The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-05-05
SUSPENDED ANIMATION.
several Curious Cases OF Persons Buried
Before Death.
I'M, Y, Star.1


Among the writer's on the subject of sus-
pen led animation, M. Josat is perhaps the
best known and most widely quoted. He
collected and classified 1e2 cases, verifying
each one carefully, and he gives the causes Of
the seeming death as syncope, hysteria, apo
plexy, narcotism and conclusion of the brain.
Other cases are laid down In medical works
as resulting from wounds, drunkenness, anas-
thesia and lightning strokes The duration
Of the seeming death varies from two to forty
two hours. In Josat's classification he de-
clares that in thirty-four cases 1t lasted from
two to eight hours In fifty-eight cases from
fifteen to twenty hours, In twenty-five cases
from twenty to thirty-slx hours and In seven
cases from thirty-six to forty-two hours
As has been said, the most Of the cases on
record are French or German. There are
however. some we'll known cases which are
not laid down In the books. but which are a,l-
thenticated by physicians of standing, and
which will exemplify the dangers that attend
almost every case OF supposed death.
A REMARKABLE CASE.
One Of the most remarkable stories of this
kind Is told by Dr. O'Sullivan, Of this city,
who says he learned 1t from his father, who
was at the beginning Of the present century
medical student OF Cork, Ireland. lady OF
ku0u ldIuIly Ill LlluG Guy WIS TAKEN suddenly
with commissions, and to all outward seeming
died. She was seen by several physicians who
examined her and was pronounced dead She
was pregnant at the time, and the convul-
sions were supposed to be Of the nature OF
premature labor. She was prepared for burial
and the customary wake was held over her
remains. After the lapse OF the usual time
from her supposed death, the usual religious
rites were performed, and the body was placed
in vault. On her fingers were several valtl-
III TO va
move before her burial, but when the attend
ants were about to take them off they found
that the hand was so swollen that the rings
could not be removed without cutting the fin
gers, and this the lady's husband peremptor-
lily forbade. The rings were accordingly left
IN the coffin, and 1t Is supposed that the ser
wants Of the house plotted to violate the grave
Tor the purpose OF securing the jewels.
RISEN FROM THE GRAVE.
Late on the night following the burial the
iady,s husband lay in bed awake, when he
heard knock at the street door Of his house.
LII was before the Introduction OF door-bells,
ana II was common thing to recognize Wis
itor Dy the sound OF his knock. The hus-
pand called to his servants to go to the door,
and'added, in great agitation, ii his wife were
alive he would swear she had Knocked. Par
alyzed With superstitious fear, which was |
probably enhanced by consciousness of |
guilt the servants all refused to answer the !
summons M da ana Inc hGsband thereupon went
grave clothes was his wife in terrible state
OF agitation but undenably alive, After she
had recovered her Self-pOssession she IA
clared that she had been unconscious from
the time she had fallen in the commissions nm
TIL she had been aroused by pain In her fin
gers. Opening her eyes she had seen that
robbers were trying to cut her rings from her
hand. They were frightened at her resusc-
tation and fled, leaving her Alone and she. |
when she realized her situation, was hardly
less terrified than they. She had, however |
got out OF her coffin unaided and made he,. |
way home alone The physicians pronounced
The case one of suspended animation and de- |
cclared that her revival was caused by the
fresh air admitted to the coffin aud by the cut |
prepared for the birth Of her child month
later; but fine boy was in truth born, and In
course OF time became an eminent physician. |
Ills probably safe to say that none OF his pa
uentS We're ever buried prematurely.
A CASE NEARER HOME.
gentleman in this city, Mr. Cornelius |
benedict, who was formerly citizen OF Con-
nectlcut, has an ever-abiding fear of meeting |
9 late as dreadful as it is possible to ima9 inc,
ana this fear Is born OF an experience OF this |
KING. he carries constantly with him an &C.
count published at the time of his own mar
row escape from living burial In order that |
i ever again he should be suddenly attacked
with catalepsy, as he was once attacked, the
account may be read by any person who may
happen to take charge Of him and due precau-
lions may be taken against the possibility Of
purifying him alive. When he was living in
connecticut, several years ago. he was seized
W.T., WIN an illness which took the form Of cata-
I tepsy, and the physician who attended him
were We're accordingly made for his burial, and al
tnOugl he was Derfactlv conscious all the