Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-03-09

&AQo& aA1 On Hts SUAAA GA0s
Emile CAMS. once committed to the
earth and willing to be again In order
to show the efficacy OF a device to save
life In case Of premature burial. has
arrived Ii New York, AS a part of his
luggage Nj. CAMS brought with him
the apparatus which he has himself
tested In such a novel way. He in
tends. according TO the New York Her.
aid, to deliver lectures In this country
on the dangers OF premature burial and
to advocate the use of a contriyance
so simple and effective that the horrors
attending a too hasty interment may
be averted.
Nj. CAMS is the associate of Count
Michel de Karnice Karnicke, who first
evolved the idea OF the apparatus. The
count Is the chamberlain to the car
of Russia The nobleman's attention
was several years ago called to the
necessity Of having some device to
succor those who have by accident
been committed to the tomb before
actual death. 1t was found when the
grave of a Belgian girl was opened
that the body had turned. The cham
berlain was so impressed by an ac-
that he Immediately CAV his attention
to devising some means for preventing
such a tragedy. The result was the
Karnicke system, which already has
a large following In France.
In 10000 French wills the testators
ask that when they are buried the de-
vice be placed over their collins. so that
there may be a chance to save them In
ease life merely burns low instead Of
being extinguished. M. CAMS has
done much to assist the count In the
perfecting of the invention. He has
delivered addresses on the subject be-
fore academies Of medicine. before as
sociations OF learned men and legisla-
tive committees
There is already in this country a So
ciety which is devoted to furthering
the use Of the system. NJ. CAMS will
establish headquarters in New York,
from which he will conduct a cam
paign In the interest Of the Karnicke
method.
sThe Device said he. lis far from
intricate. 1t will not revolutionize the
present methods Of burial. 1t consists,
broadly speaking. of a tube 10 cent?
meters In diameter and a Dramatically
sealed box. AS soon as the coffin is
lowered into the grave the tube, which
--z~-lt.x a. +t,c I%nnlseh anauftpantaftt
is about 49, inches in diameter, Is fitted
over an aperture In it. At the top OF
this tube Is the Theoretically sealed
box. On the breast of the supposedly
dead body is placed a ball, which is at
tached to a rod. The least movement
of the chest or of the body, in fact, will
be communicated to the signal box
above ground. The ball Is placed upon
the chest because owing to the resist
ance of the bony skeleton that part of
the body is not swelled by the gases Of
decomposition.
Exceedingly simple Is the mocha
nism. Motion communicated by the
spring which causes a door in the box
to fall open. thus admitting light and
air to the coffin. 1t would be possible
for a MAI to live for two days under
such conditions. The same motion
causes a bell to ring half an hour. 1t
also sets off a rocket, which in the
night serves to call the attention of the
persons in charge of he cemetery.
SHOULD the one who is entombed cry
aloud for help the contrivance greatly
increases the volume of the voice. In
addition to this the movement of the
body causes a ball to be lifted above
the head of the grave. There are thus
would serve at any hour Of the day or
night to call attention to the plight Of
the person In the coffin. After sunset
there is always a lamp burning in front
of the box. The light from 1t is reflect
ed into the tube and thus to the interi-
or of the coffin. During the day sufii-
Client light is admitted to the coffin t
enable IN to read the writing on a slip
of paper.
'SThis method is entirely practical"
NJ. CAMS continued. '.The cost OF the
appliance Is less than that of a floral
wreath or a broken column. Any me-
chanic could put 1t In place. The price
of the materials Is comparatively
small. The apparatus might cost $40
or SIS In this country. Still. the item
Of cost could be reduced TO the mini
mum. The device could simply become
a part Of the outfit of the undertaken,
who would charge a fee for putting it
in place.
AT the end of the period when there
is a possibility of any signs OF life be-
ing manifested the tube may be with
drawn. The coffin is automatically
sealed by the fall of a small door. The
only absolute sign that death has taken
place is the putrefactIon OF the body.
The gases from the putrefaction are
confined by this system. for the APP
paratus is Theoretically sealed. as |
have said. The gases. as has been
demonstrated by actual experiment,
have no effect upon the mechanism"