In consequence of the increasing number of grave-yard desecrations, the genius of the inventor has been incited to devise means for their defeat. Among the most recent patents is one for a coffin torpedo, which consists of a canister containing powder, balls and a firing trigger, so arranged that, on placing the torpedo within the coffin, and finally closing the lid, should any attempt be made to open the coffin the torpedo will be instantly exploded, a noise like thunder ensue, and deadly balls will fly in all directions. Had the remains of the late millionaire, Mr. Steward, been protected by means of this invention, the neighborhood in that part of the city where his body rested would have been alarmed while the robbers themselves would doubtless have suffered sudden death as the penalty of the sacrilegious attempt.–Scientific American
I can’t seem to find a Mr Steward whose grave was robbed ca. 1878. However, the coffin torpedo mentioned may have been invented by Phil K. Clover, of Columbus, Ohio. Unfortunately, I don’t know what it would be classified under at the US Patent and Trademark Office, so I can’t give you a link to the patent.
The Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly article which mentions Mr Clover gives details on the practice of “body snatching” by resurrectionists for medical colleges (it’s worth reading the whole article). It must have been quite a lucrative operation, especially since it was illegal (in Ohio at least) to dissect a human cadaver until 1881.
From the same article:
It was disclosed that [a resurrectionist gang] had a regular contract with the firm of A. H. Jones and Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan, and that they operated in different parts of the state, remaining at one point for only a short time. Evidence was found to show that they were then attempting to fill an order for seventy bodies, two of which, that of an old lady and a boy, had been recently exhumed at Toledo, and that sixty bodies had been shipped to the Ann Arbor firm while the gang was operating at Columbus.
Such activities sound strange to our modern ears. The thought that medical colleges placed orders for illegally exhumed bodies seems ludicrous, yet for centuries that was the only way medical student could learn anatomy. I suppose it’s the only way still, but at least the students won’t risk prosecution.
One other interesting bit about this article is the Ann Arbor Democrat cites Scientific American, although the Ohio newspapers were full of grave-robbing stories in 1878. Perhaps there was a bit of interstate rivalry? Or maybe the Ann Arbor papers didn’t want to report such sensitive information so close to home.
4 comments ↓
Another odd invention against the resurrectionists was the mortsafe. A particulalry fine specimen here: http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?image=10287925&wwwflag=2&imagepos=7
FYI: More about the resurrectionists generally can be found in Ruth Richardson’s interesting “Death Dissection and the Destitute”. It explained the reason for my grandparents’ obsession with having enough money to pay for their funerals. Thanks to the Anatomy act, pauper’s bodies could be requisitioned by the state for dissection. This obsession with saving for funeral expenses persisted for generations after the cause had evaporated– more bodies are donated now than all the medical students in the UK can use.
That’s a cool picture. It’s too bad that I don’t understand how to search the US Patent Office using the Patent Classification system (which you have to use pre-1975). I was browsing once and came across numerous improvement patents, etc. on ways to protect one’s grave from resurrectionists. Of course I can’t find them again.
It’s still quite common here — many people have small insurances that are intended to only cover the cost of their funeral.
That’s interesting. In the US, it is unusual to find somebody who is planning on being a body donor. And there are all kinds of rules associated with it, such as you have to be pre-registered, be in the same state as the medical school, etc.
There was a book published recently — Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach. I’m intending to read it Real Soon Now. I’ll also look for Richardson’s book. Should be a lively pair!
I can vouch for both books – excellent sources of information, and very entertaining (at least to me…!)
I live in Ann Arbor; this was written up in ‘The Ann Arbor Observer’ a year or so ago. Apparently the med school professors had one guy on staff to arrange this. They had to go out of town after a grave was discovered dug up, with a dirt trail leading to the med school (~1/4-1/2 mile).