PREMATURE INTERMENTS.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume IV, Issue 91, 17 June 1852, Page 4

PREMATURE INTERMENTS.

[From the "Union," August I.] At the death of Philip Doddridge, an eminent lawyer in Virginia, who died in the City of Washington white a Member of Congress, it was stated as a reason for retaining his body longer than usual, that, on fl former occasion, he had narrowly escaped the melancholy fate of being hiiri'-d alive. He had fallen into a cataleptic condition. His respiration had ceased, his pulse no longer throbbed, his limbs ■were perfectly rfcid, and his face exhibited the sharp outline of death. The family physicians and frienJ«, all, with the exception of ■his wife, believed him to be dead. Mrs. D., however, would not relinquish every hope and continued to apply, from time to time, every remedy "be could think of to restore vitality, and finally succeeded in administering a small quantity ol brandy, which immediately restored him to life and the command of his limbs. He. ljved many years afterwards, and was wont to relate, with deep feeling, the painful and horrible sensations he experienced durinsr the period he was supposed to be dend. He said that though he was perfectly unable to move his finger, or give the least sign ot his being alive, he could hear and was consci us of everything that was going on around hi.n. He heard the announcement that he wa« dead, and the lamentations of his family, the directions for his shroud, and all the usual prepaiations for his burial. He made desperate efforts to dhow tbat he was not dead, hut in vain, he could not move a muscle. Even despair, and the immediate presence of a fate more appalling to 'humanity than any other earthly terror, could npt raise the dormnnt bedy to perform the slightest of its (unctions. At last he heard Mrs. Doddridge call for the brandy, with a delight and rapture of love for her which the honors of bis situation may easily explain. He felt that he was saved. He humorously observed " that it was as little ns brandy could do to restore himto hie as it had produced his living death." Mr. Doddridge was unfortunately addicted to the intemperate use of ardent spirits, and a fit of intemperance had, no doubt, produced the condition from which he was relieved by the perseveranee and love of his wife, who administered, at the last moment, the powerful stimulant which restored him to life. Otherwise his fate would have been that of many others who have been buried before life was extinct. * Another instance of prevention from the T-.onors of premature interment has been related by Mrs. Childs, in her letters from New York. It is an additional proof of strong conjugal allbctinn, and of the necessity of retaining the body, where there remains the least doubt of the extinction of life. The uncle of Mrs. Childs was attacked in Boston by the yellow fever, and considered as dead. His affectionate wife, however, did not abandon all hope, but continued with him during his illness, contrary to the remonstrance of her friends, and persisted in refus'ng to allow his body to be taken from the house for interment. "She told me," says Mrs. Childs, " that she never knew how to account for it; but though he was perfectly cold and rigid, nod to every appearance quite dead, there was a powerful impression on her mind that life was not extinct. "Two calls at intervals of half-an;liour, had been made with the death-carts to take away the dead bodies, and the constant cry was, ns usual on B'ich occasions • Bring out vour dead;' but her entreaties and teats induced them reluctantly to grant her another respite of balf-an-hour. With tre.nbling haste, she renewed her efforts to restore life. She raised his head, rolled his limbs in hot flannel, and placed hot onions on his feet. Tho dreadful half-hour again came round, and found him as cold and rigid as ever. Again she renewed her entreaties so desperately that the messengers began to think that a little gentle force would be required. They accordingly attempted to remove the body against her will but she threw herself upon it. and clung to it with such force and strength, that they could jiot easily loosen her grasp. At Inst, by dint of reasoning on the necessity of the case, she promised that, if he_ should show no signs of life before they again came round, she would make no further opposition to the removal. Having gained this respite, she hung the wntch on the bed-post, and renewed her efforts with redoubled zeal. She placed kegs of hot water about forced brandy between his teeth, breathed into his nostrils, and held hartshorn to his nose j but still the body lay motionless and cold. She looked anxiously at the watch; in five minutes the promised half-hour would expire, and those dreadful voices would be passing through the streets. Hopelesnesss came over her ; she dropped the head she had been sustaining ; her hand trembled violently and the hartshorn she had been holding was apilled on the pallid face. Accidentally the position of the head had become slightly inclined backward, and the powerful liquid dropped into the nostril. Instantly there wai

|ft short, quick gasp—a struggle—lu's eyes J opened ; and wlieu I lie death-men came again tliey found him sitting up in the bed. He is still alive, and lias enjoyed unusually good health." Many Additional cases are recorded of persons apparently dead, who have been so fortunate an to escape the horrors of premature interment. Among these is the case of the elegant Lady Russell, that mentioned by the celebrated Odior of Geneva, and one by Dr. Criclilon, physician to the Grand Duke Nicholas, now Emperor of Russia. Lady Russell remained for the space of seven days and night* without any signs of life, and her \ burial was prevented by the violent grief of her husband. On the eighth day, as the parish bells were ringing for church, Lady Russell suddenly raised hi-r head, and, to the amazement and indescribable joy of Lord Russell, told him to get ready <o accompany her to church. Her recovery was rapid and comp'ete, and she lived many years afterwards and had tever»l cfiidren. "A young girl," says Dr. Criclilon, "in the service of the Princess of , who h;id, for some time, kept her bed nith a nervous affect ion, nt length, to all appearance, was deprived of life. Her fare had all the character of death—her body was peifeillv cold, and every other symptom of di-wh was ninni feMcd. She wisremove-' i'it i amrlicr room,and pi 'C"<l in a coffin. On the dny fixed fnr her Uineral, hymn?, aocor.liug In the custom ol the country, were sung befoie lliedoor ; bui at the very mtiment when they were going to nail down the coffin, a perspiration was seen upon the skin, and, in h few minutes, it ««s succeeded by a convulsive iiiuiion in the hands and feet. In a few moments she opened her eyes, and utlered n pien ing scream The faculty were instantly culled in, nml, in the space of a few days her health was completely re-estahlished. The nccouut which she gave of her situation u extremely curious. She said that she appeared to dream that sl-e was dead, but that she was sensible of everything that was passing around her, and distinctly heard her friends bewailing her death; .she felt them envelope her in the shroud, and fi'acc her in the coffin. This sensation gave ier extreme agony, mid she attempted to speak, but her soul was unable to act on her body. She describes her sensations as very con'radictiiry, as if she was, and w::s not, in her body at one and the tame instant. She attempted in vain to move her arms, to open her eye», or to speak. The agony of her mind was at its height when the heard the funeral hymn, and found ilia't they were about to nail down the lid of the coffin. Tin- honor of being buried alive gave n new impulse to her iniiid, which resumed its power over the cnrpnreal organization, and produced the effects which excited the notice of those who »ere about to convey her lo a premature grave."