but not till after four hours constant rubbing, there was the least
appearance of respiration. This was about two o’clock in the afternoon.
No pulse, however, was to be perceived till near half an hour after
three, when the muscles began to lose their rigidity; the cheeks
relaxed, and before five, a silver spoon might be got between his
teeth. At this time they strove to make him swallow some hot wine,
which with much difficulty was effected: after which, his face was
covered with sweat, and his cheeks began to return to their natural
colour. Soon afterwards he began to move his eye-brows, and at six
o’clock his arms and hands. He was now placed in his bed; before a
good fire; his arms, and legs being well covered with warm blankets.
He took also two more spoonfuls of hot wine; and, about eight o’clock,
began first to talk, but in a manner very confused and unintelligible;
being delirious, and fancying himself still in the forest. By degrees
the cold had almost left his feet, and the blackness of the toes in
a great measure disappeared, although the free motion of the joints
was not as yet restored. About ten o’clock, however he began to bend
his back, and complained of a violent pain in his legs. He now took
a little beer made hot, with an egg beat in it, and soon after went
to sleep. In the morning, his feet were warm, and without pain, and
his toes recovered entirely their natural colour, but both were
extremely tender. His pulse beat quick and strong, and together with
a burning thirst indicated bleeding necessary; but as no lancet could
be procured, Mr. Nauder ordered him some water gruel, which he drank
of at intervals plentifully, till noon; when he was relieved farther
by a stool. He went again in the evening to sleep, and was the next
morning capable of sitting up, and being conveyed home in a carriage,
not indeed entirely free from pain, but in a fair way of a perfect and
speedy recovery.
XIII.
_Peter Zacchias, a celebrated physician of Rome, relates the following
appropriate story._
There was a young man in the hospital of the Holy Ghost, who being
attacked with the plague from the violence of his distemper fell into
so perfect a syncope, as to be imagined dead. His body was placed
among those who, having died of the same malady, were waiting for
interment. Whilst these carcases were transporting across the Tyber in
a bark destined for the purpose, the young man exhibited some signs
of life, upon which he was immediately carried back to the hospital,
where he recovered. Two days afterwards, however he relapsed into
a like syncope, and his body once more numbered with the dead, was
again transported across the Tyber for burial. Again, however, he came
to himself; new cares were bestowed upon him, and the assistance of
suitable remedies, not only completely restored him to life, but even
cured him so completely, that he lived for many years afterwards.
XIV.
_A young Lady, buried alive in Russia._
Hasty interment is still a prevalent custom in Russia, and even
premature burials are said to be not quite unknown. A short time ago
the following horrid circumstance happened at St. Petersburg.
A young nobleman, who had squandered away his fortune, found his
sister, to whom he applied for assistance, not the least inclined, to
sacrifice her patrimony to his taste for dissipation. As he considered
himself her heir, the wicked thought arose in his breast, to make
himself master of her fortune. With this view, he found means to give
the unfortunate lady a sleeping draught. She was now considered as
dead, and with every appearance of the deepest sorrow, her interment
was resolved upon. The corpse was already placed before the altar,
when one of her friends happening to pass through the place, was
informed of her sudden death. She hurried to the church, where the
priest was already pronouncing the blessing over the corpse; and in
order to impress the last farewell kiss on the lips of her late dearly
beloved friend, she hastened to the coffin. She seized her hand, and
found it rather flaccid, but not stiff. She touched her cheek, and
imagined she felt some natural warmth in it. She insisted on stopping
the ceremony, and trying whether her friend might not be recalled to
life. But all was in vain; neither the brother nor the priest, would
listen to her solicitations: on the contrary, they ridiculed her as a
person out of her mind. Unfortunately, she no where found assistance.
She immediately, in her anxiety, threw herself into her carriage,
and hastened to the neighbouring seat of government. Here she found a
hearing; proper persons accompanied her to investigate the affair, and
she drove back with speed, but found her friend already covered with
sacred earth. The interment had taken place the day before, and the
inhuman brother had already obtained possession of her property; while
priests and witnesses attested that the unfortunate person was actually
dead. Among the Russians, it is reckoned to be a heinous sin to dig up
a corpse; and thus the desire of the generous friend, for a long time
experienced the most violent opposition, to convince herself of the
truth by ocular demonstration; till at last the commission of inquiry
conceived some suspicion, and insisted on opening the grave, when the
poor unfortunate lady was discovered to have been buried alive, as her
face was much lacerated, and the impression of her nails in the coffin
lid. The brother and the priest were immediately taken into custody,
confessed their crime, and under went the punishment they so justly
deserved.
XV.
_Remarkable Trance experienced by the Honourable Mrs. Godfrey, sister
to the Great Duke of Marlborough._
This lady had been a long time ill in consequence of the recent death
of her brother the Duke, but one Sunday fancying herself better than
she had been for some time, and able to go to chapel; as she was
dressing for that purpose, she suddenly fell down to all appearance
dead.
The screams of her woman, and a female friend, brought Colonel Godfrey
into the room; who, having probably seen instances of persons remaining
in a state of insensibility for a considerable time, and afterwards
recovering, directed that his lady should be immediately put to
bed, and that two persons should constantly continue with her, till
indubitable symptoms appeared of her decease.
The consequences proved with how much judgment the Colonel had acted.
Notwithstanding the opinion of the physicians, who all declared that
the breath of life was irrecoverably departed; and in opposition
to the solicitations of his friends to have the body interred, he
continued resolute in his determination to the contrary till the
Sunday following; when, exactly at the same hour on which the change
had happened, signs appeared of returning sensibility. So punctual
was nature in her operations upon this singular occasion, that Mrs.
Godfrey awoke from her trance just as the chapel bell was once more
ringing; which so perfectly eradicated from her memory every trace of
her insensibility, that she blamed her attendants for not awaking her
in time to go to church, as she had proposed to do.
Colonel Godfrey, whose tenderness to his lady was unremitted, taking
advantage of this incident, prudently gave orders, that she should by
no means be made acquainted with what had happened, lest it should make
a melancholy impression on her mind, and it is supposed, that to the
day of her death, she remained ignorant of the transaction.
XVI.
_Remarkable particulars of the death of Dr. Walker, of Dublin, from
the life of Mrs. Bellamy._
Upon our arrival at Dublin (says this lady) my mother and myself were
very kindly received by an old acquaintance of hers, the lady of the
well known Doctor Walker. This gentleman at that time, was esteemed so
eminent in his profession, that he was accumulating by his practice a
capital fortune, notwithstanding he lived in a very genteel stile. The
Doctor was then writing a treatise against the Irish custom of burying
the dead within a few hours after their decease. He endeavoured therein
to dissuade the Hibernians from pursuing so hazardous a mode, as by
interring bodies before any symptoms of putrefaction appeared, it did
not unfrequently happen, that those who might have recovered their
vital powers, were prevented from doing so.
When my mother heared on what subject the Doctor was writing, she
related to him the story of Mrs. Godfrey (i. e. the preceding one in
this book,) and as soon as she had concluded it, to shew the Doctor,
how consonant her opinion on this point, was to his own, she promised
him, that if she was in the same kingdom with him when the king of
terrors made his approach, she would carefully attend to the state of
his corpse, and take care that it should not be entombed whilst there
was the least probability of its restoration to life.
In a subsequent letter, she resumes the subject, and concludes it with
the following melancholy narrative.
In the afternoon I sent my servant, to enquire after our good friend
Doctor Walker, who was ill of a fever. About seven she returned with a
countenance expressive of horror, and informed us that the poor Doctor
had died during the last night, and that they were already going to
bury him. And added, that as they were about to shroud the body, the
orifices which had been made in his arms, on bleeding him before his
decease, had bled afresh.
As it was now so late in the evening, and the house we had lately
removed to, being full two miles from the Doctor’s residence, my
mother confined with the rheumatism, and myself much indisposed,
rendered it impossible for either of us to reach the place of his
abode, time enough to prevent his premature interment; which, but for
these reasons, we certainly should have done. We likewise found that
Mrs. Walker, had been prevailed on by the earnest entreatise of her
sister, to leave the house and retire with her to Dunleary. My mother,
therefore, ordered the servant to take a coach, and, if the corpse was
interred, to have it taken up at all events, cost what it would.
You can give the common people of Ireland no greater treat than a
Wake. Our maid consequently had many companions before she reached
the house, especially as she made no secret of her errand. When they
arrived, they learned that the body had been interred immediately after
her departure, lest the disorder he died of, which was thought to be
epidemic, should prove contagious. They were further informed, that as
Mrs. Walker was of the sect of Anabaptists, it had been deposited, by
her order, in their burying ground, which was situated at the extremity
of the city.
The people who accompanied our servant, having come out with an
intention of spending the night in their favourite amusement, now
resolved to seek the sexton, and carry my mother’s commands into
execution: but as it was late, and they could not find his house, they
clambered over the gate, and thus entered the receptacle for the dead;
and whilst they sat round the grave, my servant heard, or thought she
heard, a groan, which made them expect, with great impatience, the
return of day light.
As soon as Aurora made her appearance, some labourers, who had just
come to their work, acquainted them where the sexton lived, and he
was prevailed on, though not without some difficulty, to comply with
their request. Accordingly, the canonized bones of the doctor, which
had a few hours before been hearsed in death, revisited the glimpse
of morn. Upon opening the coffin, (I shudder whilst I relate the
horrid scene) they found the body now totally deprived of life, but
observed, that the late inhabitant of it had endeavoured to burst his
cearments, and leave the dreadful mansion in which he was confined. He
had actually turned upon his side; and, as my servant had reported, his
arms bled afresh. The coffin was carried to the house of the Sexton,
where multitudes, excited by curiosity, flocked from all parts, to see
this memorable instance of fruitless precaution. The family, however,
hearing of the circumstances, the body was ordered to be re-interred,
and the affair was hushed up.
Are you casuist enough to tell me, how it happens that we are generally
disappointed in the grand expectations of our lives, and find our
favourite wishes crossed? Never was there a more singular confirmation
of this fact, than in the case of the Doctor. The fear of being buried
alive, seems to have engrossed all his thoughts. The apprehensions
which arose in his mind, both on his own account, and that of others,
furnished him an inexhaustible fund for conversation, and gave frequent
employment to his pen. The presentiment which had taken possession
of him, was not to be suppressed. But, alas! how unavailing, from a
combination of preventive circumstances, did it prove!--Let it serve
as a document to us, not to fix our hearts with too much anxiety on
any object that lies within the reach of the accidents of life, or to
indulge too great apprehensions of any dreaded evils.
I was greatly affected at the melancholy accident which had just
happened; but my mother was almost distracted at being obliged to break
a promise she had so solemnly made, and which would have proved so
consonant to the wishes of her old friend.
I have often wondered that humanity, exclusive of affection, does not
prevent those, who have a regard for persons during their lives, from
leaving them in their last moments, through a false tenderness, to the
care of nurses and servants, who are usually insensible to every claim
but those of their own ease or interest. Too susceptible of pain, from
beholding the expiring pangs of a beloved object, they hasten from it;
whereas, that ought to be the strongest motive for their stay, as these
would stimulate them to unremitted assiduity in administering every
needful assistance whilst life remains, and to a due attention to the
body till its interment.
XVII.
_The following Story is related by a Traveller, who translated the
particulars from a foreign monument._
The heroine of this event was named Retchmuth Adoleh. She was the wife
of a merchant of Cologne, and is said to have died of the plague,
which destroyed the greatest part of that city in 1571. She was
speedily interred, and a ring of great value was suffered to remain on
her finger, which tempted the cupidity of the grave-digger. The night
was the time he had planned for the plunder. On going to the grave,
opening the same, and attempting to take the ring from off the finger
of the lady, she came to herself and so terrified the sacrilegious
thief, that he scampered away with speed, and left his lanthorn behind
him. The lady took advantage of his fright, and, with the assistance of
the lanthorn, found her way home, and lived afterwards to be the mother
of three children. After her real decease, she was buried near the door
of the same church, and a tomb was erected over her sepulchre, from
whence this record is taken.
XVIII.
_The following account of reanimation is extracted from the first
volume of the_ Causes Célebres, _and was the subject of a serious law
suit in Paris._
Two men in trade, who lived in the street, St. Honoré, in Paris,
nearly equal in circumstances, both following the same profession, and
united in the closest friendship, had each of them a child, much about
the same age. These children were brought up together, and conceived
a mutual attachment, which ripening with years into a stronger and
more lively sentiment, was approved by the parents on both sides.
This young couple was upon the point of being made happy, by a more
solid union, when a rich financier, conceiving a passion for the young
maiden, unfortunately crossed their inclinations, by demanding her in
marriage. The allurements of a more brilliant fortune, seduced her
father and mother, notwithstanding their daughter’s repugnance to
consent to the change. To their entreaties, however, she was obliged
to yield, and sacrificed her affections, by becoming the wife of the
financier. Like a woman of virtue, she forbad her earlier lover the
house. A fit of melancholy, the consequence of this violence done to
her inclinations, by entering into an engagement of interest, brought
on her a malady, which so far benumbed her faculties, that she was
thought by all her friends to be dead, and was accordingly consigned to
the grave. The former lover conceiving, and hoping what he had heard
of her death, might only prove a syncope, or fit of lethargy, (as she
had been before subject to those complaints) bribed the grave-digger,
to convey the body to his house in the night time. He then used every
means recommended for restoring suspended animation; and at length was
overjoyed at finding his efforts prove effectual.
It is not easy to conceive the surprise the young woman was in on her
resuscitation, when she found herself in a strange house, and as it
were in the arms of her lover, who informed her of what had taken
place, and the risk he had run on her account. She then comprehended
the extent of her obligation to her deliverer, and love, more pathetic
than all his persuasions to unite their destinies, determined her, on
her recovery to escape with him into England: where they lived for some
years in the closest union.
At the end of ten years, they conceived the natural wish of revisiting
their own country, and at length returned to Paris, where they took no
precaution whatever, of concealing themselves, being persuaded that no
suspicion would attend their arrival. It happened however by chance,
that the financier met his wife in one of the public walks. The sight
of her, made so strong an impression on him, that the persuasion of
her death could not efface it. He contrived it so as to join her, and
notwithstanding, the language which she used to impose upon him, he
left her with the conviction that he was not deceived.
The strangeness of this event, gave more charms to the woman in the
eyes of her former husband, than she had for him before. He acted with
such address, that he discovered her abode, notwithstanding all her
precautions, and reclaimed her with all the regular formalities of
justice.
It was in vain that the lover maintained the right which his cares for
his mistress gave him to the possession of her: that he represented
her inevitable death, but for him: that he ought even to be accused
of homicide, for want of having taken proper precautions to assure
himself of her death, and a thousand other ingenious reasons which love
suggested to him, but without the desired effect. He found that the
judicial ear was against him, and not thinking it expedient to wait
the result of a definitive judgment, he fled with his mistress into a
foreign country, where they passed the remainder of their days, without
further molestation.
We have before observed that several persons reputed dead, had
exhibited signs of life under the blade of the Anatomist, and had
consequently deceived the judgment of the surgeon who regarded them
as defunct. Hence it follows, that apparent death often carries with
it the exterior characters of real death; that men of the faculty may
be deceived, and much more so those who are less instructed; hence it
follows likewise that for the good of humanity it is indispensible that
a regulation should be adopted, which would save us from the dreadful
horrors of so cruel an event.
XIX.
It is well known what happened to the celebrated Vesabe, successive
physician to Charles V. and to Philip II. of Spain, his son. Being
persuaded that a Spanish Nobleman whom he attended was really dead,
he asked the permission of opening him, which was granted. But he had
scarcely plunged the instrument into the body of the unfortunate man,
when he remarked some signs of returning life. In effect, he found, on
opening his bosom, the heart still palpitating. The relations of the
deceased, informed of the accident, were not satisfied with pursuing
him as a murderer; they dragged him, as a man guilty of sacrilege,
before the tribunal of the Inquisition.
As the fault was notorious, the judges of this tribunal were for
condemning him to the punishment attached to the impiety. But
fortunately for him, the King of Spain, by his authority and
entreaties, delivered him from this certain danger, on condition of his
expiating his crime by a voyage to the holy-land. But the unfortunate
Vesabe did not long enjoy the pardon which he thus obtained. The
Venetian senate having sent for him to fill the place of Falloppe, a
violent tempest overtook him on his passage, and cast him on the island
of Zante, where after wandering about for several days in the deserts,
and suffering all the rigours of hunger, he ended his life deplorably
in 1564, at the age of fifty eight.
XX.
We are informed in a treatise by Terilli, that a lady of distinction
in Spain, being attacked with hysteric suffocations, was regarded as
dead. Her relations applied to a celebrated Anatomist to open her, and
acquaint himself more particularly with the cause of her death. At
the second stroke of his knife she revived, and gave evident signs of
life, by the cries that were forced from her by this fatal instrument.
The dreadful spectacle excited such astonishment and horror in those
present, that this physician, who had hitherto enjoyed the fairest
reputation, abhorred now, and detested by every one, was compelled to
quit not only the city, where this tragedy was acted, but even the
very province itself, in order to withdraw himself from the effects of
public indignation.
XXI.
Acilius Aviola was (according to Pliny) concluded dead, both by his
domestics and physicians; he was accordingly laid out upon the ground
for some time, and then carried forth to his funeral pile: but as soon
as the flames began to catch his body, he cried out that he was alive,
imploring the assistance of his schoolmaster, who was the only person
that had tarried by him: but it was too late; for encompassed with
flames, he was dead before he could be succoured.
XXII.
Plato tells us of Erus Armenius being slain in battle, among many
others; when they came to take up the dead bodies upon the tenth day
after, they found, that though all the other carcases were putrid, this
of his was entire and uncorrupted; they therefore carried it home,
that it might have the just and due funeral rites performed to it. Two
days they kept it at home in that state, and on the twelfth day, he was
carried out to the funeral pile; and being ready to be laid upon it,
he returned to life, to the admiration of all that were present. He
declared several strange and prodigious things, which he had seen and
known, during all that time that he had remained in the state of the
dead.
XXIII.
One of the noble family of the Tatoreidi, being seized with the plague
in Burgundy, was supposed to die thereof, and was put into a coffin
to be carried to the sepulchres of his ancestor, which were distant
from that place some four German miles. Night coming on, the corpse
was disposed in a barn, and there attended by some rustics. These
perceived a great quantity of fresh blood to drain through the chinks
of the coffin; whereupon they opened it, and found that the body was
wounded by a nail that was driven into the shoulder through the coffin;
and that the wound was much torn by the jogging of the chariot he was
carried in; but withal, they discovered that the natural heat had not
left his breast. They took him out, and laid him before the fire: he
recovered as out of a deep sleep, ignorant of all that had passed.
He afterwards married a wife, by whom he had a daughter; married
afterwards to Huldericus a Psirt; from his daughter came Sigismundus a
Psirt, chief Pastor of St. Mary’s Church in Basil.
XXIV.
In the year 1650 Anne Green was tried at Oxford, before Serjeant Umpton
Croke, for the murder of her bastard child, and by him sentenced to
be hanged; which sentence was accordingly executed on the fourteenth
day of December, in the Castle-Yard, Oxford, where she hung about
half an hour, being pulled by the legs, and, after all, had several
strokes given her on the stomach with the butt end of a musket. Being
cut down, she was put into a coffin, and carried to a house to be
dissected; where when they opened the coffin, notwithstanding the rope
remained fast jammed round her neck, they perceived her breast to rise:
whereupon one Mason, a tailor, intending an act of humanity, stamped on
her breast and belly; and one Oran, a soldier, struck her with the butt
end of his musket. After all this, when Sir William Patty, Dr. Willis,
and Mr. Clarke, came to prepare the body for dissection, they perceived
some small rattling in her throat, which induced them to desist from
their original design, and began to use means for her recovery; in
which they were so successful, that within fourteen hours she began to
speak, and the next day talked and prayed very heartily. Nor did the
humanity of the Doctors stop, till by obtaining a pardon for her, they
secured that life, which their skill had restored. She was afterwards
married, had three children, lived in good repute among her neighbours,
at Steeple-Barton, and died in 1659. What was very remarkable, and
distinguished the hand of Providence in her recovery, she was found
to be innocent of the crime for which she suffered; and it appeared
the child had never been alive, but came from her spontaneously, four
months after conception.
XXV.