The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-11-06
BAMBERG, S. c., THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6
DANGER OF BURIAL ALIVE.
Instances of Suspended Animation
and How Brought About.

DR.. E. P. Vollum, United States
army, was, when lad of 16 years,
"drowned'' in Lond Island about 10
o'clock. His body, says the Baltimore
Sun, was placed in wagon and haul
ed three miles to his home and pre-
pared for burial. At daylight next
morning one of the watchers discov-
cred signs of life. Vollum, after grad
uating at the medical college, passed
the army examination and became
doctor in the army.
At the battle of Gettysburg bullet
passed through the head of Gen. Paul,
tearing out both eyes. Three days
later his body was removed from the
field into a house. DR.. Vollum, having
had a narrow escape from premature
burial, had adopted the opinion that
there is no certainty of death until
the body 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 Washing
ton.
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 the field in 1898 with this SOL
dier and his handsome young daugh-
ter. He was then a member of the
Ohio State Legislature, and was a
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 a Virginia regiment,
who poured some water on his wound
and gave him some to drink. The
next day the Confederate carried him
to the doctors at Snodgrass House.
After DR.. Vollum was transferred
to the retired list he went abroad,
and there met wealthy Englishman,
who paid the expenses of publishing
the book Vollum wrote some years
later on premature burials.
Vollum states that two undertake
ers in England told the Englishman
and himself that if what they per-
sonally knew was published it would
horrify the world" He stated that
if a person died in Germany the law
required that it be at once reported
to the nearest physician of the Gov
ernment, who at once takes posses
sion of the body, moves it to a NOR
tuary, placing it in a comfortable
bed, where it is under constant OBJ
servation until decay is shown. The
mortuaries are built in cemeteries,
and the attendants live in them. 1t
is said that the last mortuary built
in Munich cost several hundred thou
sand dollars.
Germany is not a wealthy nation,
and that such a frugal nation should
spend thousands of dollars every year
to prevent anyone being buried alive
shows that they consider the pecau-
ton necessary. Their doctors say the
shock to the solar plexis caused by a
gunshot wound, fall, blow from, a
fist or club, or a tired and hungry
person bringing quantity 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
sam may also occur 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
tc inject ten cents worth of embalm-
ing fluid into the body kills all chance
of it's ever reviving. It would look
as if 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 a state of suspended
animation.