, 1874-01-11
BURIAL ALIVE.
Tho Dangers OF Too rrecfpitnte sntcr-
U1enfs

| n1enr.
| From the -Setc IgorE 3y,nts
/ 4 paragraph appeared in our impression OF
| Jan. in reference to an extraordinary clrcum-
stance reported to have lately occurred in Mis-
| aouri. where q child WAS rescued from being
! buried alive when actually in its coffin and on
the way to the cemetery. Just year ago
dreadful discovery, reported in tho Ottawa Citi-
! zen, drew attention anew to this subject For
| some time the work Of remo-ing bodies from an
| old to new Roraon Catholic Cemetery had been
| in progress. In tho course Of the process the
lid OF L coffin came OF. It proved to be that OF
| al uncle OF the gentleman who wasA Buperin-
tending tbs removal, and the contents presented
a terrible spectacle. t'The miserable occupant
had evidently lived in it: His face WAS con-
torted into an agonized expression; the arms
were drawn up as far as tho coffin wonld admit,
and the head was twisted round to the shoulders,
which apparently hGd been guawed by the
wretchod man himself This apprehension Of
being buried aliyo Las been the bugbear of many
eminent men. Prescott, the historian, left in-
strucious, which we're carefully carried cut, that
his jugnlar vein should be severed, and on the
occasion Of Lord Lytton's death, We read in tue
London Times about that date: "The coffin
has been matie but the body was rot placed in
it in consequence Of curious injunction con-
tanned in paper which, On his Lordship's death,
came into the hands OF his legal representatives.
According to this he stipulatcs that after death,
or presumed death, his body shall be allowed to
remain three days On the bed, where he may be
untouched; after which medical men are to ex-
anime him to ascertain that he is really
dead, and if so to certify accordingly"
This subject has excited SO much at
tcntion on the Continent as almost
to produce literature Of it's own. at il not
to-day for the first tine, says DR.. Josat writing
in 1854, that too promp. interment begins to
receive attention This sad subject hes, on the
contrary. been u theme Of meditation to every
true friend OF humanity. But all. or nearly ALL
have confined themselves to drawing frightful
picture of instances in which premature buria!s
have occurred, without troubling themselves
about the means by which such dreadful events
may be avoided" It appears that in France .
physician Of the Anglo-Saxon name OF Winslow
was the first who gave earnest attention to pre-
ventive methods, and the circumstance that be
had himself on two occael0ns narrowly escaped
burial alive, naturally served to stimulate this
gentlemans efforts. He was followed by several
OF his countrvmoniu in works on the same subject
In Germany aciioH first taken in the matter by
the celebrated Hufeland. 70 whom may mainly he
attributed The mortuary regulations now exist
ing in that country. WelElar, his natigo StaEe.
was easily induced to accept his projects OF ra-
form, aud Muulch was not slow to follow.
About 1923, the authorities of FIaukfort-on-
Main began to pay great attention to this sub
ject. With this end. the following arrangements
we're made: On each side Of vast chamber
called the watch-saloon, arranged in order down
it's length. are eight glass frames corresponding
to many ccE-lke partitions, the floor OF which
il lower Ly about 8 metre than the floor OF the
saloon. Above eacl. frame. which IS numbered,
one Eees bell; it is m alarm-bell. This bell
communicates With the interior Of the cell by 3
cylinder crossing the partition It ia set in mo-
ton by weight, relatively very heayr, which is
held by 3 sort Of lstrte bolt of which the trig-
ger or catch is OF tito utmost sensitiyenees- To
the i.geIs of the corpse are fitted q sort OF
thimbles. connected with the alarum IN
such way that on the very slightest
movement the aarm-nas snlnery, which IL Of
the most delicate and sensitive description,
would feel the touch. and the alarm would 10
given. When tile cell iB well warmed and Light
ed, and everything III order, the coffin is placed
upon the trestles, with the hend on the same
side as the door, and consequently opposite the
window, which cal. he looked through from the
watch saloon. When the corpse has been
stretched on its bier, as On = bed tho hands are
laid side by side on little board placed ACROSS
the region OF The stomach They Thea proceed
to apply the apparatus after having first tried it
several umes :; each finger 10 fitted with q corre-
spending thnbe, and the hand is then extended
upon the board. In the watch chamber ie eatGb~
Lshed the controller, to insure whose constant
watchfn1ness neither bed table, nor chair nre
.1,oscaI him and whose attantion il
fnrtbe1 secnrcd bv his bcine nhliead every half I
bour to move to q sort of indicator which.
;n c,sa ~ h;a orittino n attenl tn = /
wnuld bv clever sysfen Of mechapjsm |
reveal lis neglect. Immediately outside |
tha watrh chafrbcr and rnra1lel with it |
s,e tro snacorI 1as.aoea ir,tn which o1i taa |
~ w. ,1 oe@Ho.. - vAso, f1ttos ,1: IT, 49,. ~ 49, .:s |
mo5tuaty ca!ls ol,en. 1ne app!1ane!s Aos "Alui1us
anu vent1aAn6 them are oehcflocu as pe11ect.
Let us suppose, says descrlber, for arguments |
sake, q resur1 ection.: the slightest movement
of tGe fingers OF the supposed corrse would |
make itse|f felt mon tho Ihin1p,e which in t,1rn
a1ia rnon ~ tt,~aaa rh;ch onur,,,n;c.to. Win
.I r. sn W. ~ s.a.es.. W.,
a1snt1y ann,,nnna tha n,'vac;an Who h,stans -
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"a ra1tarntiras ya-r,h;nt- a- that h,1,ar cara an1
;1oan,,;,v ".r day;aa p haro ~ caeo ~ acc;-
sa, -, raa'a Hn so ;s;,aaa ~ - - rasI,r saa1,
~ nueu ~ ,aar, IT, he ,aIl las
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Fly ohce "g 1hoaa s;ana geen ans .n
n, ASIA e tSa1 anno,rsnce With aro
,.a5 aao a' .Ia ;s,ea'hn <na.;o,,.
5esti nor4a1sss 80 ~ 44r41 i,s:ar,as hnra ~
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