The Minneapolis journal., 1903-03-09
NO BURYING ALIVE
The Minneapolis Undertakers Say
Chances Of Such a Thing
Are Remote.
No Test Will Show Death Unerring.
ly, but Every Precaution
Is Taken.

1t is rarely that an undertaken finds his
expected Subject alive; it is a thing un
known these days for anybody to be buried
alive; there, is only remote possibility
that, a supposed corpse may be embalmed
before life has disappeared.
Such was the comment made to-day by
Minneapolis undertakers upon the report
telegraphed from Red Bank, N. j., that
Miss Edith Curzon Of that. town was dis
covered to be alive by the undertake er
who had been called after she had appar-
emily died of pneumonia. He noticed that
her right arm, which had lain outside the
bedspread. was drawn up to, her face.
Then heSsaw her eyelids twitch. When
the telegram was filed Miss Curzon was
conscious and rapidly recovering.
mo, never heard Of a case like that in
MINNEAPOLIS, - = replied Newton r. Hume,
of Hume & Dawes, undertakers, 524 Hen
nepin avenue. "Of course, it's quite pos
sible. But in twenty-five years expert
ence I never had such a shock myself.
"Still the young lady ran very little risk
of being buried alive, or even Of being en-
balmed ali1e, which is just as good-just
as bad, raean. We always take precau-
tions. We, must have a doctors certifi-
cate of cath in the first place. If the
subject hs died suddenly or without med
ical after dance, we refuse to do thing
until the coroner has made an examination
and furn: shed death certificate. If the
death has been sudden we are especially
careful. =
q" : rests to Establish Death.
.estsNVe Ve Bhave several tests. The appearance
of the dead eye is usually convincing. Or
we can raise little blister on the skin
with a burning match. If the subject is
still living, that will make water blis-
ter; otherwise the result will be a dry air.
blister. But if we decide to go on with
the embalming, the very first incision
usually in the arm, will afford satisfactory
proof Of death. Should the least bit OF
blood fow,r We would understand that
some cie,ulation was still taking place
that the subject was not quite dead
"That&s true volunteered William H
Davies, Mr.. Humes partner, 'tbut as 8
matter of fact; there's only one abso-
| lutely certain sign Of death-decomposi
| tion. Before decay sets in. any of the
best-known signs may at very rare inter.
walls prove. deceitful. Over in Germany
a big. reward has been offered for year!
to anybody that would establish some
sign Of death that would invariably prov.
| reliable. The reward has never been paid
'This isn't so important, though, as i
looks, because undertakers of any ex
perience see many evidences Of death al
soon as they take UP a subject. We dom
have to depend on any single sign. 81
If One indication proved misleading W,
would have the other signs to set III
right. The combination Of evidence,
feel sure, would never be present in cas-,
1.-the subject was still living
- -. A Peculiar Local Case.S -s--- 49,
| ''Once in while those signs don't ap
| pear and we always get suspicious Sew
eral years ago short feshy gentleman
died here in Minneapolis just as he wa
starting down town. Apoplexy, of course
1 was called. wouldn't touch him til
the coroner decided he was dead. The
I brought the body down to our p1ac
There. 1 didn't embalm it. I used yer
'| little ice, and, though the weather wa
hot and the corpse full-blooded, no chang
took place. 7 was told to keep the bod
for awhile and then send it to crema
1tory. But after ten days no sign of de
cay had appeared. Most bodies will be
i gin to decompose within twenty -fou
Il hours under such circumstances. I fe
sure the man was in a trance. calle
4 one doctor. He made some tests an
|! said the subject was apparently dead
i But If he was relative of mine h
4 added, I wouldn't have him cremated
I called another doctor. He made ex
Itensive tests and insisted that the sub
! ject was dead beyond a doubt. But thl
doctor agreed that it was very remark
able case. After that embalmed til
/. man, and that ended our doubts.
81 yes, there is no such thing as bein
8 buried alive, If you've been embalmet
! and nine-tenths Of all bodies are EN-
balmed nowadays: Some people who's
81 IfriendsS die are anxious to have this pre
! caution taken. They tell us et to put
4 plenty of poison One woman wante
me to pierce the heart of her dead sis