Improved Means for the Shrouding of a Corpse.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 29th July, 1893-Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for the Shrouding of a Corpse.
I, JOHN GORDON of 87 Claremont Road, Forest Gate, in the County of Essex,
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved method of and means for the shrouding of a
corpse and has for its object the isolation of the corpse from the surrounding
atmosphere, to prevent the spread of infection, or the dispersion of gases or other
matter evolved or exuded from the corpse.
My invention consists in the provision of means whereby the corpse can be
encased within an hermetically sealed, non-permeable, translucent and flexible
covering, so that the atmosphere immediately around the corpse can be separated
from the surrounding atmosphere but that the body can be seen through the
covering.
I form a covering preferably of a bag or sack like form of a flexible translucent
non-permeable material such as celluloid, cellulose, collodion compounds, india
rubber or other substance having such similar qualities. This bag or sack is
loosely drawn over the corpse and the open end is closed and hermetically sealed.
This may be done in a variety of ways, such as for instance the mouth of the
covering being gathered up and tied around by a cord, like the mouth of a bag or
sack, and then hermetically sealed by any suitable wax or composition or the edges
may be cemented along.
Instead of forming the covering as a bag, I may make it in the form of a sheet,
and cement the edges around around with any suitable such for example in the
case of a covering made from collodion compounds, I should use chloriform
or ether.
By this means it is obvious that any exfoliated skin, exuding matter or evolved
gases from the corpse will be retained within the shroud and will not therefore
contaminate the surrounding atmosphere.
Dated this 29th day of September 1892.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for the Shrouding of a Corpse.
I, JOHN GORDON, of 87 Claremont Road, Forest Gate, in the County of Essex,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improved means for the shrouding of a corpse, and has
for its object the better isolation of the corpse from the surrounding atmosphere, to
prevent the spread of infection, or the dispersion of gases or other matter evolved
or exuded from the corpse, than has heretofore been done.
My invention consists in the provision of special means whereby the corpse can
be encased within an hermetically sealed, non-permeable, transparent, and flexible
covering without any supporting textile fabric combined therewith, so that the
atmosphere immediately around the corpse can be separated from the surrounding
atmosphere, but so that the body or face can be clearly seen through the covering,
for the purposes of identification or external examination.

page_text: I form a covering, preferably of a bag or sack-like form, of a flexible transparent
non-permeable material, such as celluloid, cellulose, collodion compounds, or other
substance having such similar qualities.
This bag or sack is loosely drawn over the corpse, and the open end is closed
and hermetically sealed. This may be done in a variety of ways, such as the
mouth of the covering, for instance, being gathered up and tied around by a cord
like the mouth of a bag or sack, and then hermetically sealed by any suitable wax
or composition, or the edges may be cemented along.
Instead of forming the covering as a bag, I may make it in the form of a sheet,
and cement the edges around with any suitable composition, such for example in
the case of a covering made from collodion compounds, I should use chloroform
or ether.
By this means it is obvious that any exfoliated skin, exuding matter, or evolved
gases from the corpse, will be absolutely retained within the shroud, and will
therefore not contaminate the surrounding atmosphere.
As a modification of the shroud hereinbefore described, I may form the portion
of the shroud, that covers the lower parts of the body, of material that may not be
transparent, such as mackintosh or other similar material, the upper portion covering
the head & shoulders being formed of the aforesaid transparent material, for the reason
that it is not always necessary that the lower portion should be transparent for the
purposes of identification, the transparent portion over the face being sufficient for
the purpose.
In this way the cost of manufacture may be reduced, and it in no way departs
from the essence of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I am aware that
shrouds have been formed of textile fabrics made waterproof and impervious to
gaseous matter by treatment with certain substances, but the transparent qualities
of such have been much detracted from by the use of the textile fabric necessitating
the use of a window of glass or other transparent material used therewith, and I do
not claim broadly any shroud made of flexible non-permeable translucent material,
but what I claim is :-
1st. A shroud formed of non-permeable transparent and flexible material such as
celluloid, cellulose, or compounds of collodion, without any supporting fabric
combined therewith adapted to enclose the corpse and to be hermetically sealed after
the insertion of the corpse, substantially as and for the purposes described.
2nd. In such a shroud the combination of a head piece of non-permeable
transparent and flexible material without any supporting fabric with the body
portion of non-permeable and flexible material, substantially as described.
Dated this 29th day of July 1893.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.