The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-22
SUSPENDED ANIMATION.
GruesOme Stories of Burial Alive and
Simulated Death by Fakirs.
From the Medical Press.

From the Medical Press
Cases Of suspended animation, follow
ed by fearful consequences to the appar-
emily deceased, are unfortunately reported
from time to time, and the others :
Two instances of hasty burial have re-
Gently occurred, one in France, the other
in Turkey, which excited naturally con-
siderable emotion and have attracted pub
lie attention to the necessity OF acquiring
in every case absolute proof of death
before committing the body 10 its last
resting place; and it cannot be said that
the request is too eXgeantei 1t is not to-
day only, however, that this question has
occupied the public minc, for Pliny signal
lied the danger of premature inhumation,
and in the last century Brunier d Ablain-
court, in France Q742, and Hufeland, in
Germany Q79D, called attention to the
uncertainty of the signs of death, strik-
ing terror into the minds of the public.
This terror was naturally much exagger-
ated, and terrible stories were told on the
subject. Nevertheless, the fact remains
that people have accidentally been buried
alive, especially in the warmer climates.
One of the most celeE4ated cases of ap-
parent death was that of Nittorina La
FORBADE, and which was followed by ju-
dicial proceedings. This woman was in
I've WIN d young man OF her village,
Emilio Bassuet, and wanted to marry
him, but Bassuet, being poor, her family
would not hear of it, and some time
afterward she was married to a rich
died, but a few days previously she ex-
pressed a wish to be inferred in her native
village. The request was compiled with.
Emilio Bassuet, hearing of her death,
desired to have a look at her whom he
had never ceased to love, and, aided by
the grave-digger, he got access to the
vault few hours after she had been
laid there. To his great surprise he
heard groans coming from the coffin and
breaking. open the lid ne beheld Vittor-
inc with her eyes wildly staring, her hands
clenched and bosom heavng eonvulsively.
The air revived her, but she Immediately
fell into swoon, and in this condition
was carried by the two men to the house OF
her lover, where she was cared for so
tenderly that she recovered. They mar
ried, and, thinking it wise to leave the
country, they emigrated to America, where
they remained twenty years. At the end
of that time hOmesickness took posses
sion Of them, and, being certain that they
would be no longer recognized, they re-
turned to France. However, the banker
came across them and recognized to his
great astonishment his former wife The
latter did not conceal her identity but
refused to return to him. The banker
took an action against Bassuet to recover
his property and the case was tried in
the Paris courts. The tribunal non-suited
him. The story savors very much OF
romance, but the facts are true.
Provoking suspended animation is not
a common profession in Europe but in
India it is otherwise. Fakirs have the
habit at certain moments of making
believe that they are dead they are buried
AOI certain Tune prescribed by them
selves. In a report made by Kuhn to the
Anthropoligical Society of Monaco, two
cases of the kind are cited: fakir So
Journed alive six weeks in the ground; an
other ten days only. An Indian book with
the harmonious title "Hathayoya" gives
the rules for these strange practices To
paraiyze the respiratory function, hashish
is mixed with other vegetables in certain
proportions and utilized in such manner
as would seem to act as a substitute for
the absence of air and food. Col Sherry
ington gives one or two instances of fakirs
being forgotten in their voluntary graves
In Europe, heretofore, cases of premature
inhumation were not infrequent, but to-
day, more attention being paid to the
matter and the signs of death being
better known, such terrible accidents
would be thought impossible, especially
in countries like England, Germany and
Russia, where the body must be kent
three clear days. In France, on the con-
-rary, burial is permitted al the end OF
twenty-four hours, but generally does not
take place until the third day.
Twill the new woman wash dishes ?'
mo. AS soon as she has time she will
invent dishes that won't need washing. -
TAa Ia