Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1891-05-20
PREXArURE BURIALA
Why 50 Many People Arc Coaslsaed to
Living Death.

80 -os'S AsWVso HuO NV0NbR 0CV "
Living Death.
A prominent ply sician of New
York City, who has made q study of
premature burials, in speaking on the
subject the other day said:
There seems to Do an impression
among some medical men that these
statements IS to premature burials
that have been made from time to
time have not been sufficiently au-
thenticated 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 furnsc-s; in the tombs Of
the wealthy? 1t is idle to say tina,
these things do not happen. They do
happen.
The obvious point is this: People
who have been pronounced dead are
otte" with undue haste placed upon
ice. THIS renders it impossible for
them to revive in many cases where
the vital spark has not felt the body.
Ii they are not dead the ice kills them,
or the air-tight coffin kills them.
Sometimes when after lapse Of time
Collins have been opened, and bodies
are found to have been displaced. the
terrible reflections Of friends have
been quoted by the assurance that
gasses Of the decayin9 body must
have done the work But the prob-
ability is that the unfortunate victim
has bern prema,urely buried, and has
writhed III unsp- skable torturs until
relieved BY welcome death.
Another New York physician IN
speaking OF the same subject. said:
The main cause of premature inter>
ment is the custom OF haste to pre-
pare the suhj-c for the grave. The
Is sent for on the instant.
H~ may hint that there is no hurry,
but i. is ut the risk Of losing his bus,.
ness. If one und. rtak-r will TO.
hurry another one will. People mus,
be educated up TO the idea that It is
not only not necessary to hurry, bu.
It is the dictate Of humanity and com.
mon sense to 60 slowly in such
OF course, in cases of death
by loa.hsome or contagious diseases
such as diph'heris or smallpox, haste
is pardonable for the sake Of the Iiv-
my, but, i'll most cases, undue haste is
ut the risk Of hom,c,de.
1t is best TO call il physician who
IS fully qualified and familiar with ill.,.
Signs OF death, and not TO b. too ha>,y
]" taking it for granted that death
has actually occurred, even in cases
where people have been long sick,
and whore death has been for some
lime regarded as foreeone conclus-
on. Too much care cannt be taken
before making preparations Tor the
uneral, to make it absolutely certain
~ the most unmistakable evidence
hat death has really taken place.
There are several ways to provide
'gainst premature burial, among the
vest being to exercise a strict vigi-
ance; to EMPLOY medical appliances
which have been invented for the
purpose of making such thorough and
cie"ti6c examination in every case Of
LEGGED death as to render it ahso.
utely impossible for any person no.
cad to he treated as if he were dead.
'recautions should be taken to watch
he subject from the time the patient
les to the enl. The closest super
's'on and most p+rfec, tests should
e maintained until the final MON. ut
t consigning the body to Its last
esti' & place, SO that it will be- im-
oss'ble for any person to be either
killed or inferred alive.