The New York herald., 1879-03-09
say that none of his patients were ever buried pre-

maturely.
CASE NEARER HOME.
A gentleman of this city, Mr.. Cornelius Benedict,
who was formerly citizen Of Connecticut. has an
ever abiding fear of meeting fate as dreadful as It
is possible to imagine. and this fear is born OF an
experience of this kind He carries constantly with
him an account published at the time OF his own
II ever again he should be suddenly attacked
with catatepsy. he once attacked the
pen 20 take charge of HI m, and due precautions may
be taken against the possibility OF buryng him alive
When he was living in Connecticut several years ago
he seized with an illness which took the form
Of catalepsy and the physician who attended him
declared that he was dead. Preparations were
accordingly made for his burial, and although he
was perfectly conscious al. the time he was unable
to signify in any way that he was alive. His eyes
in a cofhn in his own paror While he lay there his
wife. who was fortunately very intelligent woman.
came in to look at him alone for the
coffin the unfortunate man realized that II he failed
then give any sign Of life he would probably never
all his thoughts and energies upon one thing. and.
his hands crossed over his breast he deter
mined that he would, IT possible, move one OF his
little fingers. He strove with all his might, and at
first unable to do il.
A LAST EFFORT SUCCESSFUL
At length however, when the strain upon him was
become almost too great for him to bear. he sue
ceeded in moving il a little. Even then he was
doubtful If the signal would be seen, but length
his wife screamed and rushed from the room. She
had it. and at first doubtful Of her senses had
watched until she was certain and had then rushed
out. Even then he knew not what coming, but
his wife had gone for physicians, and summonng all
that she could find she had thorough examination
made of the supposed corpse, which resulted in an
indefinite postponement of the funeral Since then
he has had slight attack of cataleptc nature,
though fortunately not OF severe description He
is constantly apprehensive OF it, however, aud has
given positive instructions that in of his death
he is not to be buried until modification has begun.
TwO,REcENT CASES.
Only about two months ago a case was reported
from Missouri OF man travelling by stage over the
Boston Mountains who had a similar narrow escape.
He thinly clad, and his fellow travellers noticed
that he appeared to be suffering severely from the
cold which very intense At length he seemed
10 go to sleep, and at the stopping place the
guard was unable to arouse him. He was examined and
PRONOUNCED dead. as no signs of life could be de.
tected. The body accordingly taken into hotel
and preparations made for its burial. Fortunately
it was placed in a room in which the temperature
little above the freezing point. and after lying
there little over twenty-four hours signs OF life
were discovered and he was restored to conscious
ness.
Still later last month an account was received
from Troy Of Miss ANNE Carter, Of Fort Edward
n. Y. who fell dead, as was supposed. from heart
disease and whose condition remained doubtful for
nearly week, some physicians declaring that she
dead. while others declared that it was at least
doubtful. later report said that she had revived
A PERILous PRAcrIcE-PAcKING WITH
DIR. Beach, who furnished the writer with por-
ton Of the foregoing facts, speaks in terms OF the
handing the body of dead person over to the un-
dertaker soon as life is supposed to have left the
is made, and when the patient is declared dead
it may be by an ignorant nurse or quack
on ice The custom is, indeed almost universal
and simple is the process through which the body
passes that it is all in about hour and not in
frequently in less than two hours after man has
been talking with his family his body Is placed on
ice. The inevitable result is that If a mistake has
been made-if the man has simply lost con-
is deprived of all chance Of reviving. and.
his tissues being fro frozen by the ,, contact Sas
been recovered. Other physicians with whom the
writer talked expressed the opinion in relation
not improbable, that public attention has been
called to the matter, that the custom may be
tuted 1t would certainly be better to allow all bod
les to become partially putrehed before burial than
to have one or two lives needessly sacrificed
every year.
That all this danger may be averted is beyond a
question, for there are undoubtedly signs which
DO detected by skilled person. the presence of which
Is absolute proof of death. Among these signs, one
OF the most certain is the total cessation OF the heart
action II it can be absolutely determined that the
heart has ceased it is considered certain that
life is extinct. This can be determined in negative
small percentare even of physicians
whose dictum could be received as final ON this OPP
of hs and wSose ear is
tionaly acute anu specially trained should be consd
cred as entitled to decide doubtful case.
And if such one should fail to
detect any heart sounds. there would al
ways remain the possibility of the heart still
being in action, although feebly to make
sound, or almost none. Certain tests with the
scalpe also held to determine this question. II
artery is cut the physician should be able to tell
II any action remains in the heart. but this test
would seem undesirable by most persons II any
other could be applied.
EXAMINING THE EYE.
The test by the opthalmoscope is perhaps the most
satisfactory but the same objection exists to this
that has already been mentioned. Very few persons
are able apply it, Dr. Beach, his paper referred
to, says:-"The appearance of the eye and parts
tiguous to it furnish valuable information to de.
termne the question of death. If life Is not
present the pupil does not respond to light.
The eye has lost its sensibility to touch.
the conjunctive changes, first becoming gray then
assuming blackish hue. The cornea has lost its
lustre; tho ball is sunken and has no elasticity. II
the eye is clear enough to make use of the opthal-
moscope the instrument will reveal q change in the
fundus. Its yellowish, red or living appearance will
change at the moment of death to pale yellow. The
retinal veins Will present beads OF air within them.
OTHER TESTS.
Among other tests scarification to If the
blood will flow. application of burning other
bstering agents with the view OF producing redness
vesculation observation OF the fingers and hands
to ascertain their transparency or opacity. binding
OF a cord tightly around the finger to produce
geeton, injection aqua ammonia beneath the skin,
holding y cold mirror before the mouth to learn II
the breath il perceptble, and the application or
galvanic battery.
In all these q skilled observer should note the
result, the danger is greater when the sign which
be discovered Is the least. The desirabiltty of
test which be applied by even ignorant persons
Is obvious, but 1t Is not easy to determine
what this test IL, and the necessity of examina-
ton by skilled officer of the law in every
seems PLAN. 1t might be urged that many people
would object to the intrusion Of snch officer into
this officer to the possibility of horri-
Bile mistake little objection would be made. unless
there was O crime to be concealed.
The economical advantages to the city are also
worth noting and Will probably be carefully consid
cred by the committee spoken of. With such off,
Ger, whose certificate would be final. the necessity
for fully one half the socacd inquests that
held would be obviated and the expenses Of the Coro
ncrs ofice greatly reduced.