The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-01-26

cept the royal family, which has it's
own place Of the kind. There are
apartments for cases Of accident and
infectious diseases, post-mOrtem
room, laboratory quarters for the ad
ministration, watchmen, attendants
and chapel The bodies arc CON
nected by the hands through wire to
q bell, SO that the slightest movement
would call au attendant. This oon-
trivance plcases the people, but it is
not valued by those in charge of the
mortuary as safeguard. Returning
vital activity consists of a scarcely
perceptiblc movement of the mouth or
eyelids, Il change of complexion,
slight moisture on the face, faint
action of the heart, or warmth in
that region, or feeble thcrac:c :aovo-
ment, all of which could easily escape
observation and fail to set off any
device however delicate in construc-
ton.
Doubts are sometimes expressed as
to the unity &C these mortuaries by
persons ignorant of the examinations
che bodies receive in them and before
they are sent here.
| Many high authorities could be
quoted who hold that such a system
as we are considering is necessary to
prevent living burials, but it may be
sufficient in this place to give the
opinion of one whose knowledge of
the subject no one will question,
namely, the Mayo of Munich. In
the report of the Municipal Council of
Paris for 1880, No. 174, page "a, is
letter from Herr Ehrhart, Mayor of
Munich, dated May 2, 1880, saying
"The lengthy period during which
these establishments have been util-
lied, the manner in which the remains
are disposed and adorned, the resusci
tation of some who were believed to
be dead, all contributed to remove any
sentimental objections to these estab-
lishmcnts.
| Although this system as it is opera
ted at present is in high favor with all
classes, it is not regarded as above
further improvement. Therefore, the
authorities Of Munich have lately sent
out commission to investigate the
way the matter is conducted in some
of the large cities in Austria, and the
city has planned q .ncr:uary for the
Southern Cemetery upon costly
scale, SURPRISING anything of the kind
before attempted in Germany.
| 4 considerable amount of interest
is manifest at present in England.
France, Germany and italy upon this
subject. A number of treatiscs and
pamphlets upon it have of late been
published. The last to appear were
La Mort Reele ct la Mort Appar-
entc..' Paris, 1897, and Premature
Burial and How it May be Prevent
ed" Loudcn, 1896.
The London association for the
Prevention of Premature Burials was
organized t@o years ago for the pur-
pose OF securing protective legislation
in this matter similar to that which is
in force in the German States. It's
investigations into this subject have
been extensive and in many countries,
and they show that the victims Of
death counterfeits are mostly among
women and children, the neurotic,
those given to cxcesses, and persons
whose strength has been reduced by
mental and physical strain; and that
there are thirty diseases, conditions,
happenings aud indulgcnccs that in
duce these states
There is at present medical com
mission in session ut Turin, Italy,
convened to investigate the means for
Distinguishing apparent from real
death, with the view of protective leg
islation, and it offers prize for the
best work on the solution of the prob
lem. Reports are expected from all
over the world
The experiences and opinions of
! =s:a3::=s :;;o:; aud ti,c action of tho
legal authorities in Europe in this
! matter may interest their confreres in
America, when, in time, they also
take it ur for consideration. They
will, however, find is a more difficult
question to deal with than it has been
on this side of the water, for they
will have not only to inquire into what
legal provisions are necessary TO pre-
vent premature burials, but also to
consider what precautions are neces-
sary,to render it certain that bodies