The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-06-13
PREMATURE BuRIALs.
Why so Many People are Con-
signed to q Living Grave.

"A PAOAAAASAS ply 0ASA~AA "NS A1'&o
made study Of premature burials,
in speaking on the subject the other
day said:
There seems to be an impression
among some medical men that these
statements as to premature burials
that have been made from time to
time have not been authenticated
to lead to the conclusion that they
were based on absolute facts. In
this they are mistaken. Who knows
how many such cases are concealed
in deep graves, in the cremating
furnaces, in the tombs of the veal
thy? It is idle to say that these
things do not happen. They do
happen.
The obvious point is this: Peo-
pie who have been pronounced dead
are often with undue haste placed
upon ice. This renders it impos-
sible for them to revive in may cases
where the vital spark has not left
the body. If they are not dead the
ice kills them, or the air-tight coffin
kills them. Sometimes when after
lapse of time coffins have been
opened and bodies are found to
have been displaced, the terrible re-
Elections of friends have been qui-
eted by the assurance that gases of
the decaying body must have done
the work. But the probability is
that the unfortunate victim has
been prematurely buried, and has
writhed in unspeakable torture until
relieved by welcome death.
Another New York physician, in
speaking on the same subject, said :
The main cause of premature in
terment is haste to prepare the sub
ject for the grave. The undertaken
is sent for on the instant. He may
hint that there is no hurry, but it
is at the risk of losing his business.
If one undertaken will not hurry
another one will. People must be
educated up to the idea that it is
not only not necessary to hurry
but it is the dictate of humanity
and common sense to 60 slowly in
such matters. Of course, in case
of death by loathsome or contagi
Gus disease, such as diphtheria or
smallpox, haste is pardonable fol
the sake Of the living. but in mos
cases undue haste is at the risk ol
homicide.
1t is best to call in a physician
who is fully qualified and familiar
with the signs Of death, and not te
be too hasty in taking it for granted
that death has actually occurred
even in cases where people have
been long sick, and where death has
been for some time regarded as a
foregone conclusion. Too much
care cannot be taken before making
preparations for funeral to make
it absolutely certain by the most
unmistakable evidence that death
has really taken place.
There are several ways to provide
against premature burial, among the
best being to exercise strict vigil
ance; to employ medical appliances
which have been invented for the
purpose of making such thorough
and scientific examination in every
case of alleged death as to render
it absolutely impossible for any per.
son not dead to be treated as if he
were dead. Precautions should be
taken to watch the subject from the
time the patient dies to the end
The closest supervision and mos!
perfect tests should be maintained
until the final moment Of consign'
ing the body to its last resting place
so that 1t will be impossible for any
person to be either prematurely
killed or inferred alive---Baltimore
Herald.