I am not Dead!!

DEAD PERSON:  I'm not dead!

  MORTICIAN:  Here -- he says he's not dead!

  CUSTOMER:  Yes, he is.

  DEAD PERSON:  I'm not!

  MORTICIAN:  He isn't.

  CUSTOMER:  Well, he will be soon, he's very ill.

  DEAD PERSON:  I'm getting better!

  CUSTOMER:  No, you're not -- you'll be stone dead in a moment.......

The psychopathological fear of being buried alive is called taphophobia, (from the Greek taphos, meaning "grave".) Literally it translates into "fear of graves." Before modern medicine, this fear was not irrational. During the 18th and 19th century many people had been accidentally buried alive due to improper medical diagnoses.

Being buried alive was such an elaborated fear that those who could afford it, made special arrangements. Certain burial customs, such as bodies being viewed for up to ten days prior to being put in the ground were observed. In fact, these plans included the use of a "safety coffin". These special coffins were designed to ensure accidental burial would be avoided. Special coffins contructed with; glass lids for observation, ropes to pull bells for signaling, and breathing pipes for survival until rescued were often used.  None the less, sometimes these horrific instances did happen.

"I'm not dead. I am alive.......I'm alive....."

Bon Voyage for now....

More info.....

http://danfingerman.com/dtm/archives/cat_patents.html

http://oakgrovecemetery.wordpress.com/victorian-funeral-customs-fears-and-superstitions/

http://www.sloughhistoryonline.org.uk/ixbin/hixclient.exe?a=query&p=slough&f=generic_theme.htm&_IXFIRST_=1&_IXMAXHITS_=1&%3Dtheme_record_id=sl-sl-burial&s=Igu7ixb1oCI

http://www.prairieghosts.com/grave_horror.html

Have your own coffins made to order:

http://www.vintagecoffins.com/index.html