Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1891-02-14
The Premature Burial Hum
bug.

bug.
The subject of premature burial
has been of late revived in this coun-
try by the appearance of sensational
paragraphs in the daily press. Not
long ago the public were Mortified by
story from Leeds OF a grave-digger
having heard sounds proceeding
from coffin recently buried. 1t re-
quired coroner's inquest and the
evidence OF Mr.. Scattergood, the lee
turer on forensic medicine, to re-as-
sure the public that the rumor was
false, the deceased woman having
died perfectly natural death, while,
althoughits cause was typhoid fever,
the burial had been by no means
FASTENED, and it was clear that death
had occurred at the time stated by
those around her.
More recently there was sensa-
tional story from Southampton of
q clergyman who stopped the inter
ment oil friend, whose funeral he
had come from distance to attend,
on the grounds that he saw some
sign OF life, which proved to be sim.
ply his own Imagination. So far as
this country is concerned there has
not been a single authenticated case
recorded ofpremature burial, though
there have undoubtedly been cases
where persons have revived after APP
parent death, and many alleged cases
| OF premature burial in addition to
those previously alluded to. But
all these have the appearance OF SEN
sational stories manufactured for the
| ''penny dreadfuls" and those news
papers which thrive on sensation.
Even on the Continent, in America
and in other countries, where in con
/ sequence OF the intense heat burial
must take place within twenty-four
hours alter death, the authenticity
/ OF the stories of alleged premature
burial has never been proved, and it
may be safely asserted that one gen
uine case would have led to an alter
alton in the law and the postpone
ment of burial until after longer
period.
In England, on the contrary, there
is less reason to complain of too
speedy burial as OF too prolonged an
interval between death and buriul.
Mr.. Seymour Haden's suggestion oil
burial within thirty-six hours was
not favorably received, and is, in
deed, Tor this country too short nm
interval A universally exact inter
val cannot be laid down; it must
vary according to the time of year,
the weather and other circumstances.
In these days OF cheap disinfectants
a body can be kept without predju-
dice to the living for four or five
days after death, which interval is
long enough to satisfy the wishes OIL
the most timid. There is q circum.
stance well known to the profession
which, il it were better known to the
public, would go far to reassure
chose whose minds may have been
disturbed by these sensational par
agraphs.
Every day bodies apparently life
less are received at metropolitan and
provincial hospitals, having been
found in every variety OF posture
clothed, half clothed or naked, and
under varying circumstances. AT
the hospital the resident surgeon
must give q prompt and decisive
answer to the question, is he (oi
she) alive or dead?" To send O
corpse to the ward or to keep it un
duly long in the reception room
would be very stupid blunder, tc
send living person to the dead
house would be q crime. These cases
! amount in the aggregate to thou
sands annually, and yet we have
never heard OF a mistake being made
1t is probably this circumstance
which makes members of the PROBES
sion skeptical OF these stories OF SC
called premature burial, and causes
them to reject with an incredulou'
smile the suggestion that SO horri
bic q fate might occur to any ofus.-
!, London Lancet.