I heard once as a child that it was to stop vampires from escaping as it was a common belief back in the day. I never questioned this, even during adulthood, so it's nice to see other perspectives. Thank you for enlightening me on a myth I believed in for so long.
Although the one death was clearly linked to childbirth, June 1852 was at the apex of the 2nd major cholera epidemic. It was quite common for several family members to die at the same time even on the same day. It was also common for young healthy individuals in their teens and twenties to die of cholera since they were also likely to travel to nearby farms or villages and drink from a contaminated well, the source of the disease. Mortsafe use to prevent body snatching for sale to vivisectionists reached its peak in 1828 Edinburgh. The use of a "birdcage" mortsafe in 1852 Pennsylvania is more indicative of protecting the living from the dead than the other way round.
Thanks, David! I also considered disease, which would explain it, but the childbirth dates seemed too coincidental. Either way, a tragic and fascinating memorial!
The system would not allow me to edit answer after I posted. What I meant to express was that obviously childbirth was involved in death of the one but it is also very coincidental that these deaths occur at the height of the worst cholera epidemic of the 20th century. In our cemetery there are 50% more burials in the cholera years of 1852 and 1854. In other areas of the country cholera peaked between 1849 and 1854. But it was endemic after 1832 and came and went in spurts till almost 1900. Cholera was also a disease that weakened most of the afflicted and then they were finished off by other diseases such as influenza or pneumonia later in the year. It is quite possible she had cholera at about the same time as giving birth and the two conditions acted in concert to take her life. In the 1850 mortality census cholera only represented maybe 15% of deaths by itself but was likely a factor in many of the other deaths. It would be horrific to endure childbirth and cholera at the same time.
I heard once as a child that it was to stop vampires from escaping as it was a common belief back in the day. I never questioned this, even during adulthood, so it's nice to see other perspectives. Thank you for enlightening me on a myth I believed in for so long.
It's my pleasure—thank you so much for reading!
Fascinating. Thank you Katie.
Thanks for reading, Mary!
Although the one death was clearly linked to childbirth, June 1852 was at the apex of the 2nd major cholera epidemic. It was quite common for several family members to die at the same time even on the same day. It was also common for young healthy individuals in their teens and twenties to die of cholera since they were also likely to travel to nearby farms or villages and drink from a contaminated well, the source of the disease. Mortsafe use to prevent body snatching for sale to vivisectionists reached its peak in 1828 Edinburgh. The use of a "birdcage" mortsafe in 1852 Pennsylvania is more indicative of protecting the living from the dead than the other way round.
Thanks, David! I also considered disease, which would explain it, but the childbirth dates seemed too coincidental. Either way, a tragic and fascinating memorial!
The system would not allow me to edit answer after I posted. What I meant to express was that obviously childbirth was involved in death of the one but it is also very coincidental that these deaths occur at the height of the worst cholera epidemic of the 20th century. In our cemetery there are 50% more burials in the cholera years of 1852 and 1854. In other areas of the country cholera peaked between 1849 and 1854. But it was endemic after 1832 and came and went in spurts till almost 1900. Cholera was also a disease that weakened most of the afflicted and then they were finished off by other diseases such as influenza or pneumonia later in the year. It is quite possible she had cholera at about the same time as giving birth and the two conditions acted in concert to take her life. In the 1850 mortality census cholera only represented maybe 15% of deaths by itself but was likely a factor in many of the other deaths. It would be horrific to endure childbirth and cholera at the same time.