Book Description

NEWCASTLE CHRONICLE. "Society is indebted to the authors for a scientific and temperately written treatise, in which the more sensational and horrifying cases are avoided, with the view of sparing the reader unnecessary pain. There can be no question that the sooner this subject is actively dealt with the better for the community." HOMOEOPATHIC WORLD. "An important work containing a vast amount of unimpeachable evidence to show that a very real danger exists, and that strong measures ought to be taken to safeguard the public against it." PALL MALL GAZETTE. "Horrible as are some of the details, they enforce the authors' plea for more careful examination of the presumably dead, and their arguments have great force." LIVERPOOL POST. "The moral of the book is that burial alive is a far greater danger than most people suppose." BIRMINGHAM DAILY GAZETTE. "That there is real danger in hurried interments, no one who glances at this volume can doubt, and the authors' contention that the subject of the book should be legislated upon is reasonable. The book is greatly enhanced in value by an exhaustive bibliography and an excellent index." BRISTOL TIMES. "The whole subject is exhaustively treated in this volume, which people interested would do well to give their careful perusal. It is extremely well done." SHEFFIELD TELEGRAPH. "A valuable and interesting volume." BELFAST NEWS LETTER. "The work sets forth some very convincing statements, and has fully justified the authors in presenting their joint opinion on a subject that ought to concern the community. They adduce quite a plethora of evidence to sustain their contention." THE LITERARY WORLD (LONDON). "The subject of premature burial is one of universal interest, and those who have it at heart cannot do better than make themselves as familiar with the subject as the exhaustive work before us admits. The writers have brought together a mass of facts and figures bearing on the question, and their conclusions are not to be denied or their labour undervalued. The book may strike a chord of interest, and arrest an attention that will be the means of a thorough reconsideration of our burial customs." Table of Contents EPIGRAPHS PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION. INTRODUCTION TO FIRST EDITION. PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION. INTRODUCTION TO SECOND EDITION. OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. CHAPTER I. TRANCE. CHAPTER II. CATALEPSY. CHAPTER III. ANIMAL AND SO-CALLED HUMAN HIBERNATION. CHAPTER IV. PREMATURE BURIAL. CHAPTER V. NARROW ESCAPES FROM PREMATURE BURIAL. CHAPTER VI. FORMALITIES AND THEIR FATAL CONSEQUENCES CHAPTER VII. PREMATURE BURIAL OF DOUBTFUL CASES. CHAPTER VIII. PREDISPOSING CAUSES AND CONDITIONS OF DEATH-COUNTERFEITS. CHAPTER IX. PREMATURE BURIAL AND CREMATION IN INDIA. CHAPTER X. THE DANGER OF HASTY BURIALS. CHAPTER XI. FEAR OF PREMATURE BURIAL. CHAPTER XII. SUDDEN DEATH. CHAPTER XIII. SIGNS OF DEATH. CHAPTER XIV. DURATION OF DEATH-COUNTERFEITS. CHAPTER XV. THE TREATMENT OF THE DEAD. CHAPTER XVI. NUMBER OF CASES OF PREMATURE BURIAL. CHAPTER XVII. EMBALMING AND DISSECTIONS. CHAPTER XVIII. DEATH-CERTIFICATION. CHAPTER XIX. SUGGESTIONS FOR PREVENTION. CHAPTER XX. COUNT KARNICE-KARNICKI'S INVENTION. CHAPTER XXL CREMATION AS A PREVENTIVE. CHAPTER XXII. WAITING MORTUARIES. CHAPTER XXIII. CONCLUSION. APPENDIX A. HISTORICAL CASES OF RESTORATION FROM APPARENT DEATH. APPENDIX B. RESUSCITATION OF STILL-BORN AND OTHER INFANTS. APPENDIX C. RECOVERY OF THE DROWNED. APPENDIX D. EMBALMING IN THE UNITED STATES. APPENDIX E. SUMMARY OF ORDINANCES, ETC., RELATING TO THE INSPECTION OF CORPSES AND OF INTERMENTS. APPENDIX F. THE JEWISH PRACTICE OF EARLY BURIAL. BIBLIOGRAPHY.