Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-11
SOME CREWSOME EXHIBITS
Human 0adavers to Recall H. Rider
Haggard's Amahagger Mummiss.
THEY DEMONSTRATE ACME OF EMBALMING
Opening of Nebraska Funeral Direc-
tors Association Convention at
Creighton Medical College,
Mayor Welcomes Delegates.

Among the grewsome exhibits at Creigh-
ton Medical college, where the Nebraska
state funeral directors are in session, are
two human cadavers, which have been
treated with a peculiar kind of embalming
fluid. Mr.. Curry Carroll, the exhibitor,
says he has been carrying them around
witt him for three years. They are not
beautiful to look upon, being somewhat
sunburned, and Of the color Of tan shoes,
yet they are comely enough as corpses go.
About a year ago Mr.. Carroll forgot these
subjects" and left them in his room at the
hotel, to the terror OF the chambermaid and
the indignation of the proprietor; since
then he has always kept them on display
with his chemicals and appliances.
These bodies are supposed to demonstrate
the acme Of the modern embalming art,
which, according to H.. Rider Haggard, is
a lost art. In his novel. "She," he speaks
Of the perfection acquired in this line by
the Amahagger of central Africa several
thousand years ago. Here is a sample
passage:
1 should say. than 1t had been in the living
state, and the flesh, to all appearances, was
family aromatic odor, For the restls f.
was not shrunk or shriYeled or even black
or unsightly, like the flesh of Egyptian
DHN PAhAA Thu alAt dilo SAEtDl
where It had been slightly burned, perfect
as on the day OF death-a very triumph Of
embalming.
Today the members o fthe association
will 90 to the public library, there to in
spect some Of the Egyptian mummles re-
ferred TO by Haggard. Unfortunately, no
samples of the Amahagger mummies are to
be secured.
Another Wierd Property.
Another wierd property of the under
takers craft Is what is called a telescope
lowering device. A hundred years ago this
would have been voted a machination Of the
devil and the funeral director using 1t would
have been tried for witchcraft, but now it
is regarded as a very neat labor-saving
continuance. Its ONCE is to lower a coffin
into a grave. Heretofore this work was
done by from four to six men, who slowly
played out straps passed underneath the
easket until the box touched the bottom
II it was not upset in the process. The
lowering device does It's work alone. The
pallbearers perform the last sad rites for
the dead" by placing the casket upon the
straps. then step back hve feet or more
from the pit, the director touches the spring,
the choir chants the dirge and slowly and
silently the comm sinks TO its last resting
place. There is something almost uncanny
in the function OF the machine, but 1t Is
said that its action is capable Of scientific
demonstration.
AS to the other exhibits, they consist
mostly Of beautifully upholstered caskets,
crepe door hangers and funeral looking
coats, shirt fronts, bodices and the large
white cravats" that Captain Ben King
wrote about.
The cordial alliance which exists be-
tween the undertakers and the doctors was
demonstrated by the convention being held
In a medical college. There, at $3.50 Tuesday
morning, the large lecture room was filled
with members OF the association and their
wives from all parts Of the state.
Among the Delegates.
Conspicuous In the gathering were z.
Ratnour of Weeping Water, A. II. Fellows
OF Humboldt, Ed Livingston OF Harvard,
George Brown OF Superior. NJ. p. Swanson.
II. X. Burket and Harry b. Davis
Of Omaha; James Heaton and w. ].
Roberts and Lincoln. F. v. Taylor OF Red
Cloud, Joseph Sunderman OF Grand Island,
II. @. Karsten of Nebraska City, A. Rade-
maeher OF Crete, d.. e. Wherry OF Pawnss
City and Fred Bader OF Fremont.
The meeting was called to order BY the
president. II. B. Davis. and was opened
with an invocation by Rev. Edward r.
TrefE. Mayor Moores delivered the address
OF welcome and the response was made by
J. W. Armstrong. This was followed by the
appointment Of committees by the chair, by
the presidents annual message and by re-