Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1898-10-07

bodies on exhumation have been ooca.
Monaily found distorted, thereby foster.
ling the notion that this or that occu.
pant Of the coffin has died from sufo.
cation, . theory which Is supported By
the favorable condition Of other ex.
humed bodies.
but the idea is altogether wrong, in
fact and in principle. Il 10 we'll known
among those who have made it q study
that the apparent distortions, instead
Of demonstrating q living burial, pure:
" depend upon natural causes brought
about BY decomposition, the influence
Of whichis sufficiently strong enough
to bulge out, and even burst, leaden
collins. This phenomenonsdoes not hap.
pen in every case, but It does ina great
many.
"No, nor I shall not go 90 far as to
say that 9 premature burial has neve.
taken place, but 1t has not occurred 90
often as il thought. ! dare nay &c may
occur in times Of plaques and pesti.
lences. where the presumed dead are
buried within q few hours Of death.
That fs where much mischief lies. But
when panic prevails where does thought
come in? /.
''In plaques such az cholera, the
state Of collapse is so profound that II
may perfectly simulate death itself, but
the custom Of burying the dead on the
day Of death is fortunately on the wane,
even during advanced epidemicA. Il Ii
probable that in the absence Of medical
aid in panic times in country places
abroad it has led to living burial-in.
deed it must have done. But the last
end Of all under such conditions is mer.
ciful, for It must not be forgotten that
if you : unconscious only while be-.
ing Theoretically sealed In your coffin
You will never again experience volun-
tary motion or sensation.
However, where the doctor can be-
consulted, living burial IL impossible
even in cholera panic, for there are
certain bodily movements which gener-
ally occur after death from cholera, in
tfhs absence Of which q medical man
would hesitate to certify for burial.
in ages gone by and in unciyilised
sprntries still it is possible that uncon-
scirsls c~ataleptics. or persons dragged to
aprsrent death, may have been and
perhaps still are occasionally buried
ajigs, but I do not believe that in our
" country or in any civilized land
sueh events are possible.
IN Vienna the custom prevails oa
taking q body to the mortuary on the
sNse OF burial, where 1t is tested
a.hinlbles = placed on the fingers OF
tho lead. to which are attached wires
sonasoted with the mortuary bells.
I "tave the bells ever xung? Yes, onoe.
It 10 impossible for Z doctor 10 mis-
take unoonsciousness In its varied forms
for death.
Some time ago It was suggested that
a lsyY should be passed making II conn
pnsilry for amedioal man to test bodies
bafuse giving q certificate Of death.
Testing by electricity was Thought o6,
but it's an open question yet whether
electricity kills o. only stuns. At al
ayaitSs. we In this country are not con-
spincsd that such test would be- satis-
faesoryo or afford sufficient evidence Of
qesth, although It has its value. Onths
stAer hand. Idon't think Liquidation Of
this kind d necessary. II would cer-
sAiniy reject upon the medical profess
siai,
The Vienness custom ID o wise one,
alSs I should like to see it more ganer.
ally adopted.."-Pearson's Weekly.
A5Asgfsfe ANgIEtA ssEs4-HE- 49, S14QS5&sgsat