Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 195-215).

A March 1866 issue of The Lancet observes, "If a newspaper were in want of a startling story with which to enliven a dull copy in the 'off season,' it could not do better than select one with the heading "'Buried Alive'"("Premature Interment" 295). Stories of being buried alive gave readers of all backgrounds a thrill. However, the stories frustrated the medical and scientific communities who were quick to dismiss the threat of live burial as a possibility in a modern world. Drawing on the literary history of "buried alive" stories and medical knowledge surrounding death signs and catalepsy, this thesis explores how two of L.T. Meade's stories from her Stories from the Diary of a Doctor series engages with the "buried alive" literary tradition in favor of nineteenth-century debate for death certification reform. Through applying common tropes found within the "buried alive" literary tradition, Meade's Diary of a Doctor stories address the most pressing concerns surrounding death certification reform in a way that engage contemporary readers' interest while emphasizing the need for legislative change.