Sanitary Shroud for Enclosing the Corpse of a Dead Person.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Sanitary Shroud for Enclosing the Corpse of a Dead Person.
HENRY BENNETT No. 3 Princes Terrace Darlington Co. Durham, Inspecting
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists of an air and damp proof garment for enclosing the corpse
of a dead person hermitically sealed to prevent the spread of disease in the case of
fever or other infectious complaints from which the person may have died from, and
also in ordinary cases to prevent the disagreeable smell and effluvia which usually
occurs after death. I purpose doing this by enclosing the corpse in a air tight and
damp proof garment made in the shape of a sack (or other convenient form) with
one end open so that it can be drawn over the corpse, and then the open end can
be closed by ordinary rubber solution, gum, or other suitable composition, and
thus made air tight, near one end of the shroud I would have inserted a transparent
piece of material of sufficient size to enable the face of the corpse to be seen, this
transparent material may be of celluloid, specially prepared oil skin, glass, or
other transparent material. In cases where there is likely to arise gases from the
body I would have connected to a convenient part of the shroud a hollow pipe or
tube a few yards long, the other end of which could be carried out of the room so
that the gases may escape.
Dated this 18th day of November 1895.
HENRY BENNETT of 14 Elmfield Terrace Darlington in the County of Durham,
late of 3 Princes Teriace Darlington, Inspecting Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this 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 consists of an air and damp proof garment or shroud for enclosing
the corpse of a dead person hermitically sealed to prevent the spread of disease in
the case of fever or other infectious complaints from which the person may have
died from, and also in ordinary cases to prevent the disagreeable smell and effluvia,
which usually occurs after death. I purpose doing this by enclosing the corpse in
a garment or shroud made somewhat in the shape of a sack or envelope with one
end open so that it can be drawn over the body, and the end afterwards closed by
ordinary rubber solution or other suitable composition thus excluding the air. The
opening of the shroud may be on one side instead of the end if prefered. To
enable the face of the corpse to be seen I would have inserted near one end of the
garment or shroud a piece of celluloid or other transparent material of suitable
size, and to provide for cases where gases are likely to arise I would have inserted
in any convenient position in the garment or shroud a small vent pipe to which
could be attached when required a few yards of tubing to carry the said gases out
of the room.

page_text: As the article is so simple and the parts connected with it are so few I have
considered the foregoing written description sufficient without reference to
drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
A shroud or garment for enclosing and totally excluding the air from a corpse
having a transparent insertion to enable the face to be seen, and also a vent pipe
to be used when required.
.
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