# Of airtight caskets and morbid curiosity **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 2, 2002, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-airtight-caskets-and-morbid-curiosity/135029 "2002-11-02T23:14:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2002, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-airtight-caskets-and-morbid-curiosity/135029/21 "2002-11-05T16:59:15Z")
**owlstretchingtime** mentioned accidentally opening a 750-year-old sealed lead coffin in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=130194). (The thread is about foul smells, and gets _pretty_ nasty at times, you have been warned…) ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2002, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-airtight-caskets-and-morbid-curiosity/135029/22 "2002-11-05T17:06:27Z")
**owlstretchingtime** mentioned accidentally opening a 750-year-old sealed lead coffin in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=130194). (The thread is about foul smells, and gets _pretty_ nasty at times, you have been warned…) ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2002, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-airtight-caskets-and-morbid-curiosity/135029/23 "2002-11-05T17:48:16Z")
I can vouch for the stench. I’ve smelled it, and it’s unbelievable. Some mysteries are better left unsolved. ---
**Author:** ![tramp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@tramp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tramp)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2002, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-airtight-caskets-and-morbid-curiosity/135029/24 "2002-11-05T18:51:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Spit \* > \*\*What if you go before he does? He might get pissed… \*\* Thats OK too. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-airtight-caskets-and-morbid-curiosity/135029/25 "2002-11-06T00:27:34Z")
Well, **CzechMaster401k** , you _could_ try an experiment with a leftover jack-o-lantern. Put it in a big ol’ glass jar, seal it up real good, and watch what happen’s. Or, maybe a pound or two of hamburger? Have fun. 😉 Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Milton\_De\_La\_Warre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Milton\_De\_La\_Warre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milton_De_La_Warre)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-airtight-caskets-and-morbid-curiosity/135029/26 "2002-11-07T15:49:18Z")
Occasionally I hear of situations where a long-gone individual is exhumed for re-examination, and from the cases I know of, they were in surprisingly good shape (all thimgs considered). One that comes to mind is a victim of the “Boston Strangler” who was recently exhumed to get a DNA sample in an effort to prove it was a Mr. Nasser than Mr. DeSalvo who did her in. AFAIK, the DID get a sample of the rapist/murder’s DNA from her, and from the partial photos they showed, she didn’t look liquified or like the “tales from the crypt” guy. ---
**Author:** ![Milton\_De\_La\_Warre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Milton\_De\_La\_Warre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milton_De_La_Warre)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-airtight-caskets-and-morbid-curiosity/135029/27 "2002-11-07T19:06:37Z")
Occasionally I hear of situations where a long-gone individual is exhumed for re-examination, and from the cases I know of, they were in surprisingly good shape (all thimgs considered). One that comes to mind is a victim of the “Boston Strangler” who was recently exhumed to get a DNA sample in an effort to prove it was a Mr. Nasser than Mr. DeSalvo who did her in. AFAIK, the DID get a sample of the rapist/murder’s DNA from her, and from the partial photos they showed, she didn’t look liquified or like the “tales from the crypt” guy. ---
**Author:** ![TheLadyLion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d78d45/32.png) [@TheLadyLion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLadyLion)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-airtight-caskets-and-morbid-curiosity/135029/28 "2002-11-10T21:17:12Z")
Spread my ashes? Bury my ashes? Save my ashes on the mantelpiece? I would rather have my ashes hauled while I’m still alive! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-airtight-caskets-and-morbid-curiosity/135029.md?page=1)