“At a hospital in Liege two house-surgeons were at the ‘Salles des décades’ in pursuance of their anatomical studies, when hearing at one side of them a noise like stifled breathing great was their fear! Still they coolly finished their examination, and then discovered the supposed corpse moving convulsively amongst his dead companions; but, thanks to efficient help, he was completely restored to health.” (The above occurred in 1847.)
M.B. Gaubert, in “Les Chambres Mortuaires d’Attente,” records the six following cases:—“On the 25th of January, 1849, the Journal des Débats recorded a fact somewhat similar to that which lately disturbed the town of Perigueux:—
“‘MUNICH.
“‘A young man who was asphyxiated by charcoal had been declared dead by the doctor. After they had been watching the body twenty-four hours at the mortuary chamber, the family caused it to be carried to the church, where it passed the night without the customary caretaker. The next morning “the corpse” was found bathed in its own blood, and the floor of the church was stained. Restored to consciousness during the night and not having any help, the poor young man had succumbed to hæmorrhage, brought on by the incisions which they blindly practised on the body of the supposed dead one to make sure of his death.’
“‘The mother of a family had just lost her child, aged five years. She carried to the Leichenhäuser a heart broken by grief, cherishing the vague hope in the depth of her love that this separation would not be the last. According to habit the families of Munich exposed the corpse in a mortuary chamber amidst flowers and trees, and surrounded by a circle of light. The Leichenhäus then appeared to have lost its habitual funereal character—for it had quite a festive air. The poor mother passed the night amidst tears and prayers, waiting with anxiety and hoping for the arrival of the good news. The next morning a workman of the Leichenhäuser knocked at the door of the house with a large bundle which he carried in his arms; a few seconds after, the mother pressed to her heart the resuscitated child which she was told she had just lost. The transports of joy she experienced were so great that she fell down dead. The child had come to life in the mortuary by himself, and, when the keeper saw it, it was playing with the white roses which had been placed on its shroud.’ (P. 179.)
“The same recent writer quotes the following on the testimony of the surgeons Louis and Junker:—
“‘SALTPÉTRIÈRE.
“‘A young country girl,’ said Surgeon Louis, ‘strong and vigorous, twenty-five years old, left on foot from the Hotel Dieu, Paris, where she had been resting the night before, and came to Saltpétrière. The fatigue of the journey induced an attack of syncope on her arrival. They put her on the bed, and with cordials and warmth she revived, but at the end of an hour she had another attack. They thought she was dead, and carried her to the mortuary. After leaving the body—it had remained there some time—they carried it to the amphitheatre. The next morning a young surgeon said he had heard plaintive cries in the amphitheatre, and his fear had prevented him from coming to tell me. I went into the amphitheatre, and saw with sorrow that the poor girl, who had vainly struggled to free herself from the sheet which enveloped her, was now quite dead. She had one leg on the floor, and an arm on the seat of the trestle of a dissecting table. I here recall the feelings of horror with which I was agitated on this occasion. I doubt if there ever was a sadder or more touching spectacle than this.’ (P. 187.)
“BERLIN.