Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-04-17

Two HUNDRED OAsEs IN w diIh AA'A-s"
PERSONS HAVE BEEN TREATED AS
DEAD.
The popular horror and fear of being
buried while in trance state has within
a recent period received fresh spur BY
| two well attested instances. in one OF when
the awful mistake was made. and in the
other the person seemingly dead recover
| ed at the moment the lid was about to be
screwed on the coffin in which she lay
dressed for the grave. The latter case &C.
curred in Wisconsin. and its details are
We. fresh in the minds of the newspaper
reading public. The other case. which
was that of a woman in small Ohio town.
Her body on the grave being opened some
DAYS after the burial, was found with the
limbs twisted and contorted. the hair torn
out. and the imprint of her awful struggles
for life lett upon her distorted features.
The Imagination of the most powerful
writer could add little to the horror OF the
brief telegraphic account. or make us
realization clearer to the public mind.
The phenomena of prolonged suspen-
sion of animation in human being Is with
reference to its cause puzzle to patno-
looists. Medical books abound with in
stances of involuntary and voluntary sus-
pension of the faculties, during which state,
in many of the cases mentioned, all signs
of life are wanting. The patients body
is cold and rigid. the eyes filmy. Mention
is made of very severe tests to determine
whether the mysterious vital spark was
vet remaining. being without effect. That
MANY persons have been buried IN this
state there is little doubt. Bruhier, one
writer on medicine, has collected $50 we'll
authenticated cases of persons treated as
dead who were living. OF these % were
buried alive, four reached the dlssectlng-
table. and revived under the scalpel, %
recovered on being placed in their collins,
and ~ were awoke from an apparent
death.
These cheerful figures are met by the
opinions of some of the highest living au-
thorities that whether person is really
dead, or in a state closely resembling it.
NAV be demonstrated by any skilled
physician. Various methods are given,
the simplest and surest of which consists
in keeping the bo1y until decomposition
appears.
In certain parts of Germany the wide
spread fear of being entombed alive has
caused the establishment of houses prOvid-
ed with means of determining whether
life has flown. The body is laid upon a
bier; cord connected with an exquisitely
hung bell. is attached to its wrist. The
slightest movement of the arm is sufficient
to set the bell changing bringing the guard
to aid in every way known to science the
struggle back TO life.
This German institution is undoubtedly
Nv ha
who derived them from the Greeks, and
who carried them among the TeutOns when
they overran and conquered the country.
Empedocles, a great Grecian physician.
discovered signs of life in woman laid
upon her funeral pyre and about to be
burned He caused her to be removed,
and restored her to health. Similar cases
afterward added to the new sensation this
one afforded the Athenians, anda law was
finally made prohibiting interment until
three days had elapsed. Custom extended
the period to the seventh day.
Plato. Asclepiades, and Pliny give
graphic accounts of instances of the trance
state which came directly under their OBJ
servation. The Romans during Pliny's
time had attention turned to it by an in
quisitive physician who is examining the
supposed corpse of person about to be
cremated found there was life remaining
and helped it back to vigorous health.
Aviola, another Roman, was not so lucky.
The heat of the burning pyre revived him,
but before his friends could rescue him he
fell back dead He inhaled the flames
The pretor Lama shared like fate, while
Tubero. another pr8tor, was saved just
as the fire was lighted.
! lydia Maria Child has contributed to
| trance literature modern instance, that
of lady friend of hers. as respectable as
the narrator. The story, which Mrs.
Child had from the lady herself. is that
she had fallen sick of an ordinary Hines,
and to all appearances had died. Her
| body was placed in coffin and surround
ed for two days by weeping friends,
whose grief was mingled with terror by
the strong indications OF life presented in
the flushed face and moist brow. The
strangest part of the story is that the lady
was not only sensible of all the efforts
made to resuscitate her, but that her spirit
suited her body and, unseen, she stood
among the mourners watching with them
| her own body. She declared that she felt
/ no fear but much curiosity. and that not
until the coffin-lid was about to be screwed
down did she realize she was to be buried
alive. Her spirit then returned to her
body. and by an effort which seemed to
burst her heart-strings, she moved. sat
up, and shrieked.
A gentleman, now living in Boston,
we'll and hearty. while on sea voyage a
few years ago, became i'll and gradually
sank into trance. The dead on ship
board are quickly buried. Sewed up in a
hammock. nine-pound shot at his feet.
his body placed upon a hamper ready to
be cast into the ocean. his agonized mind
all the while conscious managed to loosen
the death-like grasp on his faculties. He
family moved his foot and was saved.
The frightful peril turned his hair white.
Lady Rachel Russell. the wife of an Eng
fish lord, died in the bloom of her beauty.
Her devoted husband spent hours by her
side in the family tomb lamenting his lost
darling. The third day his quick ewes
discovered slight moisture on her brow.
Summoning help she was carried back TO
the mansion. Her husband was power
less to assist and frantic with a new born
hope. To the great JOY of the family the