The Detroit times., 1913-10-27
Danger of
Burial Alive

Or. Il. p. Vollum. United States
Army. was. when a lad OF l6 years.
drowned" in Long Island Sound one
morning about 10 o'clock. His body
was placed in a wagon and hauled
three miles to his home and pre-
pared for burial. AT daylight next
morning one of the watchers dis
covered signs of life. Vollum, after
graduating at the medical college,
passed the army examination and be-
came a doctor in the army
AT the battle OF Gettysburg. bull
let passed through the head of Gen.
Paul. tearing out both eyes. Three
days later his body was removed
from the field into house. DR.. Vol
lum, having had narrow escape
from premature burial, had adopted
the opinion that there is no cer-
tainty OF death until the body clear
" shows decay" and refused to have
him buried. Several days later the
general showed signs of life. and in
time recovered his health and
strength. and. although blind. lived
for fourteen years in Washington.
In the afternoon Of the battle OF
Chickamauga. an Ohio soldier on
Snodgrass Hill. was shot through the
body. He was carried to the regi-
mental surgeon and pronounced
dead. The writer had the pleasure
OF going over that field In 1893 with
this soldier and his handsome young
daughter. He was then a member
OF the Ohio state legislature, and was
robust. healthy man.
1t seems that the third day after
he was shot he became sufficiently
conscious to attract the attention of a
sergeant Of Virginia regiment, who
poured some water on his wound and
gave him some to drink. The next
day the Confederates carried him to
the doctors at Snodgrass house.
After Dr. Vollum was transferred
TO the retired list, he went abroad
and there met wealthy English
man, who paid the expenses of pub
fishing the book Vollum wrote some
years later on premature burials.
Volium states that two undertakers
himself, that IL what they person
ally knew was published, 1t would
horrify the world" He stated that
IL person died in Germany, the law
required that II be at once reported
to the nearest physician OF the gov
eminent. who at once takes posses
sion Of the body, moves ii to a NOR
| tuars. placing IL in comfortable
bed, where ii is under constant OBJ
servation until decay is shown. The
mortuaries are built In cemeteries
and the attendants live in them. /,
is said that the last mortuary built
in Munich, cost several hundred.
thousand dollars.
Germany Is not a wealthy nation
and that such frugal nation should
spend thousands Of dollars every
year to prevent anyone being buried
alive shows that they consider the
precaution necessary. Their doctors
say the shocks to the solar plexui
| caused by gun-shot wound, q fall
blow from a fist or club. or q tired
and hungry person drinking guam
tity of ice-cold water or beer, may
cause apparent death that may last
for days until the system RECEIVERS
from the shock and revives. and the
person lives. The same may also &C.
cur from weakness caused by illness,
especially during epidemics.
They seem to think that American
customs are rather brutal. To bury
within two or three days does not
give the body time to recover. and
allowing all our undertakers at once
to inject 10 cents worth of embalm-
ing fluid into the body kills all
chances OF its ever reviving. II
would look as IL Americans were
anxious TO get rid Of their parents
and grandparents. for, of course
middle-aged and old people are much
more liable than young people to q
state of suspended animation-Bal-
timore Sun.