ton. But there is a fearful liability
of being prostrated by catalepsy,
which is deaths fearful counterfeit,
under such circumstances that the
persons having the body in charge
will not hesitate about a prompt
burial. We could wish tnat the old
Oriental practice of cremation was in
fashion among us. There would at
least be the comfortable reflection OF
no suffocation in the coffin; besides,
the application of fire would gener-
ally arouse the cataleptic person to a
manifestation OF life.
Some two years ago, man in
low state of health was compelled to
take shelter in 4 deserted house in
Illinois, where he fell asleep. He
was found in eataleptic trance, and
supposed to have died. In this con-
diion he was removed and prepared
for burial, conscious all the time of
what was going on, but unable to ut
ter a sound, or make sign of life.
Ills condition was fortunately dis
covered before it was too late. The
story may be 4 Fiction, but it did
not read like one. We have several
times repeated the story, although
it is serious tor 4 jest, except when
entirely on the ludicrous
side of a woman who, while being
borne to the place of interment, was
aroused 10 scneeiousness by the
jostling OF her coffin against the wall
of n house, as the bearers clumsily
turned the corner. She was speedily
released from her CeTements and con-
veyed home where she lived several
years longer. She fell into 4 de-
cline and died; the funeral again |
took place, and the procession set |
out for the grave. As it drew near
the house on the corner, the husband |
wiped his eyes hastily, and cried out I
10 the bearers, ''Be careful when you |
turn the corner" Ills, however, no !
topic for a jest when we consider the |
matter from the proper point. Per-
sons are buried alive, and have ter
rible period of agony in the coffin
before death comes to their relief.
We execrate the old Roman law
which authorized the magistrates to
bury alive their incOntinent vestal
virgins. The Thracians, after the
practice of India, buried widows.
Ametris, or Esther. Queen of Xerxes
md Persia, caused fourteen living
to be inferred and until
ately, Hindoo widows were buried
)r burned alive at Scuttess. But we,
n our reckless carelessness, do as
BAD as they. 4 writer in the nine
eenth century informs US that at the
public mortuary of Paris about one
n every 800 persons supposed 10 be
lead actually come again to life. At
hat rate 100 persons must be buried
live annually belonging to the city
If New York; and here, too, not a
1.-THE of the precautions are taken
hat are required in France and Eng
and.
y we'll authenticated case IS on
ccord of strong man dropping
way suddenly, whose grave or tomb
vas opened four days after, and the
,ody found twisted around in the
ofiiD, and hip disloeated, the hair
urned white and torn out, and the
catures distorted in a horrible man
.er. Fearful was the struggle of
bat man in his CHASTITY conflict for
.fe with every odds against him.
y young woman, also, beautiful |
4 person and intellect, was buried
i the usual hurry some ten years
90. The body was afterwards
lkem up tor removal to a distant
emetery. She, too, had been en-
aged, and in her coffin, in 4 terri
lie struggle for life, her face was
asheG, her hands and arms fright
ully torn, her feet drawn up in a
7ild endeavor TO extricate herself
rem he horrible prison, her face
Tas fu rrowed and lacerated by the
niger nails, so desperate had been
er struggle.
A young man, in another city, was
hus buried, and his grave opened
il days atterward. The bodyIhad
mne,d upon the facc, the arm was
itteI1 to the bone, and there were
ther evidences of the death wrest-
ing.
We remember that the story was
old, several years ago, that Lorenzo
;. Shepard, a prominent lawyer of
he city of New York, who died APP
'arcntly in the full vigor Of life, act
ally recovered after interment, and
hat the clothes about his face were
Ound to be saturated with his own
Hood. We know nothing of the ac-
uracy of the story. Bodies have
'een removed from old to new bury
ng grounds, several of them having
urned over in the coffins. Perhaps
his phenomenon is produced by the
force of the gasses which
re generated by decomposition. But
Who knows! We have reflected
much on this subject, and not with
'ut much anxiety. There is actu-
lily little prOtectiOn for any of Us
rom this terrible peril. We ex-
laust our energies by overwork and
tco much fatigue of the
,rain, the use of tobacco, sedatives
nd anestheics, and by habits and
PRACTICES which hasten the three sis