按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
buried with all her jewels。 During the night a beggar attempted to steal her jewelry； and made such exertion in extracting one ring that the woman recovered and was saved。 After this resurrection she is said to have had several children。 This case is also often quoted。 Zacchias mentions an instance which； from all appearances； is authentic。 It was that of a young man； pest…stricken and thought to be dead； who was placed with the other dead for burial。 He exhibited signs of life； and was taken back to the pest…hospital。 Two days later he entered a lethargic condition simulating death； and was again on his way to the sepulcher； when he once more recovered。
It is said that when the body of William； Earl of Pembroke； who died April 10； 1630； was opened to be embalmed； the hand raised when the first incision was made。 There is a story of an occurrence which happened on a return voyage from India。 The wife of one of the passengers； an officer in the army； to all appearances died。 They were about to resort to sea…burial； when； through the interposition of the husband； who was anxious to take her home； the ship…carpenters started to construct a coffin suitable for a long voyage； a process which took several days； during which time she lay in her berth； swathed in robes and ready for interment。 When the coffin was at last ready the husband went to take his last farewell； and removed the wedding…ring； which was quite tightly on her finger。 In the effort to do this she was aroused； recovered； and arrived in England perfectly well。
It is said that when a daughter of Henry Laurens； the first President of the American Congress； died of small…pox； she was laid out as dead； and the windows of the room were opened for ventilation。 While left alone in this manner she recovered。 This circumstance so impressed her illustrious father that he left explicit directions that in case of his death he should be burned。 The same journal also contains the case of a maid…servant who recovered thrice on her way to the grave； and who； when really dead； was kept a preposterous length of time before burial。
The literature on this subject is very exhaustive； volumes having been written on the uncertainty of the signs of death； with hundreds of examples cited illustrative of the danger of premature interment。 The foregoing instances have been given as indicative of the general style of narration； for further information the reader is referred to the plethora of material on this subject。
Postmortem Anomalies。Among the older writers startling movements of a corpse have given rise to much discussion； and possibly often led to suspicion of premature burial。 Bartholinus describes motion in a cadaver。 Barlow says that movements were noticed after death in the victims of Asiatic cholera。 The bodies were cold and expressions were death…like； but there were movements simulating natural life。 The most common was flexion of the right leg； which would also be drawn up toward the body and resting on the left leg。 In some cases the hand was moved； and in one or two instances a substance was grasped as if by reflex action。 Some observers have stated that reflex movements of the face were quite noticeable。 These movements continued sometimes for upward of an hour； occurring mostly in muscular subjects who died very suddenly； and in whom the muscular irritability or nervous stimulus or both had not become exhausted at the moment of dissolution。 Richardson doubts the existence of postmortem movements of respiration。
Snow is accredited with having seen a girl in Soho who； dying of scarlet fever； turned dark at the moment of death； but in a few hours presented such a life…line appearance and color as to almost denote the return of life。 The center of the cheeks became colored in a natural fashion； and the rest of the body resumed the natural flesh color。 The parents refused to believe that death had ensued。 Richardson remarks that he had seen two similar cases； and states that he believes the change is due to oxidation of the blood surcharged with carbon dioxid。 The moist tissues suffuse carbonized blood； and there occurs an osmotic interchange between the carbon dioxid and the oxygen of the air resulting in an oxygenation of the blood； and modification of the color from dark venous to arterial red。
A peculiar postmortem anomaly is erection of the penis。 The Ephemerides and Morgagni discuss postmortem erection； and Guyon mentions that on one occasion he saw 14 negroes hanged； and states that at the moment of suspension erection of the penis occurred in each； in nine of these blacks traces of this erectile state were perceived an hour after death。
Cadaveric perspiration has been observed and described by several authors； and Paullini has stated that he has seen tears flow from the eyes of a corpse。
The retardation of putrefaction of the body after death sometimes presents interesting changes。 Petrifaction or mummification of the body are quite well known； and not being in the province of this work； will be referred to collateral books on this subject； but sometimes an unaccountable preservation takes place。 In a tomb recently opened at Canterbury Cathedral； a for the purpose of discovering what Archbishop's body it contained； the corpse was of an extremely offensive and sickening odor； unmistakably that of putrefaction。 The body was that of Hubert Walter； who died in 1204 A。D。； and the decomposition had been retarded； and was actually still in progress； several hundred years after burial。
Retardation of the putrefactive process has been noticed in bodies some years under water。 Konig of Hermannstadt mentions a man who； forty years previous to the time of report； had fallen under the waters of Echoschacht； and who was found in a complete state of preservation。
Postmortem Growth of Hair and Nails。The hair and beard may grow after death； and even change color。 Bartholinus recalls a case of a man who had short； black hair and beard at the time of interment； but who； some time after death； was found to possess long and yellowish hair。 Aristotle discusses postmortem growth of the hair； and Garmanus cites an instance in which the beard and hair were cut several times from the cadaver。 We occasionally see evidences of this in the dissecting…rooms。 Caldwell mentions a body buried four years； the hair from which protruded at the points where the joints of the coffin had given away。 The hair of the head measured 18 inches； that of the beard eight inches； and that on the breast from four to six inches。 Rosse of Washington mentions an instance in which after burial the hair turned from dark brown to red； and also cites a case in a Washington cemetery of a girl； twelve or thirteen years old； who when exhumed was found to have a new growth of hair all over her body。 The Ephemerides contains an account of hair suddenly turning gray after death。
Nails sometimes grow several inches after death； and there is on record the account of an idiot who had an idiosyncrasy for long nails； and after death the nails were found to have grown to such an extent that they curled up under the palms and soles。
The untoward effects of the emotions on the vital functions are quite well ex