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Edgar Allan Poe

US Patents related to Premature Burial

While we have several of the patents on display, here are those and others issued between 1871 - 1904.

US121666

US260379

US268693

US329495

US357190

US371626

US455446  

US465548.

US500013

US500072

US522110

US534254

US572118

US572119

US576676

US584876

US638265

US652934

US658247

US666605

US766171

Thanks to Linda Shackle, one of the former Noble Engineering Librarians, for finding all of these patents!

Premature Burial

 A Casket for those who might wake up.

The fears of premature burial were well founded given the state of the 19th Century medical profession as outlined in this article: The Dead Ringer: Medicine, Poe, and the fear of premature burial

There were also two editions of this book, originally published in 1896: Premature burial, and how it may be prevented, with special reference to trance catalepsy, and other forms of suspended animation

This topic continues to fascinate:

Agutter, P. S., et al. (2013). Hysterical paralysis and premature burial: A medieval Persian case, fear and fascination in the west, and modern practice. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 20(3), 133-135. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jflm.2012.05.006 (ASU access only)

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