Exploding Coffins? ⚰️ 💥

In the 19th century, there was a widespread fear of body snatching. Medical schools stole recently buried corpses for use as cadavers. After the Civil War, grave-robbing became a problem, as people looked to steal valuables from the deceased. An inventor created an exploding coffin to deter this, but some coffins didn’t need explosives…

[@1st508thAirborne]

She went out with BANG... lol.

[@acrothdragon]

Back before the time when embalming was more wide spread you didn’t have much time to wait before the body started to decompose and issues arise. With edema or the old term is dropsy excess fluid and likely hot and humid weather exasperated the decomposition even if a cooler or refrigerated (they used blocks of ice to help refrigerate the body) casket was used your still racing against the clock. Even today I highly recommend families don’t procrastinate when setting up a funeral service modern embalming and refrigeration may get a body to last 2 weeks before issues come up.

[@anneglass8084]

We need this for catalytic converter thieves

[@AmericanMythology]

Indeed!

[@Nyctonaut]

That's crazy I just started following you a few months ago and had no idea you covered this because.... i JUST covered it in my "4 stories from the Victorian era newspapers" episode! What are the chances we found the same article huh? Crazy right!

[@robertabray-enhus3198]

It happens today at mausoleums occasionally.

[@astzfat3319]

YIKES!!! WHAT A VISUAL! 🤯

[@learning2live_brokeninchro157]

I laughed so hard I almost peed myself! 🤣😂🤣

[@peter_ausnit]

Very interesting. Looking forward to more content from your channel. Pleasure meeting you today!

[@phoenixfireclusterbomb]

Why in the sam hell would people rob a carcass? Like, damn, some folks just have no morals. What a fukdt up existence that would be.

[@AmericanMythology]

Medical schools used to rob graves to get cadavers.

[@jellydarling1008]

This is truly crazy I love it!

[@sunconuresolar2658]

Bwahahaha Love your sense of humor.

[@SoldierPoet]

Very cool video. Have a wonderful night. 👍

[@AmericanMythology]

I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thanks!

[@spamlives77]

Can’t go back to sleep Cannot ever go back to sleep

[@CosmosGwelf]

Is this a depiction of the real Mrs. Peterson, sitting on that chair? 😳

[@AmericanMythology]

No, it’s a vintage medical illustration of a woman with “dropsy,” an old term for edema, probably from congestive heart failure in this story.

[@CosmosGwelf]

Wow. Thank you, and thank god for modern medical science