Head Snatching

In digging this depth and taking away the wood of these coffins, has it ever occurred to you that any bodies have fallen upon you?
 
I never had one in a deep grave, but I had one once; before I was there a man of the name of Fox had the ground; I succeeded him; he is now dead; he was a bad character; he is dead about three weeks. I dug a grave on a Sunday evening on purpose to get ready for Monday; that Sunday evening, and it rained, I was strange in the ground at that time; and when I went to work on Monday morning I finished my work, and I was trying the length of the grave to see if it was long enough and wide enough, so that I should not have to go down again, and while I was in there the ground gave way and a body turned right over, and the two arms came and clasped me round the neck; she had gloves on and stockings and white flannel inside, and what we call a shift, but no head.
 
The body came tumbling upon you?
 
Yes, just as I was kneeling down; it was a very stout body, and the force that she came with knnocked my head against a body underneath, and I was very much frightened at the time.
 
You were at the bottom of the grave, and as you were digging at the bottom, the body of this woman without a head fell upon you?
 
Yes.
 
From the side?
 
Yes, from the side.
 
Out of the coffin?
 
It had never been in a coffin; it is supposed that they took the head off for the purpose of sale.
What depth were you down when this body fell upon you?

About nine feet.

Might they not have cut through the head as they dug down?

No, this body was taken out of the coffin before; she only lay just on the top of the earth, a little covered over; if she had been buried any depth at all, three or four feet, she could not have fell on me, the shoring of the earth would have kept it up.
 
You did not find the head anywhere?
 
No.
 
You say that this body fell upon you; do you suppose that this body had been put in a leaden coffin, and that both the leaden coffin and the other had been stolen, and that the body was left there?
 
I cannot say that.
 
What do you suppose?
 
I suppose that she was buried in wood, in the green ground, and that something affected the head; and the man that I mention as dead, is the very man that did the deed, after the other men left the ground.
 
He took away the wood of the coffin?
 
He took away the wood of the coffin. and took away the head, it appears, and then covered the body over as well as he could.
 
Do you suppose that he took away the head for the purpose of conveying it to some surgeon?

I think so.

Select Committee on Interments, 1842

Burying the Dead

An undertaker gives evidence to a government select committee on the habits of the poor:

‘In many instances, people say “We cannot bury under a week;” that is from custom. Others have not the means of getting a black gown; and they cannot follow in a coloured one; that is their bit of pride; then it is put off, it may be two or three days on that account. They will not have their relatives buried by the parish; they would rather do anything than that, saying they wish them to be buried respectably; and then the end of it is that myself and other people like me often bury for nothing, not intending to do it. They cheat us; and if they would do away with their little pride, and let the parish do it, the bodies would be removed in a reasonable time, and such men as myself would not be imposed on as we frequently are.'

Select Committee, Effect of Interment of Bodies in Towns, 1842

Coping with Cholera

A cholera handbill from the City of London Board of Health, 1831

CITY OF LONDON BOARD OF HEALTH

The existence of Spasmodic Cholera in London having been official announced, the Medical Officers attached to the City of London Board of Heath deem it important to make known to the inhabitants of the City that this disease is very frequently proceeded for some hours or even days by a looseness and disordered state of bowels. They therefore strongly recommend that all persons so affect, even though previously subject to such complaints, should, without delay, seek medical assistance; and they confidently believe that many lives will be saved by a strict and early attention to this advice. When the attack of Cholera is sudden, it is usually marked by pain at the pit of the stomach, repeated vomitting and purging, violent cramps, coldness of the hands and feet, contracted countenance, and eyes deeply sunk in their sockets.

Numerous other symptoms may be present, but these will be sufficient to mark the nature of the case; and then no time should be lost in having recourse to professional aid. In the mean time the patient should be placed in bed between hot blankets, and dry heat, by means of bottles of hot water wrapped in flannel, or bags of heated sand or salt, should be applied to the spine and limbs. Warm poultices, made with equal parts of flour of mustard and linseed meal or bread, should be laid over the stomach and belly, and the limbs should be unremittingly rubbed in a direction towards the body. In addition to these external applications, a dessert spoonful of flour of mustard, in half a pint of warm water, may be given, withh a view to excite full vomiting. The patient should be kept in a horizontal position, and his powers should be supported by moderate draughts of brandy and water, or spiced beef tea.

From the measures adopted in this city by the Board of Health and the various local Boards with which it is associated, medical assistance will be at all times so readily available, that the above directions are deemed sufficient to occupy the attention of private friends until such aid be obtained. Hospitals for the reception of chiolera patients are now in preparation, to which competent officers will be appointed; and if any patients who may be admitted should prefer being attended by their own medical advisers, these gentlemen will be at all times freely admitted.

To those who feel alarmed at residing in the neighbourhood of these establishments, the following quotation from a Treatise on Cholera, written by a distinguished Physician who visited Dantzic during its prevalence in that city, may serve to give confidence: "The example of Dantzic has already taught us that Hospitals may be established in the midst of other houses, without increasing the number of sick in their vicinity.

In conclusion, the public are reminded that though the treatment of this malady must be confided to medical care, it is to their own attention to sobriety, and cleanliness of person and habitation, that they must look for a probability of exemption from its attacks.

 

Street Signs

Street signs fascinate me.

If you know the fonts (typeface? I never know the difference) of any signs below, let me know ...

Cholera Cruelty

I love this complaint, from a medical man obliged to scour the Thames for cholera cases:

The gentleman, who was in naval uniform, stated that in purusuance of directions from Her Majesty's Government, he was rowed up and down the river every day in the King's boat, with the pendant flying, to afford immediate assistance to any person on the Thames who might be attached with cholera, and remove them, if necessary, to the floating hospital. While engaged in this duty, he had been frequently called alongside barges and small sailing vessels by the bargemen and others to attend upon a person said to be sick or attacked with cholera; but when he got on board he was laughed at and ridiculed. On the previous day, he was told by some bargemen that a man was attacked with cholera on board a ship off the Tower; but when he proceeded there, he found that he had been misinformed and jeers were thrown out. Only a few minutes previous he heard someone call out "Cholera boat, ahoy!" and on proceeding to the barge from which the noise proceeded he was told that his services were not wanted, and a general laugh was set up. In fact, his duties had become exceedingly irksome from this species of annoyance ...

The Times 3 Arpil 1832