LIVING 'CORPSES.'

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 1208, 19 November 1919, Page 2

LIVING 'CORPSES.'

PREMATURE BURIAL DANGER NOT GREAT. NOISES FROM COFFINS. There are many possible explanations of the phenomenon which caused a sensation in the Dublin Church when two women declared they heard moans proceeding'from a ioflin in which lay a bod}' that was awaiting burial, says a 'Sunday Chronicle' correspondent. The man had not moved, nor had ho given any indication of life. What then •had happened? It may, of be that imagination had played one of its strange pranks on the sensitive brains of the women. It is much more likely, however, either that the woodwork of the coffin was' strained, or that some gas was being expelled from the man's body. > Cases of this kmd have occurred more than once.

•The peril of premature burial U not alarmingly great, though: solitary, instances continue* to bo recorded from time to time-. Ono occurred recently in New-York. Anna Held, the actress, after a brief illness, died iu that cHy. There is little doubt, however, but that sho was buried prematurely. Someone passing the eoffin heard groans and persistent tapping. The coffin lid was removed, and ,ifc was discovered that the body had moved as though in a conscious struggle for freedom. 'lt is not so long sfneo at a wake in tho South of Ireland, the 'corpse* startled the assembled mourners .by suddenly sitting up. , Yet, as was rafterwards declared, there was every evidence, that death had taken place. A similar, unexpected .;' re-awakenhvg' occurred subsequently in the North ef England. In this case arrangements had been made for an claborato funeral. > ■'■ ■..'.'■'■.'■••'.':.■ ■ .-;'"•-•■';' .''■"?.'" ' N >--

■ The. danger of suck happenings' ar'B too remote to cause general,'anxiety,' said a medical mail with an-extensive general practice, 'but. the greatest earo should-always.bevtaken to aimko certain {hat death 'has; occurred. 'There are from time to time examples of what is called suspepdecl, animation, in which mostl o£ the appearances of death arc counterfeited. I can recall a. case,,in any own:; experience. A ypung .girl was taken ill, ;and apparently died. I def not quite know what, made me pause:be£orc issuing aeeiti-

licatc, but there was an indescribable something, -winch .suggested that life bad not passed away. . 'The..girl lay in that state for three days, •'; after which she •'moved, begun ■breathing -perceptibly, and rapidly re[covered hcr/norinal health.'

'Many people leave instructions in their wills to. guard themselves against premature burial. One of the most elaborate scries of over issued was that of a Mr Garson, who willed that fafter ■ ray death, a vein shall be. opened, my heart pierced with a pin, and my.body subsequently burned.' , '•

•: Still, as thcrdoctor whoso words I have quoted, ..-stated with emphasis, 'cases of 'premature • burial are so exceptional as to be practically uegligblc' .