Nailed It

Coimetrophobia

the irrational fear or textbook phobia of Cemeteries. Anxiety, raised pulse, nausea and shortness of breath are some of the symptoms that overcome someone with the severe fear. Did you know Coimetrophobia and the results are often attributed to the other fear of Taphophobia, fear of being buried alive. Now this hasnt happened by much in the last 90 years but in the 1600 to late 1800s it was actually a real possibility. Before the medical inventions to double check the vitals post-mortem people actually were discovered to have been pronounced deceased when in fact it , they were far from it.

In 1661, Lawrence Cawthorn was a wealthy town butcher, who fell very ill to Fever, his lady of the house was eager to collect his wares and wealth and had him declared succumbed and entombed immediately. Not long after he was sealed in, his vistors and mourners of could hear sounds, banging and shrieks from within his enclosed grave. The gravediggers rushed to rescue him but were too late, he was found under his shroud swollen and frozen in a scream for help. This being the first in record of premature burial. This wasnt the first or last, to name a few, *1817 Mayor of Bath, Mr Cornish. Found 3 days post burial on his knees outside of his coffin. *1891 Octavia Smith Hatcher, pronounced passed of a mysterious coma. When her body was exhumed she was found with bloody broken nails, her glass coffin lid broken and a silent scream on her face.

In the late 1920s this was becoming too often of an occurrence and gravediggers started to place a bell with a string in the 6 ft depths. One end attached to a shovel, the other to the recently departed. Giving them a chance to ring the bell should they need help. They also would remove the nails from a coffin and place on the ground for easier way to release the "body"

This method did not catch on tho, much to the trauma to the next young man.

In 1937 a 19yr old Frenchman, Angelo Hayes was severely injured in a motorcycle accident. Hitting a brick wall, was pronounced deceased at the scene, body mangled and beyond recognition. The medical practitioner waited 3 days since the accident to bury the young man as common practice of the time. However something was off about the young gentlemans passing, a heafty insurnace policy and a bike that had been tampered with. 2 days post burial he was exhumed and found to still be warm WITH a pulse. It was believed to be such injury from head trauma that he survived the burial due to almost a statis style coma requiring very little oxygen.

He survived. He even became an celebrity and inventor. Profiting off his trauma by inventing a style for modern day burials that would no longer contain nails for quick escape. In 1974 he invented a coffin with a small oven, hi-fi cassette player and a hinged lid. At his eventual demise. He requested to be cremated.

Images: My authentic coffin nails circa 1790-1820 AndQF community plot where most of the remains have been removed and returned home to mainland China.

#day9 #Cemeteries #sorry #respectthedead #nevertrusttheliving #funfacts #31daysofhalloween