,illustration3 ,a ,,modern ,,cinerary ,,urn4 7,frontispiece47 ,,the ,,cremation ,,of ,,the ,,dead ,,considered ,,from ,,an ,,sthetic1 ,,sanitary1 ,,religious1 ,,historical1 ,,medico-,,legal1 ,,and ,,economical ,,standpoint ,,by ,,hugo ,,erichsen1 ,m4,d4 ,,licentiate ,,of ,,the ,,royal ,,college ,,of ,,physicians ,,and ,,surgeons ,,of ,,kingston1 ,,canada2 ,,member ,,of ,,the ,,committee ,,of ,,organization ,,of ,,the ,,first ,,international ,,cremation ,,congress2 ,,corresponding ,,member ,,of ,,the ,,cremation ,,societies ,,of ,,new ,,york ,,and ,,berlin2 ,,foreign ,,associate ,,member ,,of ,,the ,,hygienic ,,society ,,of ,,france2 ,,honorary ,,member ,,of ,,the ,,cremation ,,society ,,of ,,milan1 ,,italy2 ,,etc4 ,with an ,introductory ,note ,,by ,,sir ,t4 ,,spencer ,,wells1 ,,bart41 ,f4,r4,s4 ,,late ,,president ,,of ,,the ,,royal ,,college ,,of ,,surgeons ,,of ,,england2 ,,surgeon ,,to ,,the ,,queen',s ,,household2 ,,etc4 ,,illustrated ,delenda est inhumatio6 ,,detroit ,d4 ,o4 ,,haynes ,,company #ahhg ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- 8,why should we seek to clothe death with unnecessary terror1 and spread horror round the tomb of those we love8 ,the grave should be surrounded with everything that might ensure tenderness and veneration40 --,,washington ,,irving4 8,die ,leichenverbrennung verdient die ,achtung1 welche ihr um ihres hohen ,werthes willen im klassischen ,alterthum gezollt wurde1 auch heute noch1 da sie die einzige ,art der ,todtenbestattung ist1 die vor den schrecklichen ,folgen der ,verwesungsduenste sichert und das bei der ,leichenbeerdigung so oft vorgekommene ,wiedererwachen im ,grabe verhuetet40 --,j4 ,p4 ,,trusen4 8,si nous sommes une statue ,sculpte l'image de ,dieu2 ,quand cette image est abattue1 ,jetons-en les dbris au feu6 ,toi1 forme immortelle1 remonte ,dans la flamme1 aux sources du ,beau1 ,sans que ton argile ait la honte ,et les misres du tombeau60 --,,th,,ophile ,,gautier4 ,copyright1 #ahhg1 ,,by ,,hugo ,,erichsen4 ,j4 ,s4 ,,cushing ,,co41 ,,printers1 ,,boston4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,to ,,william ,,eassie1 ,c4,e41 ,f4,l4,s41 ,honorary ,secretary of the ,cremation ,society of ,england1 and ,,dr4 ,,prosper ,,de ,,pietra-,,santa1 of ,paris1 ,,this ,,volume ,,is ,,dedicated as a mark of high esteem1 and in recognition of their untiring labor in behalf of that greatest of all sanitary reforms1 cremation1 by their sincere admirer1 ,,the ,,author4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,preface4 ,it is hardly necessary to explain the purpose of this work4 ,it is an appeal to the general public2 a plea for the burning of the dead4 ,the period of fierce and fanatic opposition to cremation has passed1 and made way for a calm consideration of the subject4 ,in #ahgd a ,persian gentleman1 then a resident of one of the ,eastern ,states of our own free and great republic1 who wanted to have his wife cremated1 was compelled by an ignorant mob to resort to interment4 ,happily we are over that now4 ,it is astonishing that the cremation question has not been taken hold of by the literarians of our country2 there is hardly a subject that rewards its student so well as cremation1 and future writers on incineration1 not hampered by the literary inexperience under which ,i have labored1 will reap a rich harvest indeed when they devote their talent and time to the reform4 ,i would counsel those who are in favor of cremation to immediately put in writing their desire to have their body committed to the flames after death instead of having it consigned to 8dirt and darkness40 ,such written requests should be preserved in places where they can be easily found after decease2 for instance1 in the writing-desk4 ,if every individual promotor of the reform1 male or female1 considering the uncertainty of life1 would follow this advice1 cremation would speedily prevail4 ,i am sensible of the many defects of this book1 but ,i trust that it will be found to furnish some useful information which cannot well be obtained elsewhere1 besides proving an assistance to those who are desirous of studying the question more fully4 ,i desire to express my indebtedness to crematists in all parts of the world for the valuable assistance ,i received from them in the preparation of this volume4 ,for all who like cleanliness1 for all who love true sentiment1 for all friends of economy1 for all who venerate their dead1 and for all who are not afraid of reform the following pages were written4 ,it only remains to express the thanks due the following gentlemen for permission to use illustrations without which this book would have been decidedly incomplete3 ,messrs4 ,dodd1 ,mead ,co41 ,cyrus ,k4 ,remington1 ,augustus ,cobb1 ,albert ,meininger1 and ,dr4 ,m4 ,l4 ,davis4 ,h4 ,e4 ,,detroit1 ,feb4 #bh1 #ahhg4 ,,contents4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,page ,,the ,,history ,,of ,,cremation #a ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,the ,,evils ,,of ,,burial2 ,,the ,,sanitary ,,aspect ,,of ,,incineration #ff ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,cremation ,,in ,,times ,,of ,,war #abi ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,the ,,processes ,,of ,,modern ,,cremation #adj ,,chapter ,v4 ,,the ,,medico-,,legal ,,aspect ,,of ,,incineration4--,,the ,,objections ,,to #aeg ,,cremation ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,burial ,,alive4--,,cremation ,,from ,,an ,,sthetic ,,and ,,religious ,,point ,,of #ahj ,,view ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,the ,,economy ,,of ,,cremating ,,the ,,dead4--,,the ,,present ,,state ,,of ,,the #bbd ,,cremation ,,question ,,introduction4 ,,dr4 ,h4 ,,erichsen3 ,dear ,sir1--,in reply to your request that ,i should write an introduction to a work which you are about to compose on cremation1 ,i am placed in the great difficulty of knowing nothing of your book1 not even having seen its title-page or table of contents4 ,it is quite impossible1 therefore1 for me to say how far your views and my own may accord4 ,but1 as ,i suppose your object is to bring before the people of ,america proof of the evil effects to the living inseparable from the present mode of disposal of the dead by burying them in the earth1 as well as to show how these evils may be avoided by burning dead bodies1--in a word1 by the substitution of cremation for burial1 of purification for putrefaction1--,i have great pleasure in doing the little that is in my power to assist in bringing a very important question of sanitary reform before a thoughtful1 intelligent1 and advancing nation4 ,i do not know how far ,i am right in supposing that with you in the ,west1 as with us in the ,east1 a knowledge of sanitary science1 of the conditions which are necessary for the health of mankind1 is still confined to the comparatively few who may be called the well educated class4 ,nor do ,i know how far this knowledge has been diffused among the classes of your population who have received but little education4 ,but ,i do know with us it is the highest classes1 in the sense of the best educated classes1 who are the most earnest in their efforts to disseminate that branch of knowledge or science which1 in the words of ,parkes1 aims at rendering 8youth most perfect1 decay less rapid1 life more vigorous1 and death more remote40 ,parkes is dead1 but he still speaks to us by his book1 and he says3-- 8,the disposal of the dead is always a question of difficulty4 ,if the dead are buried1 so great at last is the accumulation of bodies that the whole country round a great city becomes gradually a vast cemetery4 ,after death1 the buried body returns to its elements4 ,if1 instead of being buried1 the body is burned1 the same process occurs more rapidly4 ,a community must always dispose of its dead1 either by burial in land or water1 or by burning1 or chemical destruction equivalent to burning1 or by embalming or preserving4 ,the eventual dispersion of our frame is the same in all cases4 ,neither affection nor religion can be outraged by any manner of disposal of the dead which is done with proper solemnity and respect to the earthly dwelling-places of our friends4 ,the question should be entirely placed on sanitary grounds4 ,burying in the ground appears certainly to be the most insanitary plan40 ,parkes died before we had learned how perfectly and cheaply1 how rapidly and inoffensively cremation could be carried on2 and he favored burying in the sea rather than in the earth1 whenever the distance was not too great for transport4 ,he knew well how impossible it is to prevent graveyards within towns1 or suburban cemeteries1 from becoming sooner or later a source of danger or nuisance to the living1 how difficult it is to find a suitable site and soil1 sufficient space1 and to secure proper regulations and management4 ,these difficulties may not be so great amid your unlimited space as with us2 but they must be an increasing evil in and around your large cities4 ,i trust1 therefore1 that your work may assist in the more rapid progress of cremation as a substitute for burial4 ,with us the legal objection has ceased4 ,it is now acknowledged by the government1 and has been decided by three judges that if cremation is so performed as to create no nuisance1 and incite to no breach of the peace1 it is not illegal4 ,the religious objection has been answered by the ,bishop of ,manchester1 by ,canon ,liddon1 and by the ,earl of ,shaftesbury4 ,the bishop said3 8,no intelligent faith can suppose that any ,christian doctrine is affected by the manner in which this mortal body of ours crumbles into dust and sees corruption40 ,canon ,liddon said1 in a sermon at ,st4 ,paul's ,cathedral3-- 8,the resurrection of a body from its ashes is not a greater miracle than the resurrection of an unburnt body2 each must be purely miraculous40 ,lord ,shaftesbury said to me that any doubt as to the resurrection of a body because it had been burnt was an 8audacious limitation of the ,almighty02 and he asked1 8,what1 then1 has become of the blessed martyrs who were burned at the stake in ancient and modern persecution80 ,the medico-legal objection that murdered or poisoned persons if burned could not be exhumed1 as is sometimes done if suspicion of foul play arise after burial1 is answered by the strict observance of proper regulations before cremation4 ,much more complete medical certificates as to the cause of death are required by the cremation society of ,england than by any cemetery company2 and in some cases1 a post-mortem examination is insisted on4 ,in this way1 cremation becomes a security to the public against secret poisoning or any form of murder4 ,the sentimental objection is that which can only be overcome by time and education4 ,when the people know how great are the evils dependent on burial in the earth1 even when this is done under the most favorable conditions1 how seldom these conditions can be secured1 and1 when the knowledge becomes general that when a human body which would require five1 ten1 or twenty years to slowly putrefy in any soil can in one hour be cheaply and inoffensively converted into a white ash1 public sentiment must favor cremation in place of corruption1 and for putrefaction substitute purification4 ,the same religious ceremonial might accompany either mode of disposal of the dead4 ,the ashes might be dispersed to the winds1 harmlessly buried1 or preserved in urns near monuments or memorial tablets in our cemeteries1 or beneath or around any place of worship1 or in any family mausoleum1 or in some park1 public garden1 or any ornamental open space near a great city1 as the wishes of the dead or of the surviving relations and friends may prefer4 ,here1 we hope the city of ,london will be the first municipal body in the ,kingdom to set the example in this sanitary reform4 ,but1 perhaps1 the impetus may be given by our ,american cousins and brothers4 ,i am1 dear sir1 faithfully yours1 ,t4 ,,spencer ,,wells4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,history ,,of ,,cremation4 ,ye in the age gone by1 ,who ruled the world--a world how lovely then ,and guided still the steps of happy men ,in the light leading-strings of careless joy6 ,before the bed of death ,no ghastly spectre stood--but from the porch ,of life1 the lip--one kiss inhaled the breath1 ,and the mute1 graceful genius lowered a torch6 ,,schiller3 ,the ,gods of ,greece4 ,primeval man most likely disposed of his dead by carrying them into the woods or leaving them anywhere above ground1 a prey to animals of all kinds4 ,but soon the organs of sight and smell took offense at the mutilated and decayed corpses1 and they were buried4 ,with the increase of population it became necessary to render the dead innocuous to the living1 and then1 perhaps1 cremation was originally resorted to as a means of protecting the living from the effects of corruption4 ,in the early stages of the world's history1 when there was plenty of available land1 interment was of course a very cheap process1 and therefore often resorted to by the poorer classes1 but persons of intelligence and education always preferred incineration as the better method of disposing of dead bodies4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,roman ,,columbarium4 ,in the gradual growth among scientists of the belief that cremation is preferable to the present system of inhumation1 is seen another instance of modern civilization borrowing the ideas of the far-distant past4 ,the pendulum by which the world's age is measured swings in an immense arc4 ,now1 after thousands of years1 the views of the leaders of human thought are swinging back to that expressed by some of the earliest peoples4 ,incineration is a most ancient practice4 ,it has always been a matter of difficulty to ascertain the origin of ancient customs4 ,in the case of cremation the historians have not been able to discover the date when it was first practiced4 ,the history of ancient cremation1 however1 can be traced to nearly #bjjj years before ,christ4 ,incineration is regarded by some authors as the outcome of the sun-worship of the ,phnicians4 ,their solar god 7,helios7--the ,melikertes of the ,greeks--was represented by them as burning himself1 whereby they wanted to indicate the ever-returning solar year4 ,among the ancient nations1 the sun was especially revered and worshipped by the ,persians1 ,egyptians1 and the ,sabian ,arabs4 ,at ,heliopolis1 ,phnicia1 and ,palmyra1 ,syria1 there were celebrated temples consecrated to the sun4 ,in some of the countries mentioned1 horses which were1 on account of their celerity1 regarded as symbols of the sun were sacrificed to this celestial body4 ,some authors ascribe the origin of cremation to the self-immolation of ,hercules4 ,dr4 ,le ,moyne1 the founder of the first crematorium erected in the ,united ,states1 asserted that the first authenticated case of burning the dead was the proposed incineration of ,isaac1 and that1 although it was not consummated1 it was fully authorized by the ,deity4 ,in consequence he argues that cremationists stand in the shadow of the ,lord1 and that any one who opposes them commits a sacrilege4 ,i do not believe that incineration1 as some of its antagonists have imputed1 had its origin in a heathen religion1 but ,i am quite certain1 from existing evidence1 that it was originally resorted to upon sanitary grounds1 and as a means to protect the living against corruption4 ,it may be possible that incineration owes its origin to the ancient nomadic tribes that burnt their dead and carried the ashes with them4 ,among agricultural peoples1 those who died in war1 and while hunting1 were sometimes consigned to the flames1 either because the grave would not protect them from wild animals1 or because it was desired to return the ashes to the relatives1 who would keep them sacred4 ,the origin of incineration1 as appears from what ,i have said1 is surrounded with a great deal of obscurity4 ,it is1 however1 an established fact that the ,orient was the birthplace of cremation4 ,the ,egyptians first buried their dead1 then embalmed them1 and1 according to ,walker1 at a period not stated1 abolished embalming and substituted burning4 ,they performed incineration by placing the corpse in an amianthus receptacle1 which1 remaining intact1 kept the bones apart from the fuel4 ,the tombs of the ,assyrians1 discovered on the banks of the ,tigris and ,euphrates1 furnish us with unmistakable evidence of the fact that the burning of the dead was not unknown to them4 ,the same applies to the ,babylonians4 ,the tombs of both peoples when explored were found to contain urns holding human bones and ashes2 these urns were often very large1 being sometimes of sufficient size to admit the body of an adult4 ,the ,persians either burned their dead or dissolved them in aqua fortis4 ,yet they also practiced burial in deep sepulchres that had niches in which the bodies were deposited upon slabs4 ,the ,hebrews commonly interred their deceased1 but incineration was likewise practiced4 ,the ,mosaic code prescribed that those who transgressed the laws of wedlock and chastity should be put to death by fire4 ,in ,i4 ,moses xxxviii4 #bd1 we find the first evidence of this4 ,the third book of ,moses1 xx4 #ad and xxi4 #i1 also bears testimony to this fact4 ,thus we see that cineration was looked upon by this people of antiquity in the early period of its history as a punishment for offenders against the married state and chastity4 ,it is barely possible 7deductions one may draw from certain passages in the books of ,moses7 that the ancient ,jews first stoned these disobedients1 then burned their bodies publicly1 and finally erected a so-called mound of infamy over their remains4 ,but as we follow ,hebrew history1 we soon find that cremation was transformed from a humiliating act of punition to the highest honor1 to a distinction that was only accorded to royalty4 ,the first king of ,israel was cremated after the battle with the ,philistines in ,mount ,gilboa1 where he and his three sons fell4 ,the ,holy ,bible relates how1 when the inhabitants of ,jabesh-,gilead heard of that which the ,philistines had done to ,saul 7,i4 ,samuel xxxi4 #ab73 8,all the valiant men arose1 and went all night1 and took the bodies of ,saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of ,beth-shan1 and came to ,jabesh and burnt them there40 ,and verse #ac of the same chapter informs us3 8,and they took their bones 7ossilegio7 and buried them under a tree at ,jabesh and fasted seven days40 ,asa1 king of ,judah1 was also consigned to the funeral pyre1 as we glean from ,,ii4 ,chronicles xvi4 #ad3 8,and they buried him in his own sepulchres1 which he had made for himself in the city of ,david1 and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odors and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art2 and they made a very great burning of him40 ,of ,asa's grandson1 ,king ,jehoram1 it is said that his people cremated him not like his fathers1 because he had furthered idolatry4 ,on the other hand1 ,isaiah xxx4 #cc refers to a large pyre that was kept alight to consume the bodies of the deceased3 8,for ,tophet is ordained of old2 yea1 for the king it is prepared2 he hath made it deep and large2 the pile thereof is fire and much wood2 the breath of the ,lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it40 ,jeremiah 7xxxiv4 #e7 prophesied of ,zedekiah1 another king of ,judah1 that he would be burned with the same honors that attended the cremation of his predecessors4 ,and in ,amos vi4 #aj1 we find the following1 which also points to incineration3 8,and a man's uncle shall take him up1 and he that burneth him1 to bring out the bones out of the house10 etc4 ,the last passage cited and the one mentioning the ,vale of ,tophet1 are construed by some writers as meaning that the ancient ,jews had recourse to cremation in great plagues2 id est1 for hygienic reasons4 ,now1 although these quotations plainly show that the ,israelites of old did execute incineration1 we also learn from them that the practice was never general2 at first confined to criminals1 at last to kings4 ,it is impossible to determine when the custom of burning the dead originated among the ,hindoos4 ,it was always connected with religious observances1 and known to the people of ,india since the earliest times4 ,it was restricted to certain classes or castes3 mainly to ,brahmins and warriors4 ,the merchants1 mechanics1 and the tillers of the soil were interred4 ,children under two years of age were barred from cremation1 and had to be buried in the earth4 ,some religious sects1 however1 were an exception from this rule and executed cineration indiscriminately--for instance the believers in ,vishnu4 ,when a ,hindoo died away from home1 or when his body was lost and could not be found1 his relatives instituted a symbolical ceremony4 ,they gathered #cfj leaves of a certain shrub and as many woolen threads4 ,they were under the impression that the human body consisted of #cfj parts4 ,of the threads and leaves they formed a figure1 somewhat resembling the human form1 which was wound round with a strip of the hide of a black antelope1 which had also been previously wrapped closely round with woolen thread4 ,this figure was then besmeared with barley-meal and water and burnt as an effigy of the missing body4 ,from ,india cremation extended to ,europe1 and was adopted by all ,indo-,germanic peoples4 ,this was proven by ,prof4 ,jacob ,grimm in an oration on the burning of the dead1 delivered before the ,royal ,academy of ,sciences at ,berlin1 in #ahdi1 in which the famous scholar highly commended the ancient custom4 ,in old tombs on the island of ,malta1 urns of a kind of clay containing ashes1 lachrymatories1 several mortuary lamps 7some of excellent workmanship71 and the model of a mummy1 formed of a green semi-transparent substance1 were found4 ,this discovery demonstrates that the orientals who inhabited this isle of the ,mediterranean in the earliest times were in the habit of cremating their deceased4 ,the ,thracians were the next to embrace burial by fire4 ,of them ,herodotus relates that they exhibited the corpse publicly for three days1 brought many offerings1 and bewailed the deceased4 ,at the termination of the period stated1 they cremated the body and then buried the ashes and bones4 ,after they had erected a mound over the remains1 they played gymnic games4 ,from ,asia1 by way of ,thrace1 cremation reached ,greece4 ,among the ,greeks burial was originally exceedingly primitive1 as we learn from a law that compelled passers-by to place a handful of earth upon the breast of every unburied corpse4 ,interment undoubtedly preceded cremation in ,greece4 ,heraclitus advanced the theory that everything in existence was created from fire4 ,therefore he argued that all corpses must be burned to free the soul from all material matter1 and to return it to its primitive elements4 ,according to ,eustachius ,hercules burned the body of ,argius1 the son of ,likymnios1 #aejj years before ,christ4 ,he had promised the father to return the youth1 but when the latter fell in mortal combat1 nothing remained for him but to cremate ,argius and to bring home with him the ashes to the sorrowful parent4 ,hercules was unquestionably the first to cremate himself4 ,when he was tormented by the pangs of approaching death1 he built a pyre and ordered his servant to ignite it4 ,when the servant failed to set the wood afire1 ,hercules descended from the pyre1 kindled it himself and again mounted it to await his fate4 ,pliny was disposed to attribute the origin of incineration among the ,greeks to their custom of burning the dead on the field of battle1 to render them secure from the revenge of the enemy4 ,be that as it may1 certain it is that incineration never became the only mode by which the inhabitants of ,hellas disposed of their deceased2 except in ,athens1 where it was practiced exclusively for some time4 ,suicides1 those who had been struck by lightning1 and unteethed children were not cremated1 for it was the prevailing opinion that the pure flames would have been defiled by them4 ,illustration3 ,,greek ,,funeral ,,urn4 ,homer1 that incomparable ,hellenic poet 7,there is1 ,i know1 a dispute whether the name ,homer stands for one person or for a number of bards4 ,as far as ,i am concerned1 ,i believe that ,homer was an individual1 a poor mendicant perhaps1 wandering all over ,greece1 singing or reciting his heroic epics1 and living on the grace of an admiring public4 ,no collection of bards could have possibly written the ,odyssey and ,iliad1 which are so uniform in character throughout471 has preserved for us1 in immortal verse1 the records of the ,trojan war1 in which we find many instances of cremation chronicled4 ,the recent explorations of ,dr4 ,heinrich ,schliemann on the site of ,troy have demonstrated beyond a doubt that the poems of ,homer rest on a basis of actual fact4 ,during the war that was fought for ,helen the beautiful1 it was customary among the ,greeks and ,trojans to reduce to ashes the bodies of those who had been slain in battle4 ,line #fi of the first book of the ,iliad proves that the ,greeks burned their dead for sanitary reasons4 ,the bodies of cowards1 criminals1 and slaves were not incinerated1 but left unburied1 a prey for the beasts of the field and the birds of the air4 ,agamemnon1 the king1 addressing his warriors warns them 7vide ,pope's translation of the ,iliad1 ,b4 ,,ii1 ,l4 #dff7 that1 during battle3-- 8,who dares1 inglorious1 in his ships to stay1 ,who dares to tremble on this signal day1 ,that wretch1 too mean to fall by martial power1 ,the birds shall mangle1 and the dogs devour40 ,incineration was denied ,ajax1 one of the greatest ,grecian heroes1 because he had slain himself in a fit of indignation4 ,hector's defiance of the ,greek princes 7,iliad1 ,b4 ,,vii1 ,l4 #he7 shows that it was also the custom among the ,trojans to burn the dead4 ,there is further evidence of this in the truce1 between ,priam and ,agamemnon 7vide ,iliad1 ,b4 ,,vii1 ,l4 #hih and #dej71 for the purpose of burning the dead of both armies4 ,homer's narration of the burning of ,patroclus1 ,achilles' friend1 gives such an accurate description of the method then in use1 that ,i will be pardoned for quoting it here4 ,the passage to which ,i refer occurs in the twenty-third book of the ,iliad1 and is as follows3-- 8,they who had the dead in charge ,remained1 and heaped the wood and built a pyre ,a hundred feet each way from side to side4 ,with sorrowful hearts they raised and laid the corpse ,upon the summit4 ,then they flayed and dressed ,before it many fatlings of the flock1 ,and oxen with curved feet and crooked horns4 ,from these magnanimous ,achilles took ,the fat1 and covered with it carefully ,the dead from head to foot4 ,beside the bier ,and leaning toward it1 jars of honey and oil ,he placed1 and flung1 with many a deep-drawn sigh1 ,twelve high-necked steeds upon the pile4 ,nine hounds there were1 which from the tables of the prince ,were daily fed2 of these ,achilles struck ,the heads from two1 and laid them on the wood1 ,and after these1 and last1 twelve gallant sons ,of the brave ,trojans1 butchered by the sword2 ,for he was bent on evil4 ,to the pile ,he put the iron violence of fire1 ,and1 wailing1 called by name the friend he loved4 99 99 99 99 99 444,they quenched with dark red wine ,the pyre1 where'er the flames had spread1 and where ,lay the deep ashes3 then1 with many tears1 ,gathered the white bones of their gentle friend1 ,and laid them in a golden vase1 wrapped round ,with caul1 a double fold4 ,within the tents ,they placed them softly1 wrapped in delicate lawn2 ,then drew a circle for the sepulchre1 ,and1 laying its foundations to enclose ,the pyre1 they heaped the earth1 and1 having reared ,a mound1 withdrew40 ,these lines are from ,william ,cullen ,bryant's translation of the ,iliad1 and give one a very good idea of the cineration of a warrior4 ,in times of peace the favorite animals of the deceased were placed with him on the funeral pile1 and he was covered with costly robes and rugs4 ,not infrequently the pyre was decorated with an abundance of flowers1 and rich folks had their trinkets and jewels thrown into the fire4 ,the weapons of warriors were consumed with them4 ,the extravagance at funerals finally became so great among the ,greeks that special laws had to be enacted to put a stop to it4 ,solon ordained1 for instance1 that no more than three robes and one bull should be placed upon the cremation pyre4 ,after the bones were placed in an urn1 the ,greeks covered it with the fat of the animals that had been slaughtered at the funeral ceremonies1 to protect it from the influence of the atmosphere4 ,many of the celebrated men of ,greece were cremated3 ,solon1 ,alcibiades1 ,timoleon1 ,philopoemen1 ,plutarch1 ,pyrrhus1 and many others4 ,according to ,pindar 7,ol4 #f1 #bc1 ,nem4 #i1 #ed71 during the combat of the ,seven against ,thebes1 funeral pyres were burning at each of the seven gates of the city1 to consume those slain in battle4 ,the heathens1 as they are called1 were not to be charged with any lack of respect to their departed dead4 ,on the contrary1 the most tender sentiments conceivable were attached to the practice of cremation4 ,there was a ,theban regulation that no one should build a house without a specific repository for the dead4 neas and the other ,trojans1 who escaped with him from the burning city of the hundred gates 7as ,priam's capital was sometimes called71 introduced cremation 7,virgil's neid1 ,b4 ,,iv1 #g7 into ,carthage1 if it did not exist there previous to their arrival4 ,it is possible that the inhabitants of ,carthage1 which was one of the ,phnician cities in ,africa1 derived the practice from the mother-country4 ,at all events1 the tragedy of love1 in which neas was involved1 ended with the suicide of ,dido1 who cremated herself4 ,the eleventh book of the neas gives a description of an incineration among the ancient inhabitants of ,latium4 ,self-cremation seems to have been one of the favorite means of disposing of one's self in ancient times1 especially among the royalty and aristocracy4 ,both tradition and history report of many women1 friends1 and servants who1 of their own free will1 mounted the funeral pyre with the departed head of the family4 ,besides ,hercules and ,dido1 already mentioned1 ,sardanapalus1 the last king of the ,assyrians1 burned himself in the year #fjj before ,christ1 because the ,tigris had destroyed the fortifications of besieged ,nineveh1 and the following also mounted the pyre for the same purpose3 ,marpessa1 ,polydora1 and ,cleopatra 7,vide ,pausanias1 #d1 #b71 three noble women of ,messenia1 and ,euadne1 the wife of ,capaneus1 who threw herself into the flames which consumed her husband4 ,the pyre of ,sardanapalus1 we are told1 was very large and contained many rooms1 which were elegantly furnished1 and in which the royal treasures were heaped up1 before the king entered them with his women1 while his servants set the pile on fire4 ,it is well known that the widows of ,india1 until very recently1 perished of their own free will in the flames that consumed their husbands4 ,herodotus states that the women of the ,thracians1 in ,eastern ,europe1 who were probably of ,germanic origin1 frequently disputed among themselves as to which of them should be allowed to ascend the pyre together with the deceased husband4 none1 the lawful wife of ,paris1 whom he had forsaken to live with ,helen the beautiful1 forgot all her grievances at the sight of his misfortune4 ,when the man1 whom she had formerly loved so ardently1 wounded by the arrow of ,philoctetes1 fled to her into the ,ida1 she refused to cure him2 but when the greedy flames1 after death1 devoured his form1 she voluntarily ascended the pyre to intermix her ashes with his4 ,thus are the ways of the world2 the noble deed of the faithlessly deserted wife is hardly ever mentioned1 but frivolous ,helena was made the subject of many works of art1 and leads an immortal life in the songs and poems of man4 ,illustration3 ,,cremation ,,in ,,calcutta4 ,the ancient ,etruscans practiced cremation1 both before and after ,etruria became a ,roman province2 they1 no doubt1 adopted it from the ,greeks1 who were first their rulers and afterward their close neighbors4 ,the tombs of ,etruria were rich in art2 the urns in which the ashes of the dead were kept were either of alabaster or baked clay1 the latter often being decorated with tasty paintings4 ,the ancient ,latins1 in turn1 borrowed the practice of incineration from the ,etruscans4 ,according to ,mazois1 some cinerary urns1 found in the neighborhood of ,alba ,longa1 prove that the custom of burning the dead was current among the original population of ,latium long before any recorded epoch of ,italian history1 for the place in which those urns were detected was covered entirely over with dense layers of lava1 which apparently came from the mountain ,albanus1 a volcano1 the eruptions of which have long been buried in oblivion4 ,the urns mentioned are especially noteworthy1 because many of them bear pictures of the habitations of the earliest residents of ,latium1 which shows that cremation was known to them at that time4 ,such a hut of the aborigines of ,latium was preserved for a long time in the capitol at ,rome and was regarded with great reverence4 ,it is but natural that the ,latins1 on becoming the founders of ,rome1 should have introduced incineration into their new home4 ,pliny asserts that the burning of the dead was not customary among the ,romans of old1 but ,virgil describes it as a usage that existed long before the foundation of ,rome1 and ,ovid affirms that the body of ,remus was committed to the flames4 ,cremation was not in general favor among the ,romans until towards the termination of the republic4 ,pliny relates that ,sylla 7#gh ,b4,c47 was the first of the patrician ,cornelians who wanted his body to be burned2 most likely because he feared that his remains would be dealt with as those of ,marius had been treated1 whose body was exhumed by the order of ,sylla1 and thrown into a glutted general grave4 ,during the decline of the republic and the period of the empire1 till the accession of the ,christian emperors1 incineration was very popular in ,rome2 it was not only general in the capital1 but also in the provinces4 ,julius ,caesar1 ,antonius1 ,brutus1 ,pompejus1 ,octavius1 ,augustus1 ,tiberius1 ,caligula1 ,nero1 and ,plinius were cremated4 ,the ashes of ,tacitus1 the model of historians1 who was likewise consigned to the flames1 were cast to the winds in the middle ages by ,pope ,pius the ,fifth1 in order to punish the heretic4 ,just think of it6 a pontiff outraging a scholar's remains to punish him6 ,caligula and ,tiberius were only partially burnt1 because they had been tyrants4 ,at ,nero's obsequies it was but with difficulty that the train achieved complete cremation4 ,the ,roman aristocracy looked upon partial cineration as a great disgrace1 which adhered to the respective family a long time4 ,yet this infamy was often meted out to the poor and unfortunate1 as we shall see later on4 ,during plagues cremation was compulsory in the city of ,rome4 ,it is not my intention to describe in detail the funeral rites of the ancient ,romans1 because a description of cremation as practiced by them may be met with in every encyclopdia4 ,moreover1 a very good account of incineration1 as customary among the ,romans of old1 may be found in ,lord ,bulwer ,lytton's 8,the ,last ,days of ,pompeii40 ,it was the fashion at ,rome to pour fragrant oils and balsams over the corpse before the pyre was ignited1 and to cover it with ,cyprus boughs4 ,previous to cremation1 the corpse was enveloped in asbestos1 to keep the ashes of the body separate from those of the funeral pile4 ,at times locks of hair were sacrificed to the deceased4 ,at last one finger of the defunct was amputated1 to make certain that death had taken place4 ,everything being ready1 the nearest relative present unclosed the eyes of the deceased1 and then lit the pyre with averted face4 ,while the flames rose to heaven1 the favorite animals of him who was now being consumed--dogs1 doves1 and even horses--were flung into the fire4 ,costly robes and arms of the dead were consigned to the same fate4 ,during the early period of ,roman history1 prisoners of war were also committed to the flames4 ,the amount of spices1 oils1 and balsams destroyed at incinerations was enormous4 ,pliny reports that ,nero used up more myrrh1 incense1 and other aromatics at the cremation of ,poppsa than could be produced by entire ,arabia in one year4 ,while cremation was practiced in ,rome1 at the time of the empire1 the mourning garments were white2 but when incineration was displaced by interment1 the raiment of the bereaved assumed a black hue1 sombre as death itself4 ,the deceased poor of ,rome 7especially the women and slaves7 were treated shamefully after death4 ,martial avers that invariably one pile had to serve for a large number4 ,in times of pestilence1 thousands were so disposed of4 ,a cremation-ground was provided for the indigent in a wretched suburb upon the ,esquiline ,hill1 which was inhabited by the outcasts of society1 the lowest prostitutes1 executioners1 necromancers1 and so forth4 ,these localities were called culin by the people1 the literal translation of which is 8roast-places40 ,the attendants were police-slaves1 whose hair had been shaved off1 and who wore a brand on the bare pate4 ,these1 hurrying to and fro1 placed the emaciated dead poor upon one of the many funeral piles2 hardly singed by the fire1 they were taken from it and thrown into a universal ditch4 ,to every ten male corpses one female body was added1 which facilitated the cineration by means of the great quantity of adipose tissue which it contained4 ,the funerals of the poor were generally held at night4 ,the urns of the rich were of marble1 bronze1 and sometimes of gold or silver2 those of the poor were of baked clay or glass4 ,glass urns1 enclosed in others of lead1 were discovered at ,pompeii4 ,the urns were generally deposited in a tomb at the roadside or placed in the pigeon-hole of a columbarium4 ,these columbaria1 surrounded by beautiful gardens1 were situated on the ,via ,appia1 ,aurelia1 ,flaminia1 and ,lavicana4 ,the ,appian ,way was a favorite resort of the fashionable ,roman world2 here1 daily1 ever-changing life was seen2 here the traveller took leave from the remains of his ancestors2 here1 too1 lovers met and unfortunates took refuge4 ,these columbaria were subterranean chambers which served 7as ,i have already explained7 to hold the ashes of the deceased1 the urns being deposited in arched recesses1 hewn out in the rock for the purpose4 ,these niches resembled pigeon-holes2 hence the name1 columbarium4 ,the rare beauty of these columbaria1 which may yet be seen in the ,eternal ,city1 led ,nathaniel ,hawthorne1 our great romancer1 to exclaim that he would not object to being decently pigeon-holed in a ,roman tomb4 ,illustration3 ,,cremation ,,in ,,siam4 ,the late queen and her little daughter on the pyre4 ,campana discovered columbaria between the ,porta ,latina and the ,porta ,san ,sebastiana1 which are memorials of the time of ,augustus4 ,they contain not less than #djj inscriptions on marble1 commemorative of the dead1 and many urns of marble and terra cotta4 ,in the city of the ,caesars the ashes were placed in upright urns1 while in ,greece the urns lay horizontally on the ground1 and were covered with rugs4 ,in ,greece the ashes were preserved in beautiful mortuary chambers in the houses1 a custom that also obtained at ,rome to a certain extent4 ,the great contrast between the cremation of the opulent and the poor finally led to the re-introduction of earth-burial1 which1 however1 strangely enough1 was coincident with the decline and fall of the once mighty empire4 ,the last ,roman funeral piles expired in the fourth century1 while the ,indo-,germanic nations practiced cremation till late in medival times4 ,the ,germanic tribes and the ,celts 7according to ,tacitus and ,diodorus of ,sicily7 burned their dead without exception4 ,the testimony of these historians is confirmed by ,ovid 7,met41 ,lib4 ,,iii1 v4 #fai-fbj71 who adds that cremation was highly esteemed by these peoples4 ,tacitus 7vide ,germania1 ,lib4 #cg71 writing one hundred years before ,christ1 relates that the ancient ,germans preferred a plain funeral to funereal pomp4 ,only the bodies of celebrated men were cinerated with some ostentation on pyres built of certain costly kinds of wood4 ,they neither ornamented their funeral piles1 nor did they use spices at cremations4 ,the arms of every warrior1 however1 and sometimes the battle-horse1 were burnt with him4 ,an unadorned mound was raised over the ashes1 and nothing was left to mark the spot where one of their kin had been laid to rest4 ,criminals were not cremated1 but put to death1 in various ways2 traitors and deserters were hanged to convenient trees1 and cowards drowned in swamps4 ,the ,thuringians burned their dead as late as the seventh century2 the ,anglo-,saxons down to the end of the eighth century4 ,the ,swabians1 ,franks1 ,lombards1 ,ostrogoths1 ,alemanni1 and ,burgundians disposed of their deceased by fire till #gdj ,a4,d4 ,winfrid1 or ,boniface1 the so-called apostle of the ,germans1 in a letter refers to the custom of fire-burial among the ,saxons4 ,charlemange1 who brought about the conversion of the ,saxons by fire and sword1 made a special enactment against incineration4 ,the custom of cremation was so deep-rooted among the ,saxons1 that the death-penalty had to be set upon its consummation in order to cause its abolishment4 ,the ancient ,lithuanians and the forefathers of the present ,prussians were wont to consign their dead to the flames4 ,when the ancient ,prussians were defeated by the knights of the ,teutonic order in the year of our ,lord #abdi1 their vanquishers caused them to promise in writing that they would henceforth1 after cremating their deceased with horse1 armor1 and weapons1 collect the remains and bury them within the churchyard1 according to ,christian usage4 ,there is evidence to show that cineration of the dead was extant in ,western ,prussia until after #acjj ,a4,d4 ,cinerary urns1 containing ashes1 were discovered near ,dantzig1 ,prussia1 and in ,silesia4 ,in the course of forming a vineyard in the neighborhood of ,wasserbillig1 near ,trier1 numerous graves were laid bare1 in some of which urns were found with the remains of cremated bodies2 in others1 skeletons4 ,in the former case the cinerary urns 7vide ,sanitary ,record7 were surrounded by chalkstone slabs2 one of the skeletons was contained in a sarcophagus composed of fourteen roof-tiles4 ,nine of them had the stamps of the manufacturer1 the same names being given as those of the manufacturers who furnished material for the erection of the ,roman church which forms the basis of the cathedral of ,trier1 and for the ,roman thermal baths at ,st4 ,barbara4 ,judging from these circumstances1 it is assumed that the tombs date from the middle of the third century4 ,in one of the graves a small urn with the representation of a face was found4 ,in ,trier itself1 a large glass urn1 with cover and handles1 was recently unearthed4 ,it is a relic of the ,romans4 ,when opened it was found to contain bones4 ,beside this urn five vases of baked clay and several ornamented lamps were found4 ,the ancient ,swiss were in the habit of cremating their defunct1 till the year #ef before ,christ4 ,julius ,caesar reports that the ,gauls burned their dead with sumptuousness4 ,several ancient glass urns1 containing calcined bones1 were recently found between two round stones1 in the vicinity of ,chatenet1 ,france4 ,the ,slavonians observed incineration from the earliest times to the end of the fifteenth century4 ,when one of their kings died1 everything he might need on awakening in paradise was placed with him on the pyre4 ,beside intoxicating drinks1 weapons1 horses1 falcons1 male and female servants1 and his wives1 his entire household--comprising the minister of state1 secretary1 mate at drinking1 and physician--was cremated with him4 ,the ,slavonian woman was invariably burned with the corpse of her husband2 but not vice versa1 the husband with the remains of his wife4 ,when a bachelor died1 single women were substituted for spouses4 ,the chronicles that have descended to us from the monks affirm that these women longed for such a death1 because they hoped to secure eternal blessedness thereby4 ,large mounds1 called ,kurgani1 were erected over the ashes of the cremated4 ,these mounds may be seen to-day in the boundless steppes of ,russia1 where they afford a rest for the eyes from the monotonous scenery4 ,eckehardt relates that1 when ,germany was invaded by the ,hungarians in #ibe ,a4,d41 he witnessed the intruders cremate the bodies of the slain upon rack-wagons4 ,the ,bohemians practiced cremation as late as #ajjj ,a4,d4 ,the ,arab ,ibn ,forszlan1 who was ambassador from his native land to the ,russians in the year of our ,lord #ibb1 states that he attended the cineration of a man of rank1 on the banks of the ,volga ,river4 ,previous to the cremation the deceased was interred1 till the robes of state requisite for the ceremony were finished4 ,then the ship of the dead was drawn ashore1 the defunct owner placed upon a bench1 which had been covered with gorgeous rugs1 and supplied with food1 intoxicating beverages1 and a number of slaughtered animals4 ,thereupon a young girl1 who had voluntarily offered herself for incremation 7probably to be the companion of the deceased in the other world71 was led aboard and--after singing a long chant to the people and drinking a goblet of mead--strangled and stabbed at the same time4 ,then the ship was deserted1 and set afire by the nearest relative1 who performed this sad office with averted face4 ,thereupon every one present threw a burning piece of wood upon the vessel1 which was soon consumed4 ,a mound was erected on the site on which the ship had stood1 in the centre of which a plank was placed1 bearing the name of the departed4 ,old ,german chroniclers mention the cremation of ,attila1 the king of the ,tartar ,huns1 who was burned while sitting--fully armed--upon his war-horse4 ,it is still an undecided question whether incineration was general among the ,huns1 or only a royal honor4 ,the ,scythians and ,sarmatians of old reduced their dead to ashes1 as also did the ,kurds1 till #abje ,a4,d42 and the ,esthonians till #abbe4 ,cremation was likewise practiced by the ancient ,scandinavians1--more especially by the ,norwegians and ,swedes than by the ,danes4 ,the national ,scandinavian epic1 the ,edda1 mentions the funeral piles of ,sigurdh and ,brynhilde4 ,the ancient ,britons disposed of their dead by fire4 ,some workmen engaged in excavations in the bail within the boundaries of the old ,roman city at ,lincoln lately came across a crematorium and a sarcophagus4 ,in the latter ten urns were found1 which contained ashes and calcined bones4 ,the urns were of different sizes and shapes1 and were all provided with saucer-shaped covers4 ,only one of them1 however1 was extracted perfect4 ,the interior of the sarcophagus was lined with long1 thin bricks1 that perished on being exposed to the air4 ,the ,mexicans of antiquity also cinerated their deceased4 ,incineration was practiced in ,india since the most remote ages1 and is now as much in vogue in this country as it was in the earliest times4 ,at ,calcutta1 ,bombay1 ,madras1--in fact1 all over ,india1--cremation is executed daily4 ,the ,vishnavites burn their dead2 the worshippers of ,siva bury them1 deliver them up to beasts of prey1 or throw them into the holy river ,ganges4 ,folks who are too poor to dispose of their deceased by burning1 also consign them to the waves of the holy stream4 ,this is done at night1 since it is against the law4 ,it is not unusual to see a whole procession of corpses float down the ,ganges1 while crows feed on the remains4 ,at ,calcutta1 cremation is performed within the 8,burning ,ght10 outside the city1 in a walled enclosure which is frequented by numberless vultures and other birds of prey1 near the ,hoogly1 as the ,ganges is thereabouts called4 ,this place is seldom visited by the ,british inhabitants of ,calcutta2 for they regard this rude cineration 7properly so7 far too horrible to witness4 ,by order of the government1 a cinerator was built on the banks of the ,hoogly1 which is used only by a part of the ,hindoo population4 ,the ,hindoos are hard to wean from their old-fashioned method of cineration 7which is substantially the same as that practiced by the ancient ,romans and ,greeks71 and1 therefore1 seldom make use of a cinerator1 as ,mr4 ,william ,eassie was informed by the sanitary commissioner of ,madras1 where a cinerary apparatus had also been erected4 ,the commissioner1 however1 was of the opinion that if the ,siemens principle of a furnace were exhibited before the educated ,hindoos1 they would very probably adopt it4 ,illustration3 ,,cremation ,,among ,,the ,,tolkotins ,,of ,,oregon4 ,thanks to the efforts of the ,british authorities in ,india1 imperfect cremation is a thing of the past there4 ,cicero already relates that the widows of the ,hindoos allow themselves to be cinerated with the remains of their husbands4 ,self-cremation of ,indian widows does not occur nowadays2 the barbaric custom has been put down by the ,english4 ,it was not before #ahca that the ,english government in ,hindostan attempted to abolish the practice of burning widows2 and up to that time1 as ,max ,mueller observes1 8women were burned wholesale1 even in the immediate neighborhood of ,calcutta40 ,but the custom was probably not exterminated before late in the sixties--#ahfh or #fi4 ,cremation was practiced on the isle of ,ceylon as late as #ahda4 ,the people of ,burmah cremate their rich dead1 and inhume the poor or consign them to a stream4 ,persons of rank are embalmed before incineration1 and placed on exhibition in a convent or temple for six weeks4 ,at the funeral1 the body is borne in a coffin on the shoulders of men1 who are preceded by female mourners chanting an epicede4 ,the corpse is followed by the relatives4 ,when the slowly moving train arrives at the pyre1 which is commonly six or eight feet high1 the remains are placed upon it2 the wood of the funeral pile is generally laid crosswise1 to bring about a stronger draught of air4 ,the pyre is set on fire by the attending priests1 who pray before it until the body is destroyed2 then the bones are collected and interred4 ,according to ,mr4 ,w4 ,eassie1 when a ,buddhist priest of rank dies in ,burmah1 the body is embalmed in honey1 laid in state for a time1 and then sometimes blown up with gunpowder1 together with its hearse4 ,miss ,feudge asserts that the inhabitants of ,pegu and ,laos also cremate their dead4 ,in ,siam1 cremation has undoubtedly existed since primeval times4 ,it is a universal custom1 practiced both by the common people and the aristocracy2 even the kings are incinerated4 ,crawfurd states that in ,siam the ashes are sometimes interred in the grounds surrounding the temples1 and a small pyramidal mound erected over them4 ,when one of the ,dayakkese inhabitants of ,borneo dies1 the body is deposited in a coffin1 and remains in the house till the son1 the father1 or the nearest of kin can procure or purchase a slave1 who is beheaded at the time that the corpse is burned1 in order that he may become the servant of the deceased in the next world4 ,the ashes of the departed are then placed in an earthen urn1 which is adorned with various figures2 and the head of the slave is desiccated1 and prepared in a peculiar manner with camphor and drugs1 and placed near it4 ,it is said that this practice induces the ,dayakkese to buy a slave guilty of some capital crime1 at fivefold his value1 in order that they may be able to put him to death on such occasions4 ,cremation is an established and time-honored usage in ,japan1 now the oldest empire in the world4 ,here all incineration establishments are under government control1 and are to be found not only in all the chief cities1 but also in the provinces4 ,the ,japanese government1 with shrewd appreciation of the advantages of sanitary laws1 has of late years carefully fostered the practice4 ,since the earliest times1 cremation is universal among the ,japanese4 ,before the introduction of ,buddhism1 the ,shinto doctrine was the prevalent system of faith and worship in ,japan4 ,this religion held sacred1 beside a small number of domestic gods1 a long series of celebrated historical personages1 who were worshipped after their decease4 ,it taught that the mikado 7emperor7 descended from the gods1 and he was its clerical superior4 ,this doctrine1 of course1 was not favorable to cremation2 and that accounts for the absence of the latter prior to the introduction of ,buddhism4 ,beginning with the year of our ,lord #eeb1 attempts were made1 with varying success1 to establish ,buddhism in ,japan4 ,in #fbd1 ,buddhism was officially recognized2 the court bestowing the title of high-priest upon two priests who had come from ,hakusai4 ,the new doctrine spread through the medium of the ,chinese literature that circulated in the country2 and soon temples had to be built to accommodate the converts4 ,in #gjj ,a4,d41 ,dsho1 a high-priest of a temple at ,nara1 in the province ,yamato1 ordered his pupils to burn his body after death1 and it was done4 ,this was the first cremation in ,japan4 ,three years later1 the corpse of the empress ,jito was incinerated2 her example was followed by #da emperors and empresses1 who occupied the throne from that period till the beginning of the seventeenth century4 ,the last mikado whose body was burned1 was ,goyozei1 who reigned from #aehg till #afaj ,a4,d4 ,at this time much attention was paid to the doctrines of ,confucius1 which are as unfavorable to cineration as the ,shinto doctrine4 ,in the ninth century ,buddhism made considerable headway through the efforts of ,kobo1 a priest4 ,up to the fourteenth century1 however1 ,buddhism remained the religion of the military and the aristocracy2 the common people knew nothing of it4 ,it owes its adoption among all classes of ,japan1 to the arduous labors of two missionaries1 ,shinran and ,nichiren1 who became the founders of great sects1 and who had their corpses burned as an example for their pupils4 ,cremation is fast becoming general in ,japan1 burial more and more obsolete4 ,at the present time the number of bodies disposed of by incineration is very great4 ,the greatest number of believers in cremation are found among the ,shin and ,yoto sects1 likewise among the ,zen1 ,tendai1 and ,nichiren sects2 the fewest1 among the ,shingon sect4 ,incineration is1 however1 not compulsory among these religious denominations4 ,in #ahfh1 when the shogun 7commander-in-chief7 was deposed by the revolutionists1 when the mikado re-obtained his former authority and the power of the almost independent princes of the provinces was destroyed1 the government attempted to re-establish the ,shinto religion4 ,among other measures they prohibited incineration 7,july #bc1 #ahgc71 claiming that it was contrary to the ,shinto doctrine4 ,they soon discovered that it was impossible to carry out the interdiction1 and1 therefore1 revoked it 7,may #bc1 #ahge71 granting thereby1 as it were1 religious freedom to ,japan4 ,the young generation of the ,japanese physicians and naturalists regard cineration from a sanitary standpoint1 and constantly urge the government to promote its interests on hygienic grounds4 ,illustration3 ,,cremation ,,among ,,the ,,thlinkets ,,in ,,alaska4 ,it must be conceded that the ,japanese mode of cremation is by far superior to the method of the ,hindoos1 who still adhere to the ancient funeral-pile4 ,the cost of incineration is small4 ,the body is reduced to ashes completely though slowly1 and the process takes place in clean1 well-kept1 closed buildings1 in a manner which1 as far as the simple arrangements permit1 offends neither the eye nor the olfactories4 ,at ,osaka cremation is carried on in stone furnaces1 which are closed by iron sliding-doors4 ,there are three large crematories1 situated at the outskirts of the city2 they are enclosed by high walls1 and when seen from a distance1 if it were not for the chimneys #fj feet high1 one would take them to be temples4 ,the principal crematory contains twenty large furnaces1 each of which is capable of reducing three bodies2 thus it is evident #fj bodies can be incinerated at the same time4 ,the corpse is placed upon an iron grate1 the fire being underneath1 and covered with a straw mat1 that has been previously saturated with salt water4 ,incineration under these circumstances is said to be entirely satisfactory4 ,the cremations begin at #aa ,p4,m41 and are finished at #c ,a4,m4 ,at ,tokio1 and most of the other cities1 a black earthenware urn is fashionable2 but in the province ,totomi the ashes are placed in an urn of red color4 ,when the ,asiatic cholera raged in ,japan in #ahgg1 the people were compelled by the authorities to cremate its victims4 ,but the sanitary measure met with no resistance1 its wisdom being recognized even by the lower classes of the people4 ,by the decree1 making cremation obligatory in times of cholera1 the ,japanese government has given an example of sanitary legislation which should be imitated4 ,most of the books on cremation inform us that incineration was and is not practiced in ,china4 ,this is an error4 ,marco ,polo repeatedly asserts 7,travels4 ,new ,york3 ,harper ,bros41 #ahde4 pp4 #aec1 #aee1 #aeh1 #aei1 #afj7 that the ,chinese wherever he travelled were in the habit of burning their dead4 ,on the other hand1 ,chinese historical works make no mention of the practice1 and burial is the almost universal custom at present4 ,the books in which the subject of cremation is treated only speak of it as being practiced upon the bodies of ,buddhist priests and lepers4 ,in the last issue of the ,chinese imperial maritime customs medical reports1 ,dr4 ,a4 ,henry contributes some remarks upon cremation in that country4 ,in only one of the many ,buddhist temples at the town where ,dr4 ,henry is stationed1 are the bodies of the inmates burned after death4 ,the method of incineration is commendable as efficient1 sthetic1 and inexpensive2 but it is too slow except for ,buddhist priests in ,china4 ,in the grounds of the temple is a small dome-like edifice1 the interior of which communicates with the open air by a small door only--a charcoal kiln1 in fact4 ,the dead priest is placed in a sitting posture inside the dome1 and charcoal and firewood are piled around him2 fire is applied1 and the door is shut until combustion is complete4 ,children are sometimes burned1 but for superstitious reasons only4 ,when several young children of a family have died in succession1 the body of one of them is burned1 under the belief that the ceremony will insure the survival of the next child born to the family4 ,in these cases the body is simply brought to an open field in a box1 and placed upon firewood1 which is ignited4 ,although incineration is known in ,corea1 the most usual way of disposing of the dead is by inhumation4 ,mr4 ,carles1 in an official report of a journey into the central provinces of ,corea1 says3-- 8,at one village the remains of the body of an old woman who had been eaten by a tiger1 were being burnt in a fire of brushwood lighted on the spot40 ,cremation in ,america is not a novelty4 ,when ,i began to investigate the subject of cremation among ,north ,american ,indians1 ,i was at first quite disappointed2 and well ,i might have been1 for ,schoolcraft 7,history of the ,indian ,tribes of the ,united ,states4 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #ch7 asserts3-- 8,the incineration of the bodies of the dead was not practiced on this continent1 even in the tropics2 and is a rite unknown to the tribes of the ,united ,states40 ,although slightly disheartened1 ,i continued my search for information1 and was in consequence speedily rewarded4 ,john ,mc,intosh 7,the ,origin of the ,north ,american ,indians4 ,new ,york1 #ahec4 p4 #afd7 states3-- 8,the bodies of those who die in war are burned1 and their ashes brought back to be laid in the burying-place of their fathers40 ,my studies in this direction1 however1 received the greatest impetus through ,dr4 ,h4 ,c4 ,yarrow's excellent 8,introduction to the ,study of ,mortuary ,customs among the ,north ,american ,indians0 7,washington ,government ,printing ,office1 #ahhj1 pp4 #di to #ei71 which was kindly sent to me by the author1 and from which ,i obtained much valuable information4 ,dr4 ,h4 ,c4 ,yarrow affirms that cremation was performed to a considerable extent among ,north ,american ,indians1 especially those living on the northern slope of the ,rocky ,mountains2 but also 7as indisputable evidence proves7 among the more eastern ones4 ,the ,nishinams of ,california1 the ,tolkotins of ,oregon1 the ,se-nl of ,california1 and the ,cocopa tribe on the ,colorado ,river1 practice cremation4 ,the ,unotello ,indians of ,oregon also incinerate their dead4 ,on ,oct4 #i1 #ahhd1 several of them got drunk at ,lastine1 ,ore41 and engaged in a bloody fight4 ,one was cut to death1 and two others badly slashed4 ,the ,indians burned the body of their dead comrade1 and held a war-dance while the body was slowly consumed4 ,mr4 ,george ,gibbs avers that the ,indians of ,clear ,lake1 ,cal41 burn their dead upon scaffolds built over a hole1 into which the ashes are thrown and covered4 ,the ,digger ,indians have a queer custom2 they mix the ashes of the dead with gum1 and smear them on the heads of the mourners4 ,the ,comanches also burn their dead4 ,the ,indian method of cremation is like that of the ancients2 the corpse is burnt on a pyre six feet high1 amidst exclamations of grief and sorrow1 funeral songs and dances4 ,incineration is current among some of the native tribes of ,alaska1 principally among the ,thlinkets4 ,in the summer of #ahhd1 ,i received a letter from a former fellow-student of mine1--,dr4 ,hugh ,s4 ,wyman1--who was then assistant surgeon in the ,united ,states ,marine ,hospital ,service1 and stationed at ,sitka1 ,alaska4 ,this missive contained the following3-- 8,the ,thlinket ,indians cremate their dead in every instance except one--that of the ,indian doctor1 whose body is never burned1 but placed in a sort of #8cache1' constructed of timber1 above ground4 ,carvings of images1 etc41 representing the family history1 are made on the grave1 or a tall pole is erected by the side1 with a red flag4 ,with the body of the doctor are placed all his personal effects4 ,these are supposed to remain undisturbed2 but the empty appearance of the caches and the skulless skeletons of the few graves ,i have visited1 with a curiosity to look inside1 have led me to believe that the effects and body do not always lie unmolested4 ,illustration3 ,,indian ,,cinerary ,,urn4 ,found in ,kentucky4 ,illustration3 ,,indian ,,cinerary ,,urn4 ,found in ,indiana4 ,illustration3 ,,indian ,,cinerary ,,urn4 ,found in ,georgia4 ,illustration3 ,,indian ,,cinerary ,,urn4 ,found at ,lake ,nicaragua4 8,the cremation of a ,thlinket takes place in open air4 ,the body1 after lying in state for a few days1 is taken out of the house through some opening made for the purpose1 never through the regular entrance4 ,it is placed on a pile of logs1 which are ignited1 and the corpse rolled about with long poles until thoroughly consumed4 8,the ceremonies attending cremation vary very much1 according to the standing of the deceased1 age1 sex1 and so on4 8,the only reason ,i have ever heard given by the ,indians why they cremate was that if not burned1 the body would always remain cold in the happy hunting-grounds4 8,i was unable to find out why they do not burn doctors4 8,i believe cremation among the civilized will necessarily become generally practiced in the future1 and without ideas of horror1 when people are more fully enlightened1 especially in hygienic principles40 ,in recent times1 the missionaries are trying to put a stop to cremation in ,alaska4 ,this is a great mistake2 and they will find it out before long4 ,the missionaries should endeavor to do what the ,english in ,india have done and are doing still--attempt to substitute scientific incineration for the crude ancient method of burning the dead on pyres4 ,and in this undertaking1 ,i am sure1 they would have the support of the most intelligent among the ,indians4 ,the natives of ,alaska1 no doubt1 learned by some terrible1 never-to-be-forgotten experience the dangers and evils of burial in the ground2 and1 although their method of obviating these dangers and evils is rude and barbaric1 the principle which impelled them to adopt cremation is right4 ,the first ,caucasian who was cremated in the ,united ,states was ,colonel ,henry ,laurens1 who was the president of the first ,congress1 which convened at ,philadelphia in #aggd2 he was also a member of the military family of ,general ,washington4 ,laurens was of ,huguenot descent1 born in ,charleston1 ,s4 ,c41 in #agbd1 and eminent as a statesman before and during the ,revolutionary ,war4 ,he was educated in one of the best universities of ,europe1 and although following the vocation of a merchant during many years1 he achieved great distinction as a writer on political topics2 his pamphlets on the public questions of the time received much consideration4 ,appointed minister to ,holland1 he was taken captive on the voyage thither by a ,british man-of-war1 and was imprisoned for some time in the ,tower as a rebel4 ,among his visitors there was a friend of other years1 ,edmund ,burke1 by whose influence he was finally set free4 ,one of ,laurens' daughters had1 when a child1 apparently died of small-pox1 but1 being placed near an open window1 she revived4 ,since this occurrence1 the colonel lived in constant fear of being buried alive1 and therefore requested his daughters1 by an injunction and detailed directions given in his will1 to burn his body after death2 his fervent wish was carried out in his garden at ,charleston1 ,s4 ,c41 in #agib4 ,the second to be burned was ,mr4 ,henry ,barry1 who lived and was cinerated in the vicinity of ,marion1 ,s4 ,c4 ,in the spring or winter of #ahee1 ,count ,pfeil1 a ,german aristocrat1 then proprietor of a farm in the neighborhood of ,milwaukee1 attempted to incinerate the corpse of his wife in accordance with her own request4 ,he accordingly erected a funeral pile in his own yard1 on the soil that he owned4 ,when his intention to burn his wife became known among the farmers in the vicinity1 there was a great uproar2 they finally went so far as to march in a body to the residence of the count1 and to declare that they would mob him if he would dare to execute the cremation4 ,he then proposed1 since the matter was creating a disturbance in the neighborhood1 to transfer the incineration to the lake shore4 ,but the prejudice of the farmers was so great that they would accept no compromise4 ,they finally petitioned the governor1 and were successful in obtaining a decree prohibiting the cremation4 ,the count1 disgusted at the lack of our boasted liberty1 interred his wife1 sold his estate1 and departed for ,europe4 ,the third reduced to ashes in the ,united ,states was the ,baron de ,palm1 prince of the ,holy ,roman ,empire1 a native of ,augsburg1 ,bavaria1 who was incinerated in the ,le ,moyne crematory at ,washington1 ,pa41 on the #fth of ,december1 #ahgf4 ,the baron had died at the age of sixty-seven at ,new ,york1 in ,may1 #ahge1 and his body had been immediately embalmed and placed in the receiving vault of the ,lutheran cemetery1 where it was kept until the ,le ,moyne crematorium was finished4 ,on this day mentioned1 many members of the secular press1 and delegations from various scientific and sanitary societies1 assembled at the crematory to witness the cineration of the defunct nobleman2 many of the leading newspapers of this country1 and also of ,france1 ,germany1 and ,england1 were represented4 ,about #cj invitations had been issued1 and many members of the prominent boards of health were present4 ,the fires had been started at two o'clock in the morning4 ,on opening the casket it was found that the weight of the body had been reduced from #age to #ib pounds4 ,at #bg minutes past eight o'clock1 everything being pronounced ready1 the body1 lying in the iron cradle and covered with a shroud 7which had previously been soaked in an alum solution1 to prevent its too rapid ignition71 and decorated with flowers and evergreen1 was consigned to the retort1 which was instantly shut4 ,the actual temperature of the retort could not be ascertained1 as no pyrometer was at hand2 it was1 no doubt1 a little over #bjjj ,fahrenheit4 ,through a small opening in the cast-iron door1 which closed the retort1 an occasional glimpse of the interior was obtained1 and the effect of the heat upon the body observed4 ,in about #ae minutes the aqueous vapor had all been expelled1 leaving the shroud completely charred1 but still retaining its form sufficiently to completely conceal the outlines of the body4 ,in an hour the outlines of the prominent bones were plainly visible1 and an hour later the incineration was complete1 but it was deemed advisable to continue the heat for four hours from the time the body had been first placed in the furnace4 ,when last seen1 much of the form of the body had remained1 owing to the exclusion of the atmospheric air4 ,during the burning1 the ordinary draft of the furnace was increased by means of a fan-blower4 ,the body was not removed from the furnace until some #bd hours had elapsed1 to allow the retort to cool4 ,during the entire process there was no offensive odor1 either at the top of the chimney or elsewhere4 ,the cremation was entirely satisfactory1 and nothing of an unpleasant nature occurred4 ,the residue left1 after the incineration was completed1 was three pints of ashes1 which were carefully collected1 and1 after being sprinkled with perfume1 were deposited in an antique vase1 which was delivered to the officers of the ,theosophical ,society in attendance1 of which the baron was a member4 ,illustration3 ,,crematory ,,at ,,washington1 ,,pa4 ,forty bushels of coke were consumed in burning ,baron ,palm1 the whole cost of the operation being #g4jd4 ,in the afternoon a meeting was held at ,washington1 presided over by ,j4 ,lawson ,judson1 ,esq41 at which addresses were made by ,colonel ,olcott on the history of cremation2 ,rev4 ,george ,p4 ,hayes 7president of the ,washington and ,jefferson ,college7 on the bearing of the ,bible and ,christianity upon the subject of cremation2 ,dr4 ,james ,king on incineration from a sanitary point of view2 ,dr4 ,le ,moyne on the general advantages of cremation2 ,boyd ,crumine1 ,esq41 who spoke of the popular prejudices against this method of disposing of the dead2 and ,mr4 ,nicholas ,k4 ,wade1 who alluded to the mechanical necessities of a perfect cremation4 ,it is to be regretted that so many of the persons who attended this incineration had a preconceived notion of the practice1 which rendered them totally unfit to judge of it4 ,being prejudiced from the beginning1 it is not at all surprising that they should have given unsatisfactory1 highly sensational1 and misrepresenting accounts of the affair to the world2 but as ,mr4 ,w4 ,eassie pertinently remarks1 the same thing has occurred in every case of modern cremation up to the present time1 and will1 no doubt1 continue until the reform is more commonly practiced4 ,the fourth body that was cremated in the ,united ,states was ,mrs4 ,jane ,pitman1 from ,cincinnati1 who was destroyed in the ,le ,moyne crematorium1 ,feb4 #f1 #ahgg4 ,the fifth disposed of by fire in ,america was ,dr4 ,winslow1 of ,california1 who was burned at ,salt ,lake ,city on the #cast of ,july1 #ahgg1 in a primitive furnace temporarily erected through his request by the administrators of his estate4 ,the sixth was a child of ,mr4 ,julius ,kircher1 who cremated it in his oven at ,new ,york ,city1 in the fall of #ahgg4 ,the ,le ,moyne crematory was closed to the general public ,aug4 #a1 #ahhd4 ,after that date no bodies were received by the trustees of the crematorium1 outside of ,washington ,county1 for cremation4 ,bodies were admitted to the ,le ,moyne furnace for incineration from all parts of the country1 only in order to carry out ,dr4 ,le ,moyne's view of reform--keeping the subject before the public4 ,since the interest manifested by the people of the ,united ,states in the subject of cremation is speedily growing1 other crematories are building where the public will be accommodated2 and as the business increased to such an extent that it occupied more time than the trustees could possibly devote to it1 they were compelled to limit the use of the crematory4 ,hereafter1 therefore1 no body will be cremated in this furnace1 who has not lived within the county in which ,dr4 ,le ,moyne lived and died4 ,and whereas not one of the persons consumed in this crematorium 7except the owner himself7 hailed from ,washington ,county1 we may presume that this pioneer furnace of cremation in ,america has been closed forever4 ,of all the cremations which took place in the ,le ,moyne furnace1 that of ,professor ,s4 ,d4 ,gross1 ,m4,d41 ,,ll4,d41 attracted the greatest attention4 ,it was in accordance with his expressed wish that he was committed to the flames4 ,he more than once declared he had no desire that some 8curious impertinent0 should1 a hundred years hence1 hand around his jawbone for inspection and comment1 and to avoid such a contingency he gave positive directions for the burning of his body4 ,cremation as a mode of decently disposing of the dead could receive approval from no higher source1 and in no more conspicuous manner1 than in the disposition of his remains by that means4 ,dr4 ,gross stood without a peer among his fellows2 he was venerated not only by the medical profession of ,america1 but even by physicians of foreign lands4 ,he was to the profession of medicine what ,charles ,o',connor was to the profession of law1 and his deliberate choice of incineration in preference to burial attracted wide and respectful attention even in so conservative a class as doctors4 ,perhaps no man ever drew breath who was better qualified to express an opinion on this subject4 ,who is so well entitled to form a correct opinion as the man who for nearly three-quarters of a century had the closest possible relations with the dying and the dead8 ,that his example gave a new impetus to incineration there is no room to doubt4 ,he sought to be a teacher even after his death2 he wanted to benefit his race even in his decease4 ,perhaps he believed that others might follow where he led1 as they had done in life4 ,others will follow his example1 and the work go on until the present custom shall give way to the better one4 ,it may be long before that time comes1 but come it will4 ,on its way to ,washington1 ,pa41 the body was accompanied by ,mr4 ,a4 ,h4 ,gross and ,dr4 ,horwitz4 ,there were no ceremonies at the incineration1 and the remains were reduced to ashes in two hours4 ,the ashes weighed about seven pounds1 were hermetically sealed in a tin box1 and placed in the coffin in which the body was carried to ,washington4 ,on reaching ,philadelphia the coffin was removed to the late residence of ,dr4 ,gross1 and subsequently the ashes were enclosed in a marble urn about three feet high1 unornamented and without inscription1 and placed beside the coffin of ,dr4 ,gross' late wife in the family vault at ,woodlawn ,cemetery1 where the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,charles ,currie read the ,episcopal burial service4 ,voltaire derided his contemporaries by declaring that they could not protect themselves from the fatal power of the dead4 ,but when the great ,revolution came along1 overthrowing the then existing order of things1 and performing a painful but necessary work1 the same ,france that had listened to the voice of the great philosopher became aware of a means that shielded from the dangers of the burial-ground--cremation4 ,on the #bhth of ,march1 #agid 7#bh ,germinal1 ,an ,,ii71 the deceased republican ,beauvais1 physician at ,montpellier and member of the ,national ,assembly1 was cremated in the ,champ-de-,mars at ,paris4 ,the urn containing his ashes was deposited in the archives of the nation4 ,in the year ,v of the republic 7#agig71 a motion by ,daubermesnil1 to introduce facultative incineration1 providing that the act would take place outside of ,paris1 was rejected by the ,council of the ,five ,hundred2 but in #agii 7year ,,vii of the republic71 a law was passed by the ,seine department in favor of cremation4 ,advantage was frequently taken of the permission granted4 ,at this time the ,institute of ,france offered a prize of #aejj francs for the best essay on the question whether interment or cineration is preferable4 ,in consequence1 #dj dissertations were sent in1 and all of them demanded optional cremation4 ,the prize was accorded to two essays3 those of ,,mm4 ,mulot and ,amaury-,duval4 ,from #ahef to #ahfg1 the ,french cremationists were led by ,m4 ,bonneau and ,dr4 ,caffe2 the latter has retained the leadership till the most recent times1 and has done much1 by his admirable expositions of the subject1 to popularize cremation in ,france4 ,one point was brought out by him that is deserving of mention here1 namely1 that one tempted to stray from the path of honor and virtue may be restrained by the presence of ancestral urns4 ,dr4 ,prosper de ,pietra-,santa is to-day the foremost incinerationist in ,france1 a position to which he does honor and which he well merits4 ,his essays1 first published in ,l',union ,medicale1 are the chief contributions to modern ,french cremation literature4 ,in #ahgc1 he issued a complete manual of the subject1 in which he deplored the absence of popular sympathy with incineration in ,france4 ,but the time will come when ,france will recognize the value of the labors of this ardent reformer1 whose name is destined to occupy a most prominent place on the roll of honor of his native country4 ,the cremation society of ,france1 the proper designation of which is 8,la ,societ pour la propagation de la cremation10 was founded in #ahhj1 and incorporated on the #bc;d of ,december of the same year4 ,the late ,edmond ,about and ,leon ,gambetta--,l'illustre citoyen que la ,france a perdu--were members of this association4 ,at present the society numbers #egj members4 ,its principal object now is to obtain a law permitting cremation2 when this is secured1 it will devote its funds to the erection of crematories and the purchase of inventions which tend to simplify the process4 ,according to ,professor ,r4 ,beverly ,cole1 ,m4,d41 for many years past cremation is not infrequently practiced in ,paris1 the retorts of the gas factories being employed for the purpose4 ,the first and only incineration in ,belgium took place in #agih or #agii1 when a certain ,m4 ,yoidel1 a resident of ,mons1 cremated the body of his child in the yard of his house1 and preserved the ashes in a golden urn4 ,the cremation society of ,brussels was founded on the #bhth of ,february1 #ahhb1 and numbers now over #fjj members4 ,the cremation society of ,holland1 which boasts a very complete organization1 extends over the entire kingdom by means of branch societies4 ,it was founded on the #bhth of ,december1 #ahgd1 and incorporated by the royal decree of ,sept4 #a1 #ahge4 ,over #aejj members belong to it4 ,the branch societies are located at ,amsterdam1 ,rotterdam1 ,nijwegen1 ,delft1 ,leyden1 ,shiedam1 ,zutphen1 ,dortrecht1 and ,harlem4 ,since #ahgf a small periodical is published quarterly by the society of ,holland1 containing occasional communications concerning cremation1 and detailing the proceedings of the society4 ,the funds of the association are in good condition1 being mostly invested in government stock4 ,the first cinerary furnace built in the ,german ,empire was erected at ,dresden1 ,saxony1 and put in use in #ahgd1 when bodies were cremated on the #ith of ,october and #fth of ,november2 the wife of ,sir ,charles ,dilke was one of them4 ,no incineration occurred in this apparatus since that time1 owing to a refusal of the ,saxon government to permit the same4 ,on the #fth and #gth of ,june1 #ahgf1 an international cremation congress1 which was attended by representatives from almost all countries of the globe1 was held at ,dresden1 and did much to promote the interests of incineration in ,germany4 ,many important resolutions were adopted1 among others that of forming an international committee to establish a journal for the propagation of cremation4 ,on ,june #g1 the delegates witnessed the cineration of several animals in a ,siemens apparatus1 which completely reduced the animals experimented upon in one hour and one-half4 ,illustration3 ,,interior ,,of ,,washington ,,crematory4 ,the accompanying wood-cut represents that part of the crematory at ,washington1 ,pa41 in which the incineration takes place4 ,the numbers refer respectively to 7#a7 the incinerator1 closed2 7#b7 the fire-box1 open2 7#c7 the ash-pit2 and 7#d7 coal-bin4 ,the room1 as will be seen1 is needlessly plain1 and might with slightly increased expense in building be made more attractive4 ,an ornamental front concealing the brick-work and the coal-bin would serve greatly to improve its appearance4 ,with a slightly different arrangement the fire-box and ash-pit might be kept continually out of sight4 ,if the incinerator were turned end for end and made to open from the opposite side1 nothing would be seen by the friends of the deceased but its open door and rosy light1 which are most attractive to the eye4 ,cremation is now most extensively practiced in ,gotha1 in the new crematory established by the municipal council of that city1 which was opened to the public on the #agth of ,november1 #ahgh4 ,the first cremation at ,gotha came off on the afternoon of the #ajth of ,december1 #ahgh1 when ,mr4 ,stier1 a civil engineer whose embalmed body had awaited the completion of the crematorium for some time1 was consigned to the furnace4 ,since the establishment of the crematory1 over #ejj persons have been incinerated at ,gotha1 many of whom were from foreign lands1--,russia1 ,england1 ,france1 ,america1 etc4 ,berlin is the center of the reform in ,germany4 ,the ,berlin cremation society has an enormous membership1 and counts among its members many persons of distinction4 ,altogether the society numbers #ecd members1 #de of them being physicians4 ,italy may be considered the pioneer of cremation in modern times2 for there1 for the first time1 incineration was practiced in a systematic and improved manner1 and in no land have the cremationists been so active and energetic in advocating the reform as in this4 ,from #aggd till #ahgd cremation was advocated by ,piattoli1 ,moleschott1 ,coletti1 ,morelli1 ,du ,jardin1 ,bertain1 ,castiglione1 ,pini1 and ,polli4 ,baron ,albert ,keller1 who1 though of ,german descent1 was an ,italian citizen and a resident of ,milan1 and above all an enthusiastic patron of cremation1 deposited #aj1jjj lire for the cineration of his own body1 and directed that after defraying the costs of his cremation1 the remaining money should be used to form a fund for the erection of a building exclusively devoted to the burning of the dead4 ,when this nobleman died in #ahgd1 his last directions were carried out1 and the cremation temple which bears his name became1 in accordance with the testament of the deceased1 the property of the city of ,milan4 ,the ,italian clergy opposed incineration but very little4 ,in the capital of ,lombardy a distinguished prelate even declared that the burning of the dead is in no wise contrary to the dogma of the church2 and here one also can witness how priests accompany the body to be incinerated to the ,tempio ,crematorio1 where they say a last prayer3 indeed proof of tolerance and genuine ,christianity4 ,the ,fourth ,medical ,congress held at ,milan on the #eth of ,september1 #ahgg1 endorsed cremation1 stating that it is a veritable scientific progress which has the advantage over inhumation in corresponding to the exigencies of hygiene4 ,it also expressed its conviction that incineration in no way offends against the affection of families for their defunct1 the respect and veneration for human remains1 and the religions principles of the surviving4 ,the ,milan cremation society was organized chiefly through the efforts of ,drs4 ,pini and ,cristoforis1 the latter being elected president4 ,as the ,polli-,clericetti apparatus in the crematorium had not given general satisfaction1 the gasometer behind the temple was removed1 in #ahhj1 and suitable wings were built4 ,two furnaces were then erected1 one being built on the ,gorini system1 in which the ordinary cremations are performed1 and the other on the ,venini system1 where cremation of the remains of persons who died from contagious diseases1 and of strangers1 takes place4 ,the building also has three columbaria1 one on each side of the crematorium1 and an ordinary one in the vaults below4 ,owing to the success of the ,milan crematory1 crematoria were built at ,padua1 ,cremona1 ,varese1 ,lodi1 ,brescia1 and ,rome4 ,a cinerary furnace was also speedily erected in the hospital at ,spezzia1 by order of the ,secretary of the ,navy2 this apparatus was principally used for the cremation of cholera victims4 ,the urns holding the ashes of the cremated cannot be removed from an ,italian columbarium except by permission of the prefect of the province4 ,the urns must be tightly closed1 and must bear the name of the deceased and the date of his or her death4 ,the ashes of only one body may be placed in an urn1 the reverse being strictly forbidden4 ,every cremation is registered both by the board of trustees of the crematory and by the civil authorities4 ,looking over the history of cremation in ,italy1 one needs must gain the firm conviction that ,dr4 ,gaetano ,pini of ,milan is the most ardent cremationist in his native country4 ,whenever a cremation society was organized there1 the indefatigable doctor was on hand1 giving advice and delivering addresses1 increasing the zeal of the advocates of the reform1 and encouraging its timid friends4 ,really1 the amount of labor performed by this gentleman is truly marvelous4 ,already the doctor is reaping the fruits of his philanthropic work4 ,incineration is steadily advancing in ,italy1 and is gaining popular favor rapidly1 and ,dr4 ,pini's name will be handed down to succeeding generations as that of a benefactor of his land and people4 ,cremation societies now exist at ,ancona1 ,asti1 ,bologna1 ,brescia1 ,capri1 ,codogno1 ,como1 ,cremona1 ,demodossola1 ,florence1 ,genoa1 ,intra1 ,livorno1 ,lodi1 ,milan1 ,modena1 ,novara1 ,padua1 ,parma1 ,pavia1 ,perugia1 ,piacenza1 ,pisa1 ,pistoga1 ,san ,remo1 ,siena1 ,turin1 ,undine1 ,varese1 ,venice1 and ,verona4 ,in ,spain1 where the body of ,merino1 the man who attempted the assassination of ,queen ,isabella1 was burned in #aheb1 cremation has made as yet but little progress1 but even in this stronghold of ,catholicism it can point to friends4 ,el ,anfiteatro ,anatomico ,espaol of ,march #ae1 #ahgd1 contains an admirable article on incineration by ,don ,federico ,gilman4 ,two pamphlets on the subject also appeared1 one by ,enrico ,salcedo at ,valencia in #ahgf1 the other by ,l4 ,gallardo at ,madrid in #ahgh4 ,the ,board of ,public ,health at ,madrid resolved in #ahhd to request the government to make cremation obligatory during epidemics1 and to permit incineration in all cases where the family of a deceased wish to dispose of him so4 ,dr4 ,cervera1 member of the municipal chamber of ,madrid1 proposed the erection of a crematory temple in the new cemetery of that city4 ,at ,lisbon1 ,portugal1 cremation is not only optional1 but the authorities of the city have even issued a decree making cremation compulsory in time of epidemics4 ,the cremation movement in ,switzerland began in the spring of #ahgd4 ,on the #bjth of ,december1 #ahgh1 the municipal council of ,zuerich granted leave to erect a crematorium on a ceded piece of ground in the new cemetery of that town4 ,i am sorry to say that a crematory has as yet not been erected1 owing to a lack of funds4 ,this deplorable condition is due to a great extent to the ridiculously small membership-fee and annual dues of but two francs2 yet1 in spite of all this1 success is sure to come in the end1 for even this lagging fund grows yearly4 ,the society at ,zuerich now numbers nearly #djj members1 and is 7the fund dilemma excepted7 in a prosperous condition4 ,wegmann-,ercolani is its recognized leader1 and must be looked upon as the foremost champion of incineration in ,switzerland4 ,in ,austria the outlook for cremation is not favorable1 but one need not be surprised at that1 for ,austria is known to be one of the most conservative countries in the world4 ,in #afeh1 when several collections of cinerary urns were discovered in ,old ,walsingham1 ,norfolk1 ,england1 ,sir ,thomas ,browne1 a learned physician1 came forward with a brilliant dissertation on cremation1 which still holds its rank among standard ,english literature4 ,this essay1 conspicuous for the erudition displayed1 was a singularly powerful and idiomatic plea for incineration4 ,the next to take up the righteous cause of cremation in ,great ,britain was no less a person than ,sir ,james ,y4 ,simpson1 the eminent surgeon of ,edinburgh1 ,scotland4 ,he demonstrated how easy it would be for his fellow-townsmen to maintain a fire constantly on the hill of the ,hunter's ,bog1 near ,edinburgh4 ,but he1 too1 only had in view the ancient pyre2 therefore it is not astonishing that his efforts were not crowned with success4 ,it appears that about the year #ahdd1 the sanction of the authorities of the city of ,london was obtained for the cremation1 within the ,city of ,london ,gas ,works1 of the dead of ,bridewell ,hospital2 an arrangement was also concluded with the city authorities for the incineration of bodies of dead prisoners1 and of the condemned meat and offal of the markets4 ,the project1 however1 met with so much opposition from certain churchmen that it fell into abeyance4 ,in modern times the gong of cineration was first struck by ,sir ,henry ,thompson1 who had become enamored with incineration at the ,vienna ,exposition1 and who earnestly treated of cremation in a brilliant paper1 8,the ,treatment of the ,body after ,death10 in ,the ,contemporary ,review for ,january1 #ahgd4 ,this article1 as might be expected1 elicited great popular interest1 much approval from all classes of the public1 and some vigorous opposition4 ,it was replied to1 in the ,february issue of the same periodical1 by ,mr4 ,philip ,h4 ,holland1 the ,medical ,inspector of ,burials for ,england and ,wales1 whose statements and arguments1 adroit though some of them were1 were properly refuted in the succeeding number of the ,review4 ,sir ,henry fortified his arguments by citing some experiments with the bodies of lower animals1 which he had burned1 with little cost and no inconvenience1 in a ,siemens furnace4 ,for many years prior to #ahgd1 ,dr4 ,lord1 health officer for ,hampstead1 continued to urge the practical necessity for the introduction of incremation4 ,the ,cremation ,society of ,england was founded on the #acth of ,january1 #ahgd1 and no sooner was it established than letters of encouragement poured in from all parts of ,great ,britain1 and there was a great influx of new members and subscribers to its declaration4 ,every cremationist must feel proud to know that among those who1 under ,sir ,henry ,thompson's able presidency1 founded the society1 were such men of distinction as the late ,shirley ,brooks and ,anthony ,trollope1 the well-known novelist4 ,the ,english ,cremation ,society was founded for the propagation of the tenets of incineration1 not for trading purposes1 as may have been supposed by some incredulous1 ill-disposed1 or ignorant minds4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,crematorium ,,at ,,gotha4 ,in #ahgh1 the society purchased an acre of ground in a secluded part of ,st4 ,john1 ,woking1 in ,surrey1 especially adapted by position for the purpose1 and erected thereon a building1 with an apparatus of the most approved kind1 for effecting cremation of the dead4 ,after some deliberation1 the system of ,professor ,gorini1 of ,lodi1 in ,italy1 was adopted1 since it was considered the best for the site1 inasmuch as no supply of gas is required to insure combustion1 but only coal or wood4 ,it is to be regretted1 that owing to a lack of funds1 only the furnace could be built1 which standing alone in spacious fields1 must present rather a dreary aspect2 must1 ,i take it1 appear far too realistic4 ,it is to be hoped that the society will1 by means of large bequests or sufficient contributions from the public1 be placed in a position to roof over the furnace1 and to erect a chapel or a hall in front of it1 so as to accommodate the friends and mourners4 ,the apparatus was next tested by an experiment1 which consisted of the burning of a portion of the carcass of a horse weighing #adj pounds1 that was consumed in two hours1 at a cost of a very small quantity of fuel4 ,the ashes resulting from the combustion were perfectly white1 and weighed a little under six pounds2 not the slightest odor could be detected in the closest neighborhood of the furnace1 or even with the doors of the crematory chamber open2 and there was1 moreover1 no escape of smoke from the chimney4 ,the success of the system was established1 and the possibility of cremation without offence completely demonstrated4 ,since that time the place has been maintained in perfect order1 but has not been used1 owing to a doubt raised soon after the date referred to1 as to the legality of adopting the process in ,england4 ,a deputation of the cremation society waited upon the ,home ,secretary on the #bjth of ,march1 #ahgi1 with a view of representing to the government their own wishes in respect to the crematory at ,woking4 ,the ,home ,secretary admitted that the proposed practice was unaffected by existing law1 but he had been advised that inasmuch as the registration of deaths in her ,majesty's country had always been associated with burial1 he was constrained to conclude that cremation must first be approved by ,parliament1 and that if persisted in1 he saw no other course open than to legislate against it4 ,he further advised the council to introduce a short bill into the ,house of ,lords1 and not to rely upon the opinions of ,queen's counsel which had been obtained by them affirming that it might be practiced4 ,thus the so-called ,cameron bill originated4 ,it is strange that ,england1 so far advanced in political freedom1 should yet be so deficient in intellectual liberty4 ,among the ,english there are doubtless as many unbiased investigators as among any other nation1 but both the representatives of the people and the government present the deplorable picture of solicitous embarrassment1 and maintain an obstinate conservatism when any question involving religion or ecclesiastical rites comes up before them2 any act that is not seconded by the ,church of ,england is rejected through non-support2 any abuse which the ,established ,church desires to retain cannot be removed4 ,that this holds true is evinced by the repeated failure of the bill permitting a widower to marry his sister-in-law1 notwithstanding that even the royal family desire to contract such a marriage4 ,finally the bill was accepted by the ,house of ,commons1 but has been since stubbornly rejected by the ,house of ,lords4 ,dr4 ,cameron's cremation bill--providing legal sanction for the adoption of cremation in ,great ,britain--was submitted to the ,house of ,commons some time in #ahhd--;,i do not remember the exact date4 ,this bill1 which asked but for permissive incineration1 a privilege that is readily granted in all civilized countries of the globe1 was rejected on the second reading by a vote of #adi to #gi4 ,it is a solace to know that the minority included the scientific men1 men of such world-wide fame as ,sir ,lyon ,playfair1 ,sir ,john ,lubbock1 and many others4 ,mr4 ,gladstone1 zealous in his endeavors to serve the ,church1 brought the influence of the ,government to bear against the bill1 pleading in excuse that it was contrary to public opinion4 ,every well-balanced mind must conceive instantly that the ,premier might have reserved the expression of the public will and opinion for ,parliament1 but that he wished to oblige the ,church of ,england4 ,that ,englishmen regard cremation from the same standpoint as other people is proven by the #gi favorable votes that were cast4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,eassie delivered excellent addresses on cremation before the first congress of the ,sanitary ,institute of ,great ,britain1 held in #ahgg1 at ,leamington1 and before the congress at ,manchester1 in #ahgi1 when he exhibited the model of the ,polli-,clericetti apparatus4 ,in ,march1 #ahgi1 the question of cremation was also presented to the ,house of ,lords1 but without practical results4 ,in ,august1 #ahhj1 ,sir ,t4 ,spencer ,wells1 late president of the ,royal ,college of ,surgeons of ,england1 and ,surgeon to the ,queen's ,household1 read a masterly paper on incineration1 entitled 8,cremation or ,burial10 at the meeting of the ,british ,medical ,association1 at ,cambridge4 ,at its conclusion a memorial was drawn up1 addressed to the ,home ,secretary1 and praying that permission be granted for the practice of cremation4 ,the address was as follows3-- 8,we1 the undersigned members of the ,british ,medical ,association1 assembled at ,cambridge1 disapprove the present custom of burying the dead1 and desire to substitute some mode which shall rapidly resolve the body into its component elements by a process which cannot offend the living1 and may render the remains absolutely innocuous4 ,until some better mode is devised we desire to promote that usually known as cremation4 ,as the process can now be carried out without anything approaching to nuisance1 and as it is not illegal1 we trust the government will not oppose the practice1 when convinced that proper regulations are observed and ampler guarantees of death having occurred from natural causes are obtained than are now required for burial40 ,this memorial was signed by ,sir ,t4 ,spencer ,wells and many other prominent physicians and surgeons1 altogether by over one hundred members of the association4 ,on ,jan4 #ac1 #ahhd1 an incident occurred that speedily wrought a metamorphosis of the whole question regarding the legality of cineration in the ,united ,kingdoms4 ,there is an eccentric physician of ,south ,wales1 who is known as ,dr4 ,price4 ,he claims to be the nineteenth century representative of the ancient ,druids4 ,his costume is green trousers1 white smock coat1 and fox-skin head-covering4 ,he is an educated physician and a member of the ,british ,medical ,association4 ,the ,druids of old burned their dead1 and the child of ,dr4 ,price having died1 he determined to dispose of her remains by cremation4 ,he retired at nightfall to a hill-top1 where1 placing the corpse in a cask of petroleum1 he applied the torch4 ,the burning aroused the populace1 who1 on nearing the spot1 discovered its purpose4 ,amid much excitement the charred remains were rescued1 and the ,druid doctor placed under arrest4 ,he was tried at the ,glamorganshire ,assizes1 ,cardiff1 and acquitted4 ,sir ,james ,stephen1 the learned judge1 when charging the grand jury at the trial1 stated that ,lord ,justice ,fry agreed in the views about to be expressed by him4 ,he reviewed elaborately all the authorities bearing on the case1 and1 after discussing the methods of disposing of the dead in ancient ,europe1 failed to discover any law1 ancient or modern1 which forbids cremation1 providing it be done in such a manner as to cause no nuisance4 ,this decision1 of course1 rendered the society free to act as it pleased4 ,advertisements were immediately put in the newspapers1 to say that anybody could be cremated who would adhere to the rules formulated by the society4 ,under these circumstances the cremation society felt it a duty to indicate1 without delay1 those safeguards which they deemed it essential to associate with the proceeding in order to prevent the destruction of a body which might have met death by unfair means4 ,they were aware that the chief practical objection which can be urged against the employment of cremation consists in the opportunity which it offers1 apart from such precautions1 for removing the traces of poison or other injury which are retained by an undestroyed body1 and therefore framed the sequent rules1 which still hold good3-- 8#a4 ,an application in writing must be made by the friends or executors of the deceased1--unless it has been made by the deceased person himself during life1--stating that it was the wish of the deceased to be cremated after death4 #b4 ,a certificate must be sent in by one qualified medical man at least1 who attended the deceased until the time of death1 unhesitatingly stating that the cause of death was natural1 and what the cause was4 #c4 ,if no medical man attended during the illness1 autopsy must be made by a medical officer appointed by the society1 or no cremation can take place4 ,these conditions being complied with1 the council of the society reserve the right in all cases of refusing permission for the performance of the cremation1 and1 in the event of permitting it1 will offer every facility for its accomplishment in the best manner40 ,the ,cremation ,society of ,england owes much to its indefatigable honorary secretary1 ,mr4 ,william ,eassie1 ,c4,e41 whose propaganda for incineration is not confined to the ,british ,isles1 but extends all over the world4 ,i am sure that his name will always head the list of those who have promoted cremation in the country of ,shakespeare1 and in this respect even place him over and above that illustrious surgeon and physicist1 ,sir ,henry ,thompson4 ,i would not1 ,i am certain1 experience the least astonishment should ,i hear that ,mr4 ,eassie sent some of his valuable essays on cineration to some savage in ,africa1 for instance the king of ,dahomey1 and that the royal negro1 pleased with the idea1 instantly had several hundred of his subjects cremated before him1 which1 being a complete success in every respect1 led his dusky majesty to swear by all the holy idols with which he is familiar that he too should be reduced to ashes after death4 ,public sentiment reflected in the press of the ,united ,kingdoms has been almost unanimously in favor of cremation4 ,journals of all classes1 religious1 fashionable1 popular1 ,whig1 ,radical1 or ,tory1 from the ,court ,circular to the ,rock1 from the ,times to ,lloyd's ,weekly ,newspaper1 have by a vast majority pronounced in its favor4 ,the ,metropolitan ,commissioners of ,sewers have appointed a committee with the view of considering the propriety of erecting a crematorium at ,ilford4 ,the oldest case of cremation on record in ,great ,britain was that of a widow1 ,mrs4 ,pratt1 of ,george ,street1 ,hanover ,square1 ,london4 ,the lady was burned1 in obedience to directions given in her testament1 in the new graveyard adjoining ,tyburn turnpike1 on the #bfth of ,september1 #agfi4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,crematorium ,,at ,,milan4 7,from ,dr4 ,pini's work47 ,on the #hth and #ith of ,october1 #ahhb1 the wife of ,captain ,hanham1 and his mother1 ,lady ,hanham1 wife of the late ,sir ,james ,hanham1 ,bart41 of ,dean's ,court1 ,dorset1 were cremated in a cheap temporary crematory1 devised by ,mr4 ,richards of ,wincanton4 ,the furnace had been built under the supervision of ,captain ,hanham himself4 ,the coffins were placed on iron plates1 and fire bricks above the furnace1 a chimney #bb feet high furnishing the draught4 ,the process lasted two hours1 and was successful in every respect4 ,a year later1 on the #gth of ,december1 #ahhc1 the captain1 ,thomas ,c4 ,hanham1 was reduced to ashes in the same apparatus at his residence in ,manstone1 ,dorsetshire4 ,the incineration was public1 and in conformity with the last testamentary dispositions of the deceased4 ,the cremation was accomplished in #i hours and #dj minutes4 ,the ashes were deposited in the family mausoleum4 ,the ,danish ,cremation ,society at ,copenhagen was founded in #ahha1 and is in a flourishing condition4 ,it has several branch societies in the provinces4 ,soon after its organization it numbered #aejj members2 it now counts #ahjj members1 among them #abj physicians4 ,several attempts were made in ,denmark to legalize incineration1 but in vain3 as there is1 however1 no law prohibiting the act1 the society is determined to imitate the example of ,england1 to execute incineration at their own risk1 and await further legislation4 ,mr4 ,per ,lindell1 a civil engineer1 did much to popularize cremation in ,sweden4 ,for many years he treated of the subject in the columns of the ,norden1 a journal edited by him4 ,it was through his influence that the ,swedish ,cremation ,society was established on the #cast of ,may1 #ahhb1 at ,stockholm1 under the presidency of ,colonel ,e4 ,klingenstierna4 ,at present the society numbers from #gjj to #hjj members4 ,there is no law forbidding incineration2 the prospects are therefore very good4 ,as soon as sufficient money is on hand a crematory will be erected and put in use4 ,a society1 affiliated with the central one1 was recently organized at ,gothenburg4 ,in the neighborhood of the new cemetery1 ,st4 ,francisco ,xavier1 at ,rio de ,janeiro1 ,brazil1 a large space of ground has been assigned for the erection of a crematory temple4 ,incineration will be practiced there in order to lessen1 if possible1 the alarming rate of mortality in that unhealthy place4 ,dr4 ,a4 ,vinelli deserves great credit for his admirable articles in support of cremation in the ,revista ,medica de ,rio de ,janeiro of #ahgh4 ,in the ,argentine ,republic1 ,mexico1 and ,uruguay1 a steady movement is on foot in favor of the reform4 ,the authorities in ,mexico have already granted permission for the construction of a crematorium on the ,gorini pattern4 ,it is said that the government of ,venezuela has also decided to erect a crematory1 wherein to reduce to innocuous ashes the bodies of persons deceased of yellow fever4 ,the idea to propagate cremation at ,valparaiso1 ,chili1 originated with the ,lessing ,lodge of ,free ,masons1 which1 on the #fth of ,august1 #ahha1 directed a circular to the other ,masonic lodges of the city1 requesting them to send representatives to a preliminary meeting4 ,this meeting came off on the #c;d of ,december of the same year4 ,cremation was freely discussed from every standpoint1 but on the whole the meeting was not followed by any practical result4 ,on the last of ,december1 #ahha1 a proclamation to organize a cremation society was published in the journal ,il ,mercurio by the committee having the matter in charge4 ,on the #bjth of ,may1 #ahhb1 the ,cremation ,society of ,chili was formed under the presidency of ,seor ,o4 ,malvini4 ,this society is in a flourishing condition1 and now numbers over #bjj members4 ,towards the end of #ahhc a committee to organize a cremation society at ,alexandria1 ,egypt1 was formed by ,m4 ,lumel1 who1 unfortunately1 died in the same year4 ,the committee1 however1 is still in existence1 and is at present occupied in realizing the ideas of ,m4 ,lumel4 ,at ,cairo ,messrs4 ,titus ,figari and ,cesare ,praga labor to found a cremation society4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,the ,,evils ,,of ,,burial2 ,,the ,,sanitary ,,aspect ,,of ,,incineration4 ,the grave1 hallowed by religion and the queen of arts1 poetry1 has become to us the emblem of eternal rest--something that is beautiful2 something in which we may sleep long and well4 ,the weeping-willow droops its slender branches over it1 sweet1 fragrant flowers thrive upon its soil1 and the little birds perch there to sing their song4 ,the rays of the sun often play upon the small earth elevation1 and lend additional beauty to the green foliage of the trees1 the bright color of the many flowers4 ,but verily1 we are like the sunshine--superficial4 ,it is the great fault of mankind to be satisfied with a film-like knowledge of things4 ,to go deeper1 to dive below the superstratum1 would mean to meet1 perhaps1 with matters not at all pleasant2 to become cognizant of facts never before dreamt of4 ,consequently1 the majority of men is content to remain on the surface2 content to know a little1 but not all4 ,thank ,god1 there are happily individuals left who descend to the bottom of every question1 scientific or social1 and who daily enrich all departments of learning4 ,as regards the grave1 let us first of all listen to him who has held generations of folk spellbound2 let us bow reverently before the opinion of one of the masters among ,english novelists--,charles ,dickens4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,crematorium ,,at ,,cremona4 7,from ,dr4 ,pini's work47 ,it is he who tells us in measured words that the grave is naught but-- 8,brave lodgings for one1 brave lodgings for one1 ,a few feet of cold earth1 when life is done2 ,a stone at the head1 a stone at the feet1 ,a rich1 juicy meal for the worms to eat2 ,rank grass overhead1 and damp clay around1 ,brave lodgings for one1 these1 in holy ground60 ,the late ,prof4 ,samuel ,d4 ,gross1 ,m4,d41 one of the greatest surgeons the world ever possessed1 called burial a horrible practice1 and maintained that3-- 8,if people could see the human body after the process of decomposition sets in1 which is as soon as the vital spark ceases to exist1 they would not want to be buried2 they would be in favor of cremation4 ,if they could go into a dissecting-room and see the horrid sights of the dissecting-table1 they would not wish to be buried4 ,burying the human body1 ,i think1 is a horrible thing4 ,if more was known about the human frame while undergoing decomposition1 people would turn with horror from the custom of burying their dead4 ,it takes a human body #ej1 #fj1 #hj years--yes1 longer than that--to decay4 ,think of it6 ,the remains of a friend lying under six feet of ground1 or less1 for that length of time1 going through the slow stages of decay1 and other bodies all this time being buried around these remains4 ,infants grow up1 and pass into manhood or womanhood2 grow old1 and get near the door of death2 and during all that time the body which was buried in their infancy lies a few feet under ground in this sickening state1 undergoing the slow process of decay4 ,think of thousands of such bodies crowded into a few acres of ground1 and then reflect that these graves1 or many of them1 in time fill with water1 and that water percolates through the ground and mixes with the springs and rivers from which we drink4 8,people turn with dread from the subject of cremation4 ,why1 if they knew what physicians know1--what they have learned in the dissecting-room1--they would look upon burning the human body as a beautiful art in comparison with burying it4 ,there is something eminently repulsive to me about the idea of lying a few feet under ground for a century1 or perhaps two centuries1 going through the process of decomposition4 ,when ,i die1 ,i want my body to be burned4 8,any unprejudiced mind needs but little time to reflect in forming a conclusion as to which is the better method of disposing of the body4 ,common sense and reason proclaim in favor of cremation4 ,there is no reason for keeping up the burial custom1 but many against it2 some of the most practical of which are but too recently developed to need mention4 ,there is nothing repulsive in the idea of cremation4 ,people's prejudice is the only opponent it has4 ,if they could be awakened to a sense of the horror of crowding thousands of bodies under the ground1 to pollute in many instances the air we breathe and the water we drink1 their prejudice would be overcome2 cremation would be taken for what it truly is--a beautiful method of disposing of the body4 ,the friends of the departed can do as they please with the remains4 ,take the ashes of a wife or daughter and put them in an urn2 place it on your mantelpiece1 or in as private a place as you please4 ,strew them on the ground if you like1 and let them assist in bringing forth a blade of grass4 ,this would be an advantage over the burial method1 where human bodies only cumber the ground40 ,this was said by a man who not only showed considerable ability as an operator1 and writer on topics of medicine1 but who also was honored by the famous universities of ,cambridge and ,oxford1 receiving from them academical titles never conferred except upon the most distinguished4 ,we will take a spade 7only metaphorically1 of course7 and investigate the narrow pit which serves to hold all that is mortal of man after the spark of life has extinguished4 ,now we remove the plants1 the clinging vines1 the blooming flowrets4 ,we throw the earth aside and finally lay bare a coffin4 ,a coffin8 ,something that must have been one in the remote past4 ,a sickening odor greets us4 ,we step back to draw a breath of pure air4 ,at last we muster up sufficient courage to return to the grave4 ,a touch of the spade causes the top-board of the box to fall to pieces1 and there is revealed to the sight a spectacle that is horrible4 ,the ground around the body has been moist and non-porous2 what has remained of the corpse is only a mass of foul flesh in a state of putrefaction4 ,is there anything more disgusting than such a sight8 ,shakespeare says in 8,as ,you ,like ,it03-- 8,and so1 from hour to hour1 we ripe and ripe1 ,and then1 from hour to hour1 we rot and rot2 ,and thereby hangs a tale40 ,true6 ,the tale that hangs thereby is illustrative of the carelessness and ignorance of man alike4 ,the grave has been at all times a kind of box of ,pandora1 with this difference1--it did not require unclosing3 unopened1 the grave sent forth its children--pestilence and death--to decimate the ranks of the population of the globe4 ,but all calamities caused by burial have been endured by people with perfect indifference1 and it was not until modern times that any reforms were attempted at all4 ,but in spite of these so-called reforms1 the murder of the living by the dead has continued4 ,the reforms ,i mentioned generally resulted in the removal of cemeteries to the suburbs of cities4 ,in this way the evil effects of interment were deferred for some time1 till the city enlarged1 and the population closed in around the burial-grounds4 ,what is burial8 ,for what purpose do we place the bodies of our dead in the earth8 ,it is the beginning of a chemical process--a process which ends finally in the total dissolution of the corpse4 ,the chemical constituents of our body are returned to nature4 ,burial and cremation are in a sense the same2 in either case the body oxydates4 ,the great distinction between the two lies in the fact1 that the burning in the grave requires years for its completion1 and is fraught with danger to the living1 whilst in case of incineration the body is reduced to its primitive elements in the brief space of a few hours1 and is unaccompanied by anything that may do harm4 ,dr4 ,a4 ,b4 ,prescott1 ,professor of ,chemistry in the ,university of ,michigan1 has determined what elements of the human body are destroyed or dissipated by cremation1 and what remain in the ashes4 ,in a letter to the ,detroit ,post he states3-- 8,of the #gj chemical elements or ultimate simples1 known to man1 #ae are found in the human body4 ,of these1 four--carbon1 hydrogen1 nitrogen1 and oxygen--are derived from the air1 and in combustion1 as in decay1 they return to the air again4 ,these four in their various compounds make up by far the greater part of the animal tissues4 ,of the remaining #aa chemical elements1 six are metals1--potassium1 sodium1 calcium1 magnesium1 iron1 and manganese2 and five are non-metals1--sulphur1 phosphorus1 chlorine1 fluorine1 and silicon4 ,when combustion of the tissues is completed1 the six metals1 in combination with the five non-metals last named1 are left behind in the ash4 ,these were drawn from the earth4 ,there are about #ai chemical compounds in the ash so left1 compounds such as phosphate of lime1 carbonate of lime1 sulphate of potash1 chloride of sodium1 etc4 ,the greater number of the ultimate elements contained in the living body are left behind in the ash1 but the proportional quantity made up by all these elements is1 of course1 very small4 ,in the first place1 about two-thirds of the tissues consist of water4 ,the proportion of the #8ash' to the tissues varies from two per cent in muscle and seven-tenths per cent in blood1 to #ff per cent in bone4 ,the #8ash' left by combustion is very nearly the same1 in kind and in quantity1 as the #8dust' left after the final completion of decay40 ,what is decomposition8 ,how does it take place normally8 ,decomposition is the decay of an organic substance1 which is completely destroyed through the influence of the atmospheric oxygen4 ,decomposition is facilitated by moisture4 ,the organic mass undergoing such change assumes a different color and consistency and gives up carbonic acid1 ammonia1 and water2 the same products originate in the rapid destruction of an organic substance by means of fire4 ,only those parts of the body 7the bones7 that can best resist the influence of the air remain secure from decay a longer time2 at last they also crumble into dust and mingle with the rest4 ,wetness accelerates decay4 ,when we hear the rain fall in the silent night1 we are compelled to think1 shuddering1 how the horrible process of destruction begins in the grave of some beloved one whom we have recently buried4 ,the same stench that assails our nostrils when we approach a corpse that has lain a long time above ground1 meets us when we open a grave2 the same poisonous gases are evolved under ground from a decaying corpus as upon the surface of the earth4 ,it makes no difference whether the grave we explore be that of a prime minister1 upon which a magnificent monument rears its costly shaft high into the air1 or that of a common criminal who tried to enjoy existence by spending three-quarters of his lifetime in prison2 the result remains the same3 in each we find the disgusting and sickening evidence of slow destruction1--a formless1 putrid mass of flesh1 and sometimes numberless revelling worms4 ,the conditions under which decomposition can take place are a certain degree of moisture and a constant supply of air4 ,when a corpse is embedded in a soil that is very wet1 a curious change takes place4 ,there is no decay1 but instead a fatty metamorphosis1 giving the body a waxy appearance and preserving its original form4 ,the result of this transformation is called adipocere4 ,the process by which the body is changed into this stearine-like mass is entitled saponification1 and is not very well understood as yet by the scientists4 ,such preserved bodies were found in the burial-grounds at ,paris1 ,brussels1 ,london1 and many other cities4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,crematorium ,,at ,,varese4 7,from ,dr4 ,pini's work47 ,in #ahgd1 the cemetery board of the burial-ground at ,zuerich1 ,switzerland1 discovered that the bodies interred in the graveyard since #ahdi had not undergone decomposition1 but had turned into adipocere4 ,this horrible discovery materially assisted the progress of incineration in ,switzerland4 ,tripp relates that when eight bodies were taken up in a cemetery near ,worcester1 ,england1 the soil of which was composed chiefly of gravel and clay that was always very moist and at times so wet that the water had to be pumped out of the graves1 the undecayed body of a nineteen-year-old girl was found which had been buried #ea years and had undergone saponification2 the other corpses were decomposed1 also the coffins1 while the casket which had contained the saponified body was preserved4 ,i have seen but one saponified corpse4 ,it was at the museum of the ,new ,york ,college of ,physicians and ,surgeons2 ,i have forgotten whether it was a man or woman4 ,but ,i still remember how ,i shuddered at the sight and how ,i walked close up to the glass case to make sure that the waxy mass within was a human being4 ,it is superfluous to point out here that cremation puts a stop to saponification4 ,one need not be a chemist to know that a body cannot turn into adipocere after it has been reduced to ashes4 ,whenever the earth of a graveyard yet contains enough oxygen for the corpses deposited there1 the dangers are very few2 but whenever this is not the case1 the bodies of the dead undergo a horrible metamorphosis1 known as putrefaction1 and become dangerous to the living on account of the poisonous gases and other effluvia generated4 ,we observe the same phenomenon in our stoves4 ,when but very little air is admitted into them1 the combustion of even very inflammable material remains incomplete2 and stifling gases 7for instance1 carbonic oxide gas7 are produced4 ,it is evident that a porous soil facilitates decomposition1 the products of which it absorbs and retains till they have entered into some harmless combination4 ,there is1 however1 a limit to its efficiency4 ,when it becomes overcharged with the products of decomposition1 it can only hold a small quantity of them2 the rest are delivered to the water1 which permeates it and the air which passes over it4 ,on the other hand1 it is clear that a very damp1 non-porous soil into which the air cannot enter favors putrefaction4 ,a state of saturation is produced in the course of time in the best of cemeteries by a continued system of overcrowding4 ,although overcrowding of cemeteries is confined almost entirely to the countries of ,europe1 yet there are many ,american burial-grounds in which this condition exists2 and1 what is worse1 they are annually multiplying4 ,some of these overcrowded graveyards are situated in large cities1 in the centre of a dense population4 ,in these churchyards it is impossible to dig a single grave without the disinterring of the bones of one previously buried there4 ,imagine the consequences of such a state6 ,isn't it far better to remove the possibility of future disease and danger at once than to allow it to grow by degrees1 till it assumes a terrible and fatal dimension8 ,isn't it better to refrain from the use of cemeteries entirely1 and resort instead to the clean1 pure1 and undangerous system of incineration8 ,consider6 ,does it agree with our ideas of right and wrong to endanger the lives of our great-grandchildren or their offspring by our methods of disposing of the dead8 ,for1 by the time they appear on the stage of this world1 the burial-ground now sanitary will have become a breeding-place of disease from overuse4 ,when we remove burial-grounds to a distance1 we only postpone the evil4 ,we insure our own safety1 it is true1 by so doing2 but we encumber the ground with most virulent seeds1 and leave to future generations--to those who come after us--a terrible crop of pollution1 disease germs1 and death4 ,our own security from harm should not actuate us in this matter4 ,we should be wise enough to prevent the evil while we have the power1 so that our offspring will not justly reproach us for entailing upon them such a terrible legacy4 ,among ,american cities there is none that needs a change of method in the disposal of its dead as greatly as ,new ,orleans1 in ,louisiana4 ,those that are mowed down by the grim rider of the white horse cannot be buried there1 owing to the excessive moisture of the ground which surrounds the city and the proximity of the water to the surface4 ,it is impossible to dig two feet under ground without coming to water4 ,at all times the dead have been disposed of in a very careless manner in ,new ,orleans4 ,it is related that during the yellow-fever epidemic of #ahec1 when ,new ,orleans had a population of #aej1jjj inhabitants1 those that had died of the dread disease were thrown into trenches not over #ah inches or two feet deep1 and covered with very little earth2 so little1 indeed1 that the first rain that came along washed it away4 ,in a graveyard situated in the central part of the city1 were buried in this manner #djj bodies1 recent victims of yellow fever1 and contaminating the air with poisonous exhalations4 ,the mayor of the city was asked to remove the dangerous condition of the burial-ground4 ,he replied1 8,that's not my business60 ,and the commissioner of streets1 who was next approached1 answered in a like spirit4 ,the state of affairs grew worse and worse2 and at last1 even the negroes refused to act as grave-diggers4 ,at present1 they have a system of entombment in the ,crescent ,city4 ,these tombs are in the municipal cemeteries1 #ce of which are within the city limits1 giving them the appearance of a collection of bakers' ovens4 ,the tombs are almost universally made of brick1 and whitewashed4 ,they vary in size from #c #f feet to #aj #aj feet or #aj #bj feet2 there is a post in the centre1 which is surrounded by shelves1 on which the body--that is1 the coffin--is deposited4 ,there the dead rests for about a year1 when it becomes necessary to use the tomb for another corpse2 then the remains of the preceding occupant of the vault are rudely taken from the casket and dashed head over heels into a pit1 where they are left to breed disease4 ,what wonder1 exclaims ,kate ,field1 that yellow fever runs riot in ,new ,orleans1 when the air reeks with the festering corruption of #ce plague spots1 exposed for six months of the year to a tropical sun6 ,think how the death-rate of ,new ,orleans might be reduced by abolition of earth-burials6 ,what better field for missionary work than our own 8,sunny ,south08 ,the unhealthfulness of these vaults is apparent to all1 but1 owing to prejudice1 no other disposition of the dead has been adopted4 ,but sooner or later the inhabitants of ,new ,orleans must have recourse to cremation1 and burn their dead1 as they were forced to do once during a cholera epidemic1 when #ace corpses were consigned to the devouring element4 ,for #cjj years ,english churchyards have been so full that1 like the one in ,hamlet1 ,yorick's bones have had to be dug out in order to put ,ophelia's in4 ,from time to time the attention of the ,british authorities was directed to the shameful state of the cemeteries of the metropolis and other places4 ,in that case the matter was brought before ,parliament1 the government ordered an investigation1 a committee was appointed to examine the grievances1 the committee returned a report with the testimony of witnesses1 and the report was ordered printed4 ,the report commonly made a very large volume1 which looked exceedingly pretty on the shelf on which it was placed1 but became dusty in a comparatively short time from non-use4 ,the excitement had quieted down1 public opinion and the press were pacified1 ,parliament was satisfied1 and the condition of the burial-grounds remained the same as before4 ,the cemeteries of ,paris1 ,france1 are in no better condition2 the mould in the old ,cimetire des ,innocents is literally saturated with corpses2 ,montmartre and ,mont ,parnasse are overcrowded4 ,as for ,pre la ,chaise1--the burial-place that has been praised in poetry and prose 7the resting-place of ,racine and ,molire71 that has been adjudged the most beautiful cemetery in the world1--,pre la ,chaise is packed with decaying bodies4 ,a cable dispatch dated ,dec4 #bg1 #ahhc1 reported that the municipal council of the city of ,paris had resolved upon leaving those that fell during the reign of bloodthirsty ,la ,commune at ,pre la ,chaise for a period of #be years4 ,ordinary cadavers must be dug up after five years1 to make room for their ghastly successors4 ,in ,portugal the soil has become so packed with corpses that an effort was made to enact a law that after five years all interred bodies should be dug up and subjected to cremation4 ,this means that after the dead have saturated the ground with disease-producing emanations1 and have exhaled nearly all their virulent effluvia into the atmosphere1 sacrificing the welfare of the living to superstition and prejudice1 a later incineration shall take place to save space4 ,of ,american cemeteries1 ,i only need mention ,pottersfield of ,new ,york1 the name of which is not spoken or heard by an ,american without an involuntary shudder4 ,our graveyards are1 of course1 not like the cemeteries of the ,old ,world1 where the exhumation of bones takes place daily to make room for the recently deceased1 but they will become so unless the damaging prejudices are laid aside and something is done to prevent such a poisonous and dangerous situation4 ,in some of the old cemeteries in our cities it has become impossible to dig another grave4 ,rev4 ,john ,d4 ,beugless1 ,d4,d41 thus describes the burial-grounds of ,new ,york ,city3 8,of the great cemeteries about ,new ,york1 there is not one1 not even ,woodland or ,greenwood1 in the public lots of which three or more bodies are not put in one grave1--that of ,john ,doe1 who died from #8a bare bodkin1' being sandwiched between those of ,richard ,roe and ,james ,low1 who were victims respectively of small-pox and yellow-fever4 ,in the public or poor quarter of ,calvary ,cemetery a far worse state of things obtains--more appalling than even the fosse commune of ,paris1 for it is the fosse commune sans chaux4 ,a trench is dug1 seven feet wide1 ten to twelve feet deep1 and of indefinite length1 in which the coffins are stowed1 tier upon tier1 making a flight of steps1 five or more deep1 and with not enough earth to hide one from the next4 ,and this is our vaunted #8,christian burial' in this new country1 with its myriads of broad acres6 ,what shall our children say of us1 when they come1 perforce1 from stress of space1 to build their dwellings upon these beds of pestilence80 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,crematorium ,,at ,,brescia4 7,from ,dr4 ,pini's work47 ,that is the way we1 8the ,christian nation par excellence10 treat friendless paupers and criminals4 ,shame6 shame6 ,a dog is more decently interred4 ,the cemeteries of the city of ,brooklyn occupy nearly #bjjj acres of land4 ,a thoughtful eminent physician gives it as his opinion that the prevailing southwest wind1 blowing over these corruption festering plague spots1 carries to ,flatbush the germs of typhoid fever and diphtheria1 and swells the death-rate of that city to its present alarming magnitude4 ,the more one considers cremation1 the more one finds himself wondering how it has come to pass that we practice interment1 with its many faults and dangers1 and do not burn our dead4 ,it is clear that overcrowding of burial-grounds must lead to evil consequences4 ,a ground that is saturated with putrefying material can emit naught but poisonous odors1 cannot fail to contaminate the purest and clearest water1 must vitiate any atmosphere4 ,incineration deserves the respect to-day which the ancients paid to it1 and is the only way of disposing of the dead so as to avoid the terrible consequences of the mephitic graveyard gases1 of the dangers with which the ordinary mode of burial threatens us4 ,the truth was taught us by the ,tuscans some three hundred years ago4 ,at that time a whale was cast upon the shore of ,tuscany4 ,the inhabitants of the surrounding country hastened to the spot1 and removed the ribs of the large fish1 to hang them in the churches as a memento of the rare occurrence4 ,the flesh was left to rot in the scorching southern sun4 ,an epidemic of typhoid fever was the result2 and when1 ten years later1 another whale happened to strand in the same locality1 the people1 having become wise by its previous experience1 destroyed the monster by chopping it to pieces1 and burning these1 one after another4 ,there are many lurking dangers1 ready to destroy the living1 in the burial-grounds of the present day4 ,the mephitic vapors increase in quantity as decomposition advances1 and become far more poisonous than either arsenic or prussic acid1 if these were uncombined in their natural state4 ,these dangerous graveyard gases can spread to quite a distance1 and therefore can communicate the most malignant maladies at all times4 ,dr4 ,ayr claims that they extend to a distance of a hundred meters2 some authorities assert that they reach sometimes twice the distance4 ,this occurs generally when the grave is air-tight above1 and the surface layer of the cemetery soil is imporous4 ,then the gas escapes where it finds the least resistance1--at the sides1--and burrows along under the earth until it strikes a cavity1 and bursts into it1 or diffuses into the air4 ,when the grave offers no resistance above1 the gas enters the atmosphere directly4 ,burial-grounds best fitted for cemetery purposes should be feared most1 for it is evident that dryness and porousness are qualities which1 although conducive to the rapid decay of a body1 very much facilitate the escape of gases4 ,the danger is not obviated by deep burials4 ,in that case the morbific matter is diffused through the subsoil4 ,if the inhumations are so deep as to impede escapes at the surface1 there is only the greater danger of escape by deep drainage1 and the pollution of springs and wells4 ,dr4 ,reid detected the escape of deleterious miasma from graves more than twenty feet deep4 ,the danger from inhaling graveyard gases is great4 ,ramazzini relates how an avaricious grave-digger1 by the name of ,pisto1 met with instantaneous death on descending into a vault to steal the shoes of a corpse2 he was found dead upon the body4 ,lancisius 7,de noxiis palud4 effluv4 ,,ii1 ,ep4 #a1 c4 #b1 p4 #aeb7 states that several grave-diggers died in a like manner after entering a newly opened vault1 which had been set under water by an inundation of the ,tiber1 and in which the stagnant water had regenerated the virulent gases4 ,unger gives an account of a case similar to that of ,haguenot1 reported further on4 ,a vault was reopened in a convent at ,madrid1 for the purpose of depositing therein a fresh corpse4 ,when the grave-digger was about to descend into it1 he fell down dead4 ,two other persons1 who tried to save him1 shared his fate4 ,fortunatus ,licetus 7,de annull1 antiquitt4 c4 #bc7 relates that three men1 who went into a vault that was full of semi-decomposed bodies with the intention of robbing1 lost their lives4 ,when the bodies were extracted1 they were found to be swollen and black4 ,th4 ,bartholini 7,historiar4 anat4 rarior4 ,c4 ,,iv1 obs4 #cb1 p4 #bif7 made experiments in ,denmark which confirm these reports concerning the lethal action of graveyard gases1 and prove the especial danger from the gases of the dead long pent up in vaults4 ,he affirms that these noxious gases often prove fatal1 death being preceded by dizziness and fainting4 ,the gases of ,francis ,i operated with fatal effect upon the vandals who broke open his coffin1 in the time of the ,french ,revolution1 to rob it of its treasures4 ,books on hygiene teem with examples of the lethal properties of an atmosphere containing carbonic acid in excess4 ,a familiar instance is that of the passengers of the ship ,londonderry1 in #ahdh1 #aej of whom were shut up by the captain during a storm1 in the steerage #ah #aa #g feet4 ,seventy of them died in an incredibly short space of time1 with convulsions and bleeding at the eyes and ears4 ,haguenot reports that1 in #agdd1 the corpse of a monk of the ,penitent ,order1 who had been buried in a vault under the church1 was exhumed in the church of ,notre ,dame1 at ,montpellier1 ,france4 ,a man descended into the vault to remove the cadaver1 but1 before he got quite down1 he was taken with convulsions1 and fell unconscious into the vault1 where he died of suffocation4 ,a monk went down to rescue him1 but he too was taken sick1 and1 on having been pulled out immediately1 succumbed quickly4 ,a third1 who had the courage to follow his example1 fell dead without being able to retire4 ,the same fate was reserved for a fourth victim1--a brother of the first4 ,the bodies were pulled out with hooks2 the stench of their clothing was unbearable4 ,lights held near the opening of the vault extinguished2 dogs1 cats1 and birds1 on being brought in contact with the poisonous gases1 died1 with all symptoms of a severe convulsion1 in a few minutes4 ,some of the mephitic gas was bottled2 but when experimented with after two and one-half months1 it still had all of its dangerous qualities4 ,in #agdi1 when new vaults and graves were made in the ,st4 ,eustachius ,church at ,paris1 ,france1 cadavers were dug up and placed temporarily in an old vault of the church1 which had remained locked a long time4 ,children coming to church to prepare for confirmation1 and even adults1 fainted on entering the sacred edifice1 and some had serious attacks of illness4 ,the same took place in ,st4 ,sebastian ,church at ,madrid1 ,spain1 in #aghf2 three times a grave burst open1 in which1 but a short time before1 a very corpulent lady had been buried4 ,the horrible smell that arose from this grave prevented the reading of the holy mass at the high altar during a period of eight days4 ,at one time the ,parish ,church of ,metz was so infected by the gases of a female corpse that it had to be abandoned1 and the divine service removed to another church4 ,in #ahda two men who had some work to do in a grave in ,st4 ,botolph's ,churchyard1 ,aldgate1 ,england1 died almost instantly on entering it4 ,in the churchyard at ,cobham1 in ,surrey1 ,england1 on account of some changes in the church1 some bodies had to be raised4 ,the work of the navvies was horrible beyond description1 and dangerous beside4 ,it was performed very early in the morning1 and was beset with difficulties4 ,repeated doses of gin had to be given to the men to keep them at a kind of work which they could only do under the influence of alcohol4 ,three men perished in #aheb1 at ,paris1 from inhaling the gas that escaped from coffins4 ,fourcroy affirms that grave-digging is an unhealthy and dangerous occupation1 and that all grave-diggers he examined showed symptoms of slow poisoning4 ,george ,a4 ,walker declared that no grave-digger ever wholly escaped the influence of graveyard gases4 ,some of the men employed in this way have noticed the peculiar smell of the gases on beginning to dig4 ,monsieur ,patissier reports several deaths due to grave-digging2 and ,mr4 ,chadwick asserts that the vocation of a sexton shortens life one-third4 ,usually grave-diggers are heavy drinkers2 they take to drinking to resist the malignant influence of the vapors which arise slowly but surely out of the cemetery soil1 and to do away with any 8maudlin sentimentality0 that may still linger in their hearts1 and that might interfere with their horrible work4 ,on ,march #a1 #ahhf1 ,marke ,thornton1 of ,washington1 ,ga41 met with a singular death4 ,his decease resulted from inhaling poisonous gas which seeped through into a grave he was digging by the side of another4 ,the other men at work with him left the grave as soon as they detected the gas1 but ,thornton1 thinking there was no danger in it1 remained and died4 ,the action of cemetery gases on the human body manifests itself in a variety of ways4 ,sir ,t4 ,spencer ,wells states that decomposing human remains so pollute earth1 air1 and water as to diminish the general health and average duration of life4 ,dr4 ,lyon ,playfair affirms that the inspiration of graveyard gases does not always cause one form of decay or putrefaction1 but that it depends entirely upon the organs attacked4 ,entering the blood1 it produces fever2 communicated to the viscera1 it gives origin to diarrha1 and may1 ,dr4 ,playfair thinks1 even be the source of consumption4 ,when the irrespirable gas enters the respiratory tract1 ,dr4 ,southwood ,smith claims that it is conveyed into the system through the thin and delicate walls of the air-vesicles of the lungs in the act of respiration4 ,he states that turpentine1 for instance1 if only inhaled when passing through a room that was recently painted1 will exhibit its effects in some of the fluid excretions of the body even more rapidly than if it had been taken into the stomach4 ,dr4 ,riecke thinks that putrid emanations operate also through the olfactory nerves by powerful1 penetrating1 and offensive smells4 ,cemeteries are breeding grounds as well as foci of disease and death4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,crematorium ,,at ,,woking1 ,,england4 ,mr4 ,chadwick1 in his 8,report on the ,practice of ,interment in ,towns0 7,london1 #ahdc71 writes3-- 8,the injurious effects of exhalations from the decomposition in question on the health and life of man is proved by a sufficient number of trustworthy facts4 ,the injurious influence is manifest in proportion to the concentration of the emanations4 ,sometimes it produces asphyxia and sudden death4 ,in a less concentrated state the emanations produce fainting1 nausea1 headache1 languor4 ,if1 however1 they are often repeated1 they produce nervous and other fevers1 or impart to fevers arising from other causes a typhoid type4444 ,as there appear to be no cases in which the emanations from decomposing human remains are not of a deleterious nature1 so there is no case in which the liability to danger should be incurred by interment amidst the dwellings of the living1 it being established as a general conclusion that all interments in towns where bodies decompose1 contribute to the mass of atmospheric impurity which is injurious to public health40 ,the ,italian physician ,felix ,dell',acqua gives it as his opinion 7in his study on cremation71 that graveyards infect the earth1 the air1 and the water1 and constantly endanger public health during an epidemic4 ,dr4 ,polli proved that graves deteriorate the air we breathe and contaminate the water we drink1 by loading them with organic matter4 ,prof4 ,antonio ,selmi1 of ,mantua1 claims to have discovered organic germs in the air above graves1 which he called septopneuma1 and which1 when injected under the skin of a pigeon1 caused a typhus-like disease that ended in death within three days4 ,specific germs may enter the atmosphere from the graves1 which convey the deadliest of maladies1 being carried very far by the wind4 ,but the agent that makes cemetery gases so dangerous is carbonic acid4 ,dr4 ,parkes 7,practical ,hygiene71 the eminent ,english scientist1 says3-- 8,the decomposition of bodies gives rise to a very large amount of carbonic acid4 ,ammonia and an offensive putrid vapor are also given off4 ,the air of most cemeteries is richer in carbonic acid1 and the organic matter is perceptibly large1 when tested by potassium permanganate40 ,it is a well-known fact that carbonic acid1 when inhaled in an undiluted state1 causes death2 it is fatal to all forms of life4 ,when inhaled diluted with air it interferes with the introduction of oxygen into the body1 and causes the carbonic acid1 which should be eliminated1 to be retained4 ,this1 no doubt1 prevents the proper tissue changes1 and must in time undermine the healthiest body by seriously affecting its nutrition4 ,dr4 ,e4 ,j4 ,bermingham 7,disposal of the ,dead7 says3-- 8,the effect of constantly breathing an atmosphere containing an excess of carbonic acid is not perfectly known4 ,dr4 ,angus ,smith has attempted to determine the effect of carbonic acid per se--the influence of organic matter of respiration being eliminated4 ,he found that three volumes per thousand caused great feebleness of the circulation1 with diminished rapidity of the heart's action2 the respirations were1 on the contrary1 quickened1 and were sometimes gasping4 ,these effects were lessened when the amount of carbonic acid was smaller2 but were perceptible when the amount was as low as one volume per thousand40 ,according to ,haberman1 sensitive and nervous persons have been taken ill when walking by a cemetery4 ,p4 ,frazer1 ,jr41 says3 8,a sexton and the son of a lady who died seven days before went down into the vault4 ,both were affected with sickness and nausea2 one was affected for some years2 the son had ulceration of the throat for two years40 ,mr4 ,william ,eassie affirms that1 8according to a report of the ,french ,academy of ,medicine1 the putrid emanations of ,pre la ,chaise1 ,montmartre1 and ,montparnasse have caused frightful diseases of the throat and lungs1 to which numbers of both sexes fall victims every year4 ,thus a dreadful throat disease which baffles the skill of our most experienced medical men1 and which carries off its victims in a few hours1 is traced to the absorption of vitiated air into the windpipe1 and has been observed to rage with the greatest violence in those quarters situated nearest to cemeteries40 ,the most common diseases produced by graveyard gases are diphtheria1 throat and pulmonary affections1 severe diarrha1 and dysentery4 ,the number of cases reported is enormous4 ,many cases have been made public by ,drs4 ,parkes and ,tardieu4 ,ramazzini 7,maladies des ,artisans1 p4 #ga7 asserts that sextons1 whose business often compels them to enter places where there are putrefying bodies1 are subject to malignant fevers1 asphyxia1 and suffocating catarrhs4 ,fourcroy affirms that there are innumerable examples of the pernicious effects of cadaveric exhalations4 ,it has been stated that the carbonic acid generated by the decaying bodies is taken up by the plants1 shrubbery1 and trees abounding in cemeteries and their neighborhood4 ,that excellent and well-edited newspaper ,iron declares3 8,the consumption of vegetables whose roots had been nourished by the defunct members of a family would hardly be enjoyed by the survivors1 unless1 indeed1 they possessed the philosophic mind and robust appetite of the ,french gentleman who declared that1 with a certain sauce1 #8on mangerait bien son pre4'0 ,i do not believe that very much carbonic acid is absorbed by the botanical burial-ground decorations2 certainly not enough to prevent its toxic action and the vitiation of the air4 ,many a time was premature exhumation followed by fatal consequences4 ,in the church of a village near ,nantes1 ,france1 the remains of an aristocrat were buried in #aggd4 ,by accident some of the other graves were opened1 among them one which contained the corpse of a man who had been buried three months before4 ,an unbearable odor immediately filled the church4 ,many persons who had attended at this burial were taken sick2 fifteen died in a short time1 the first to depart being the grave-digger who had opened the graves4 ,vicq d',azyr states that an epidemic was produced in ,auvergne1 by the opening of an old graveyard4 ,norman ,chevers 7,european ,soldiers in ,india1 p4 #djd7 refers to the unhealthiness of the continent at ,sukkur1 ,india4 ,fevers of the most malignant type were abounding1 owing to an ancient ,mussulman burial-ground on which the station was placed4 ,tardieu1 the eminent ,french physician and scientist1 relates 7,dict4 d',hygiene1 p4 #eag7 that the excavation of an old cemetery of a convent in ,paris caused illness in the occupants of the adjacent dwellings4 ,tardieu 7,ibid41 p4 #dfc7 compiled a very considerable number of cases1 not only of asphyxia1 but of several febrile affections produced by exhumation and disturbance of bodies4 ,bascom relates that when the parish church in ,minchinhampton1 ,england1 was rebuilding in #ahdc1 the black earth of the cemetery surrounding it1 or what was superfluous1 was disposed of for manure1 being spread upon adjoining fields4 ,the earth was removed to change the grade of the churchyard4 ,the result was that an epidemic broke out in the neighborhood4 ,children on their way to school took it4 ,seventeen deaths occurred1 and more than #bjj children had measles1 scarlet fever1 and various eruptions4 ,it seems1 however1 as though the above figures are not quite correct1 for ,mr4 ,eassie1 who has lately made personal inquiries upon the spot1 insists that the mischief which resulted has been even understated1 and that the population was nearly decimated4 ,dr4 ,adalbert ,kuettlinger brings forward the sequent case to prove the deleterious action of cemetery gases4 ,a very obese lady died during the month of ,july1 #ahed4 ,previous to death she had requested1 as a special favor1 that her remains be buried in the church to which she belonged4 ,this was granted and promised her4 ,after her demise she was interred in a vault of the church1 and the next day the minister delivered the funeral oration4 ,it was very warm that day2 several months before the lady's departure there had been aridity1 and not a drop of rain had fallen in a long time4 ,the funeral sermon had been delivered on a ,saturday2 on the following ,sunday the ,protestant clergyman preached to an assemblage of nearly #ijj1 who had come to attend the ,lord's ,supper4 ,the warm weather still continued2 many had to leave church during the service to keep from fainting2 many swooned away before they could withdraw4 ,in ,germany people fast before they communicate4 ,the sermon lasted nearly one hour and one quarter1 after which the bread was consecrated and stood uncovered--according to custom--during the ceremony4 ,there were #ahj communicants4 ,one quarter of an hour after the solemnity1 before they had time to leave the church1 more than #fj became ill2 some died in severe convulsions2 others1 who had placed themselves immediately under medical treatment1 recovered4 ,the consternation among the whole congregation and citizens was great4 ,there was a general belief that the wine used at the communion had been poisoned4 ,the sexton and some other individuals who assisted at divine service were imprisoned4 ,the next ,sunday the minister delivered a severe sermon1 and pointed out several of his parishioners as participants in the conspiracy4 ,this enthusiastic sermon was printed and widely circulated4 ,the prisoners had to endure cruel treatment4 ,they remained incarcerated a whole week1 and some1 it is said1 were tortured2 yet they always insisted upon their innocence4 ,the second ,sunday from the time of the fatal occurrence1 the city authorities ordered that a chalice should stand uncovered on the altar one hour4 ,the time had hardly passed when it was noticed that the wine was covered with thousands of little insects1 which1 by means of the sunbeams1 were traced to the grave of the corpulent lady who had been buried fourteen days before4 ,four men were commissioned to open the vault and remove the coffin4 ,when they attempted this1 two of them died at once1 and the others were only saved by the great efforts of the physician in attendance4 ,the accused were liberated1 and the city council and clergyman begged their pardon4 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,render1 in 8,a ,tour through ,germany10 says3-- 8,two of the crew of an ,american merchant ship went ashore near ,canton1 to dig a grave to bury a dead shipmate4 ,the spade struck and penetrated a coffin of a man buried a few months before1 and the discharge of gas struck down both the sailors1 who1 though taken back to the ship1 died within five days40 ,i doubt that there is any one who will assert that it is delightful to drink an aqueous solution of one's own grandfather or great-grandmother1 yet there are many who do so4 ,the emanations from our ancestors may and do filter through the earth1 and get into the water we drink4 ,think of that6 ,wells1 springs1 and rivers are polluted by the infiltration of water highly charged with organic matter4 ,often such water has been the cause of fatal disease1 yet nothing was done to guard against it4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,dorchester-,,shire ,,cremation ,,furnace4 ,prof4 ,victor ,c4 ,vaughan1 ,m4,d41 ,ph4,d41 of the ,university of ,michigan1 in a paper on 8,water ,supply10 read at a sanitary convention at ,ypsilanti1 ,mich41 ,july #a1 #ahhe1 states3-- 8,to show you the stupidity and recklessness of people1 even in this enlightened century1 which is manifested concerning the contamination of water1 ,i must mention one other case4 ,there is in the county of ,kalamazoo1 in this state1 a nice little village by the name of ,richland4 ,it is situated in a most beautiful farming country4 ,the farmers of that region have grown rich on account of the fertility of the soil and other special advantages4 ,a few years ago the village board desired to select a new site for a cemetery1 and chose one within the village limits1 and within #cj rods of a well owned by an old physician1 ,dr4 ,patchin4 ,i always tell names in such cases1 because they tell the truth1 and any one can investigate them4 ,the old doctor objected to the location of the cemetery so near his house and well1 and as the result of his objection there was a lawsuit2 and if you will pardon me1 ,i will mention something of the condition of the land and some experiments that were made4 ,there were some #ah inches of rich prairie land1 then below this some two or three feet of hard-pan1 below this there were #ah or #bj feet of gravel1 such as we have all through the southern part of ,michigan4 ,in digging the graves the bodies would be put into this gravel4 ,the gravel was so loose and so moist that in digging graves it was necessary to put in boxing to prevent the gravel from pouring in while the grave was being dug4 ,below the gravel1 and about #cj feet below the surface1 was an impervious bed of clay1 with a slope from the cemetery towards the well4 ,it became a question now as to whether there was a possibility of the contamination of this well from burying bodies in the proposed new cemetery4 ,i was called1 and after studying the geological formation1 concluded that there was a possibility of such contamination4 ,the well was pumped dry twice a day1 and on an average fifteen barrels taken from it each pumping4 ,to show how ridiculous some theories are that have been advanced upon that subject1 ,i will state that ,i was met in court with this statement3 that it would be impossible for any of the water or rain falling upon this cemetery1 #cj rods distant1 to reach the well1 because1 as was found in some old book1 all the water that goes into a well is that which falls upon a surface which will be enclosed in a circle whose center was the mouth of the well1 and whose radius was the depth of the well4 ,this statement was made independent of any lay of the land or the geological formation1 and without any consideration whatever of the surrounding country4 ,fortunately this can be met very easily4 ,thirty barrels of water were pumped from the well each day4 ,we know the amount of rainfall in ,michigan per year1 and we can calculate very easily the number of barrels that would fall upon this surface enclosed in a circle whose center was the mouth of the well1 and whose radius was the depth of the well2 and as the result of such a calculation we find that the amount of rain falling upon this surface during the year would not supply the well more than two or three days4 ,returning home and detailing the trip to ,dr4 ,langley1 he suggested that a direct experiment might be made to see whether matter would pass from the proposed cemetery to the well or not4 ,he tested the water of the well for lithium1 a substance easily detected1 found it was absent1 then had a salt of lithium sown over the proposed cemetery1 and then examined the water of the well each day thereafter2 and on the eighteenth day after the lithium was sown over the cemetery it was found in the water of the well1 showing that the water did unquestionably penetrate the soil1 pass down to the impervious bed of clay which was the watershed upon which the water in the well collected1 and thence into the well4 ,notwithstanding proofs so positive as this1 a learned judge in ,michigan dismissed the case1 and allowed the cemetery to be located there1 with a possibility of poisoning a number of families4 ,as a result1 the families of the neighborhood had to discontinue the use of their well-water40 ,professor ,vaughan holds that the popular belief that if water filters for any distance through the soil it is purified1 is an erroneous belief1 and cites a number of experiments made by himself1 and numerous cases1 in support of the assertion4 ,according to ,dr4 ,h4 ,b4 ,baker1 secretary of the ,michigan ,state ,board of ,health 7vide ,report for #ahgd1 p4 #acf71 a terrible epidemic of cerebro-spinal meningitis1 that wasted the village of ,petersburg in the early part of #ahgd1 was attributable to a spring five paces from a house and #ae paces from a cemetery1 which is on ground from #ab to #ae feet higher than the level of the spring4 ,about #ah paces from the spring was a recent grave4 ,prof4 ,r4 ,c4 ,kedzie1 of the ,michigan ,state ,agricultural ,college1 to whom some of the water was sent for analysis1 concluded his report as follows3-- 8,the presence in these waters of unusual quantities of chlorides1 of ammonia1 of albuminoid ammonia1 of nitrates and nitrites1 and finally of phosphates1 shows these waters to be very unusual in their composition4 ,we might account for the presence of all these substances if matters very rich in nitrogen and phosphorus1 e4g41 flesh1 were undergoing decomposition in their vicinity1 and the results of this decomposition passed directly into this water4 ,the fact that the spring is near and lies below the level of the graveyard1 that the well is in the midst of an old ,indian graveyard1 gives much plausibility to this explanation4 ,the fact that the first person attacked with cerebro-spinal meningitis in ,petersburg used the water of this well1 and that others who used the spring water were attacked with the same disease1 would very naturally attract very significant attention to the composition of these waters as having some possible connection with the epidemic40 ,for several years many residents of ,nyack1 ,n4,y41 have protested against the encroachment of the ,oak ,hill ,cemetery property upon the thickly populated portions of the village1 objections being principally made on sanitary grounds4 ,examination of the ponds and wells of the village has demonstrated that they are being constantly polluted by the emanations from the cemetery4 ,not long ago the ,detroit ,evening ,news declared that the wells in the neighborhood of ,woodmere ,cemetery do not catch the rainwater until after it has been filtered through the thousands of graves in the cemetery1 filled with decaying bodies1 and that no water is obtained in the vicinity which is not discolored and has a brackish taste4 ,after a heavy rain the impurities are most pronounced4 ,the residents of ,woodmere have long ago given over the use of water as a beverage4 ,i do not blame them4 ,i would not like to drink fluid extract of dead man myself4 ,the ,new ,york ,staats ,zeitung1 a reliable ,german publication1 of ,may #bg1 #ahhf1 relates that a lawsuit of ,north ,bergen ,township1 ,n4,j41 against the ,weehawken ,cemetery ,company1 was tried the preceding day before ,vice-,chancellor ,van ,fleet1 at ,newark1 ,n4,j4 ,the township demands that for sanitary reasons the cemetery shall be closed at once and no further burials permitted in the same4 ,several physicians testified to the fact that diphtheria and other infectious diseases are endemic in the township1 and that they are due mainly to the unhygienic state of the cemetery1 which lies in the most populated part of the township4 ,one physician gave it as his opinion that numerous cases of diphtheria that appeared among the little pupils of a school was caused by drinking water from a well in the proximity of the cemetery4 ,in an address on 8,public ,health1 or ,sanitary ,science10 read before the medical society of the state of ,west ,virginia1 ,may #bd1 #ahhb1 ,dr4 ,t4 ,s4 ,camden says3-- 8,the ,board of ,health report for #ahgi gives the investigation of an outbreak of diphtheria in ,northern ,vermont1 which occurred in ,may1 #ahgi4 ,in a school of #bb persons1 #af were prostrated in two days1 one-half of whom died4 ,upon investigation the cause of the outbreak was found to be from the public drinking water from a brook into which had been thrown the carcasses of dead animals4 ,another outbreak of the disease of great virulence was caused by persons using water that was poisoned by the dead carcass of an animal that had been buried #ge feet distant from a spring4 ,the grass in this instance showed by its luxuriance the trace to the spring4 ,after the germs were once developed in many of these cases by drinking the polluted water1 the disease was communicated to other persons far removed from the cause of the primary outbreak4 ,one convalescent patient communicated the disease to six persons4 ,numerous illustrations of the importance of sanitary regulations are given in these epidemics40 ,thus we have illustrations of the origin of diphtheria from putrid animal matter2 and1 after the germs were implanted in persons1 fatal epidemics spread1 and many lives were lost that could have been saved by proper hygienic measures4 ,dr4 ,prosper de ,pietra ,santa1 the most enthusiastic ,french cremationist1 and a man who has investigated everything pertaining to incineration thoroughly1 calls attention to the example of the villages of ,rotondella and ,bollita4 ,the burial-grounds of these ill-starred villages were situated on the summit of hills that were beset with woods4 ,they were at the lawful distance1 and to all appearances in a most favorable location4 ,unfortunately1 the springs from which the inhabitants were accustomed to derive their water supply emerged from the base of the hills which were surmounted by the woods4 ,these springs were the result of collections of rainwater1 which1 percolating through the earth of the hills1 became impregnated with the organic matter which the ground contained4 ,in the course of time1 the drinking-water of these two villages became so contaminated that it caused a frightful epidemic4 ,prof4 ,dr4 ,e4 ,reichardt1 of ,jena 7,gesundheit ,i1 ,no4 #a71 published a large number of cases in which drinking-water was polluted by cemetery emanations4 ,many cases are on record where water contaminated by graveyard emanations1 by poisonous fluids oozing through the soil1 has proven harmful to health4 ,numerous cases of typhoid fever sprung from this source4 ,contagious diseases can also be communicated in this way4 ,riecke and ,galtie have compiled statistics of cases of typhoid fever and other contagious maladies due to this cause that withstand the severest criticism4 8,the rivers die into offensive pools1 ,and1 charged with putrefaction1 breathe a gross ,and mortal nuisance into all the air40 ,illustration3 ,,cremation ,,in ,,the ,,casements ,,of ,,paris ,,during ,,the ,,reign ,,of ,,the ,,commune4 ,kate ,field1 the well-known author and lecturer1 says3 8,these are times that are trying men's and women's bodies quite as much as their souls4 ,the zymotic diseases breaking out in what were formerly healthy villages may set even the blindest to seek for causes2 and perhaps the most prejudiced may finally be forced to admit that one great source of water contamination is the existence of multitudinous graveyards contiguous to habitations4 ,in my daily excursions on horseback1 which cover about #ae miles1 ,i count seven graveyards perched on hills1 the occupants of the adjacent towns preparing for speedy exit from this world by living below the dead and using well-water4 ,suggest to them that the prevailing #8malaria' may be due to drinking up the remains of their deceased ancestors1 and a howl of #8sacrilege' rends the air40 ,and in an admirable essay on cremation in the ,st4 ,louis ,daily ,globe-,democrat of ,july #ab1 #ahhe1 this graceful writer1 deservedly noted1 states3-- 8,new ,england villages1 once so free from ills1 are taking on the airs of invalids2 and it is often a question whether families that remain in big towns during the summer are not better off than their wealthier neighbors1 who hie to overcrowded so-called watering places1 not unfrequently returning with germs of typhoid fever in their systems1 that later breaks forth to their amazement1 and for which they are at a loss to account4 ,they forget how they drank well-water1 the springs of which percolated through peaceful village graveyards4 ,man's worst enemies are his own superstition and ignorance4 8,i learned by terrible experience when very young the horrors of earth burial4 ,i now know its crime against the living40 ,miss ,field is not only converted to but convinced of incineration1 convinced that it is preferable to any other method2 the moment a cremation society was incorporated in ,new ,york1 she became a member4 ,col4 ,r4 ,e4 ,whitman1 ,u4 ,s4 ,a41 remarks3 8,people who wonder at the change that has come over our ,new ,england villages1 the homes of a vigorous ancestry1 and deplore the advent of this mysterious #8malaria1' the unseen vampire that sucks the red blood of the present generation1 would do well to look about them and see how the graveyards1 old and new1 have grown in two centuries1 how the town has surrounded them2 how the water supply is from the same old wells2 how the town1 never having arrived at a magnitude seeming to demand a sewerage system1 allows the refuse of generations to mingle with the surface soil4 ,it would be a theme worthy of the magic pen of ,nathaniel ,hawthorne4 ,imagine his description of water percolating through the grave of some despised ,lazarus1 feeding the well of his life enemy1 ,dives1 and compelling him daily to quaff the poison his own cruel ignorance had distilled40 ,undoubtedly many country towns whose cemeteries are in their midst are drinking daily1 despite the acknowledged impurity of the water1 disease and death4 ,an ,english writer very pertinently remarks that 8if the formation of a deep sewer will suffice to drain dry the wells near its line of march1 then the sinking of a well near a burying-ground must help to drain the latter40 ,much complaint was at one time made in ,england1 concerning the pollution of wells by cemeteries4 ,in ,versailles1 ,france1 the water of the wells which lie below the churchyard of ,st4 ,louis1 could not be used on account of its pollution4 ,deep wells have been found to be infected more than #fjj feet from the cemeteries4 ,in ,france and in some parts of ,germany1 the opening of wells within #cjj feet of a cemetery has been prohibited4 ,the reports of the boards of health of ,massachusetts and ,new ,jersey give abundant evidence that country graveyards often contaminate the water supply when the wells are on a lower level4 ,the ,michigan reports also contain a description of a case that occurred at ,grand ,rapids4 ,a hygienic council held some time ago at ,brussels decided that wells could not be safely dug nearer than #djj yards to any graveyard1 and that even at that distance absolute protection was not certain4 ,the constant prevalence of dysentery at ,secunderabad1 in the ,deccan 7,india71 seems to have been partly due to the water which filtered through an extensive burial-ground4 ,one of the sources of water contained1 by analysis1 according to ,dr4 ,parkes1 #aai grains of solids per gallon2 and in some instances there were #h1 #aa1 and even #cj grains per gallon1 of organic matter4 ,sir ,j4 ,mc,grigor partly attributed the fatality of dysentery in the ,peninsula1 at ,ciudad ,roderigo1 to the use of water percolating through a graveyard in which nearly #bj1jjj bodies had been hastily inhumed4 ,medical ,councilor1 ,dr4 ,kuechenmeister1 who examined the wells of ,dresden1 ,germany1 discovered the water to be very impure1 especially in the new parts of the city1 and in the vicinity of the so-called 8,french0 graves4 ,the same results were arrived at in ,zuerich1 where it was demonstrated that the typhoid fever epidemic of ,auszerbuehl was due to water rendered impure by cadaveric effluvia4 ,in ,philadelphia1 three cemeteries1 containing #hj1jjj graves1 are so situated as to be liable to drain into the ,schuylkill1 the drinking-water of #a1jjj1jjj of people4 ,the diarrha prevalent during the ,centennial ,exhibition in the ,quaker ,city is said 7by many eminent sanitarians7 to have been caused by burial-ground water drunk by strangers unaccustomed to it4 ,the monumental cemetery at ,milan1 which is situated upon a hill some #ahj yards to the north of the city1 was proved to have been the cause of serious illness in its neighborhood1 produced by the contamination of the wells in the vicinity4 ,the water of the well of the ,place ,garibaldi was analyzed by ,professors ,parvesi and ,rotundi1 who found it tainted by organic matter4 ,the ,atlanta ,medical ,journal states that two young ladies who drank water from a spring situated on a hillside1 near an old graveyard1 became severely ill4 ,one was seized with pymia and diarrha1 the other with typhoid fever2 both died4 ,cattle that drank of the water were also made sick4 ,professor ,pumpilly has made certain by recent experiments that sandy soil does not prevent bacterial infection from entering a well situated at a considerable distance from cesspools and cemeteries4 ,indeed1 he claims further that 8dry gravel and coarse sand do not prevent the entrance into houses built upon them of those microorganisms which swarm in the ground-air1 around leaky cesspools1 near graveyards1 and in the filthy made land of cities40 ,anent the idea that the gases and organic matters which arise from the graves rapidly undergo changes by entering into new combinations when brought into contact with the earth1 ,dr4 ,john ,o4 ,marble1 of ,worcester1 ,mass41 says3-- 8,the monstrous delusion that the mere contact of the corpse with fresh earth renders it innocuous1 and suffices for safe disinfection1 is dissipated by overwhelming evidence4 ,i distinctly remember my boyish scruples concerning the water of a well situated not fifty yards from graves in the churchyard adjoining my father's garden4 ,this old #8,god's acre' ,i have a hundred times passed1 in my timid boyhood1 in the shades of night1 with palpitating heart1 and a pace rivalled only by that of ,tam ,o' ,shanter's steed from witch-haunted ,kirk ,alloway to the #8,keystone' of the #8,brig o' ,doon4' ,my father overcame my scruples concerning the water by stating the belief then held1 that the earth was a purifier and a safe depurator1 and that no harm could come to that well1 #cj feet deep1 the pride and unfailing source of supply of the neighborhood4 ,yet ,i1 that same autumn1 suffered a severe and nearly fatal attack of typhoid fever1 and another member of the family was similarly affected a year later4 ,the fever occurred when the well was low1 and ,i have no doubt1 in the light of present knowledge of such dangers1 that1 repulsive as is the thought1 ,i drank water filtered through the bones of my revered ancestors buried there1 and that the polluted water caused that illness4 ,to those who criticise the advocates of cremation for quoting ancient examples only1 of harm from graves1 this instance will appear sufficiently recent and intimate40 ,opponents of incineration1 who lay great stress upon the disinfecting powers of the earth1 forget that the soil is easily saturated by the emanations from the dead4 ,professor ,presscott1 of the ,university of ,michigan1 says in regard to this matter3-- 8,the purifying power of ground1 like that of the air above it1 is limited and easily overcharged4 ,if ground-air be loaded with more putrescent vapor than it can oxidize1 then poison is carried through the porous earth40 ,dr4 ,william ,porter1 of ,st4 ,louis1 ,mo41 has recorded the following case3-- 8,a young man died suddenly from diphtheria1 and was buried in the village churchyard4 ,at some little distance was a well1 from which the good church-goers drank freely each ,sunday4 ,finally the water of the well became ftid1 for the supply was infiltrated by the horrible decomposition from this1 the nearest grave4 ,was it not suggestive that #bj from that congregation died from diphtheria while this impure well was in use8 ,these people lived in mountain homes1 in a pure atmosphere1 and though many of these cases were isolated1--far removed from others1--yet in all the disease was alike virulent and deadly40 ,churchyard emanations can penetrate almost anything2 they have a remarkable force4 ,the chairman and superintendent of sewers of ,holborn and ,finsbury division1 ,london1 claimed that putrid matter from cemeteries over #cj feet distant had penetrated the cement and brick of his drain4 ,several years ago1 when ,mr4 ,holland1 the ,english government inspector of burial-grounds1 investigated the state of ,tooting ,cemetery1 it transpired that the drainage provided for the burial-ground was insufficient2 there was merely a system of surface drainage4 ,in one case 7admitted by the cemetery board7 a coffin was placed in a grave that contained enough water to cover the head of it4 ,the entire drainage of the burial-ground was conducted into a ditch near by1 which ended in the river ,wandle1 from which the inhabitants obtained their drinking-water4 ,lefort 7in a monograph to the ,paris ,academy of ,sciences7 points to the possibility of well-contamination by neighboring cemeteries4 ,in one instance he detected1 by chemical analysis1 that a well was polluted by a burial-ground #ej metres distant4 ,illustration3 ,,retort ,,lancaster ,,crematorium ,the ,parisian scientist ,m4 ,duchamp detected a spring that percolated entirely through graveyards1 picking up organic matter on the way1 and that tasted very strongly4 ,not a few analyses of water tainted by graveyard emanations testify to the fact that it is harmful1 nay1 that it is extremely dangerous1 to those who consume it4 ,nor is the danger always apparent4 ,in #ahgd the ,broad ,street pump at ,london1 ,england1 carried cholera to those who drank its water2 yet the latter looked clean1 had no perceptible taste1 and was odorless4 8,the very witching time of night ,when graveyards yawn1 and hell itself breathes out ,contagion on this world40 --,,shakespeare4 ,to the question1 8,can an epidemic of any kind be caused by graveyard emanations80 there is but one reply2 the facts on record compel us to answer in the affirmative4 ,dr4 ,buck1 in his excellent work on ,hygiene1 writes3 8,it is impossible for any one to say how long the materies morbi may continue to live underground4 ,if organic matter can be boiled and frozen without losing its vitality1 and seeds #cjjj years old will sprout when planted1 it would be hardihood to assert that the poison of cholera1 or small-pox1 or typhus may not for years lie dormant1 but not dead1 in the moist temperature of the grave40 ,dr4 ,wheelhouse1 of ,leeds1 ,england1 says3 8,do we not shun1 and that most wisely1 the presence of those afflicted with infectious diseases as long as they remain amongst us2 and yet1 no sooner are they removed by death than we are content1 with tender sympathy indeed1 and most loving care1 it is true 7but with how much wisdom87 to lay them in the ground1 that they may slowly dissipate their terribly infectious gases through the soil1 and saturating that1 may thereby recharge the rains of heaven as they filter through it1 with all their virulence and terrible power of reproduction in the systems of the living4 ,i am not the thorough and entire believer in the disinfecting and depurating power of the soil that ,i once was1 for terrible examples of its failure have1 in my judgment1 come under my notice40 ,often the site of an old grave is used to make a new one1 and in consequence earth is brought to light that is saturated with the effluvia of corpses of those who1 perhaps1 have died of some contagious or infectious disease4 ,the crime that is committed by individuals when they bury persons deceased of such maladies is pithily expressed by that champion of modern cremation1 ,sir ,henry ,thompson1 who says3 8,is it not indeed a social sin of no small magnitude to sow the seeds of disease and death broadcast1 caring only to be certain that they cannot do much harm to our own generation80 ,but such is selfish human nature6 ,the first to show the connection between epidemics and the process of decomposition was ,professor ,pettenkofer1 of ,munich1 ,bavaria4 ,he demonstrated that the presence of putrefying organic bodies1 air1 moisture1 and warmth1 in a porous soil1 are the potent factors which originate and develop pestilential germs4 ,the great mortality1 the severity1 that attended in former times the appearance of epidemics in cities where graveyards were situated in the center of a large population1 illustrates the deadly influence which these 8,god's acres0 have4 ,saint ,augustine pointed to the fact that epidemics are caused by decomposing organic bodies4 ,forestus reported many cases of malignant fever caused by the emanations of cadavers4 ,ambrose ,par1 the renowned ,french surgeon1 in #aefb demonstrated that a malignant 7pestilential7 fever1 then raging in ,l',agenois1 was due to the putrid vapors arising from a neighboring well into which many dead bodies1 soldiers fallen in battle1 had been thrown4 ,raulin 7,observ4 de ,med47 relates how the section of a corpse at ,leicturm1 in the plain of ,armagnac1 caused a frightful epidemic4 ,a terrible pestilence1 which decimated especially the lower classes1 was originated in ,riorno 7,auvergne7 by the digging up of the ground of an old cemetery1 done to beautify the city4 ,jean ,wolf1 who reported upon an epidemic of malignant fever in #agca1 attributed it to putrefying animal remains4 ,in #ageb a man who had died of small-pox #cj years ago was dug up in ,chelwood1 a village near ,london1 ,england4 ,he had been buried in an oaken coffin which1 when taken up1 was yet entire and could have been so removed from the grave4 ,but because the grave-digger could not handle it properly he got impatient and beat in the cover of the casket with his spade1 whereupon immediately a mephitic smell arose that filled the air to some distance4 ,the corpse1 which was to be deposited in a vault1 had been a person of consequence1 and therefore not only the inhabitants of his native village attended the exhumation1 but a good many people from neighboring places4 ,but a few days after #ad persons contracted small-pox1 and within a short time the entire village was infected1 only two individuals enjoying immunity because they had had the disease4 ,although the epidemic was of a light character1 two persons died of it4 ,all those in the surrounding villages who had been at the exhumation were also attacked by small-pox4 ,riecke adduces analogous cases1 and relates that the opening of a vault which contained a victim of small-pox was followed by the death of a workman and the infection of another person4 ,maret is authority for the following statement3 ,a fever1 complicated by gastric and catarrhal disorders1 was prevalent in #aggc at ,saulieu1 ,burgundy2 but few of those it attacked died4 ,this was in the latter part of ,february4 ,on the #c;d of ,march1 a corpulent body1 a victim of the disease1 was buried in the cathedral1 and on the #bjth of ,april following1 very near to the first1 that of a woman who1 in child-bed1 had succumbed to the fever4 ,maret reports that when the coffin was lowered into the vault1 the ropes slipped from the grasp of the men who held them2 the coffin fell to the ground and broke2 a putrid fluid1 that filled the church with a most nauseating odor1 oozed from it4 ,of #agj persons who remained in the church from the time that the grave was opened until the conclusion of the ceremony1 #adi were attacked by a malignant putrid fever1 which1 bearing many of the characteristics of the prevalent fever1 was undoubtedly the result of the vitiation of the church4 ,the city of ,tacna1 ,peru1 was yearly visited at certain times by a pernicious fever1 which caused many deaths4 ,the cemetery was in the center of the city4 ,finally1 the dead were buried outside of the city limits1 and the fever disappeared4 ,during the month of ,march1 #agha1 and the half-year preceding it1 an epidemic raged at ,pasajes1 ,spain1 which befell #abg persons1 of which number #hc died4 ,this epidemic was attributed to the poisonous vapors arising from the overcrowded vaults of the parish church4 ,trousseau mentions the case of a grave-digger who was attacked by small-pox soon after opening the grave of an individual who had died of that malady many years ago4 ,mr4 ,cooper charged an outbreak of small-pox in ,eyam1 ,derbyshire1 ,eng41 to the excavation of an old cemetery4 ,a dispatch from ,montreal1 dated ,oct4 #bf1 #ahhe1 states that a grave-digger of ,st4 ,sulpice1 named ,robitaille1 made a grave next to where a man who died from small-pox a month ago was buried4 ,at the time there was no small-pox in the village2 but ,robitaille1 some days after digging the grave1 sickened and finally died of small-pox1 making it evident that he contracted the disease from the body of a man who had been buried for a month4 ,recent scientific discoveries confirm the opinion long held by persons endowed with common sense that the germs of many infectious and contagious diseases retain their vitality and the power to spread the respective malady in the grave and the layers of earth surrounding it4 ,by means of these germs1 yellow fever1 cholera1 small-pox1 splenic fever1 scarlet fever1 diphtheria1 and other diseases belonging to the same category1 can be communicated from the dead to the living1 even years after burial4 ,concerning splenic fever1 which can be transmitted from animal to man1 the great ,french investigator and pathologist1 ,louis ,pasteur1 says3-- 8,recently1 we discovered the characteristic germs in pits in which animals dead of splenic fever 7charbon7 had been buried for #ab years2 and their culture was as virulent as that from the blood of an animal recently dead4 ,anthracoid germs in the earth of pits in which animals have been buried are brought to the surface by earthworms2 and in this fact we may find the whole etiology of the disease1 inasmuch as the animals swallow these germs with their food40 ,the ,british ,medical ,journal in #ahhj commented on ,pasteur's great discovery as follows3-- 8,pasteur's recent researches on the etiology of #8charbon' shows that this earth-mould positively contains the specific germs which propagate the disease1 and that the same specific germs are found within the intestines of the worms4 ,the parasitic organism1 or bacteridium1 which1 inoculated from a diseased to a healthy animal1 propagates the specific disease1 may be destroyed by putrefaction after burial4 ,but before this process has been completed1 germs or spores may have been formed which will resist the putrefactive process for many years1 and lie in a condition of latent life1 like a grain of corn1 or any flower-seed1 ready to germinate and communicate the specific disease4 ,in a field in the ,jura1 where a diseased cow had been buried two years before at a depth of nearly seven feet1 the surface earth not having been disturbed in the interval1 ,pasteur found that the mould contained germs which1 introduced by inoculation into a guinea-pig1 produced charbon and death4 ,further1 if a worm be taken from an infected spot1 the earth in the alimentary canal of the worm contains these spores or germs of charbon1 which1 inoculated1 propagate the disease2 and the mould deposited on the surface by the worm1 when dried into dust1 is blown over the grass and plants on which the cattle feed1 and may thus spread the disease4 ,after various farming operations of tilling and harvest1 ,pasteur has found the germs just over the graves of the diseased cattle1 but not to any great distance4 ,after rains or morning dews the germs of charbon1 with a quantity of other germs1 were found about the neighboring plants2 and ,pasteur says that in cemeteries it is very possible that germs capable of propagating specific diseases of different kinds quite harmless to the earthworm may be carried to the surface of the soil1 ready to cause disease in the proper animals4 ,the practical inferences in favor of cremation are so strong that1 in ,pasteur's words1 they #8need not be enforced4'0 ,illustration3 ,,furnace ,,of ,,the ,,buffalo ,,crematorium4 7,venini system47 ,sir ,t4 ,spencer ,wells pointed out1 in his paper read before the ,british ,medical ,association1 in ,august1 #ahhj1 that the observations of ,darwin1 8on the formation of mould10 made more than #dj years ago1 when he was a young man1 are curiously confirmatory of the conclusions of ,pasteur4 ,in ,darwin's paper1 read at the ,geological ,society of ,london1 in #ahcg1 he proved that1 in old pasture-land1 every particle of the superficial layer of earth1 overlying different kinds of subsoil1 has passed through the intestines of earthworms4 ,the worms swallowed earthy matter1 and1 after separating the digestible or serviceable portion1 they eject the remainder in little coils or heaps at the mouths of their burrows4 ,in dry weather the worm descends to a considerable depth1 and brings up to the surface the particles which it ejects4 ,this agency of earthworms is not so trivial as it might appear4 ,by observation in different fields1 ,mr4 ,darwin proved1 in one case1 that a depth of more than three inches of this worm-mould had been accumulated in #ae years2 and1 in another1 that the earthworms had covered a bed of marl with their mould1 in #ah years1 to an average depth of #ac inches4 ,professor ,klebs1 of ,prague1 ,bohemia1 discovered the bacteria of malarial fever4 ,they were called by him bacilli malari4 ,his discovery was verified by ,prof4 ,tomassi ,crudelli1 of ,rome1 ,italy4 ,dr4 ,robert ,koch1 of the ,imperial ,sanitary ,bureau at ,berlin1 ,germany1 detected the bacillus tuberculosis2 there is no doubt1 to my mind1 but that consumption can possibly be spread by the upturning of the soil of a grave containing the victim of tuberculosis4 ,the same gentleman1 now professor in ,berlin ,university1 discovered the comma bacillus of cholera4 ,he expressed his belief in its propagation in the grave1 especially when the latter is moist4 ,houlier and ,feruel are responsible for the statement that1 during the prevalence of the plague in ,paris in the beginning of the #ahth century1 the disease lingered longest and was the most severe in the vicinity of the 8cimetire de la ,trinit40 ,the ,detroit ,evening ,news1 of ,sept4 #bc1 #ahhf1 reports the following case in which diphtheria was contracted from a corpse3-- 8,blanche ,hunt1 a #ab-year old girl1 died at ,albion of malignant diphtheria last week4 ,sophie ,calkins1 aged #ac1 died at ,fair ,haven1 ,vt41 of the same disease1 contracted the week before at ,albion4 ,there are no other cases in town1 and these two girls are supposed to have taken the disease at the cemetery1 where they went into the vault containing the remains of a woman sent there from abroad1 who had died from what the physicians called black jaundice4 ,it is believed her disease was really diphtheria40 ,as early as #ahgh1 the ,massachusetts ,state ,board of ,health--one of the best in the world--showed that diphtheria is originated and diffused by the emanations of victims of that disease4 ,in #ahge the same high authority had reached similar conclusions regarding typhoid fever4 ,there is much evidence to show that cholera was repeatedly caused by the excavation of the graves of those who had died of the disease1 and that it raged with special violence in the vicinity of cemeteries4 ,dr4 ,sutherland attested the fact that cholera was unusually prevalent in the immediate neighborhood of ,london graveyards4 ,this1 however1 need not astonish us1 when we consider that the soil of churchyards in some of the poorer districts in ,london was raised two1 three1 or even four feet in a few years4 ,the great prevalence of epidemic diseases in some parts of the city finally led to the formation of the ,epidemiological ,society of ,london1 under the presidency of ,dr4 ,babington4 ,when the cholera visited ,london in #ahed1 ,mr4 ,simon asserted that if the soil of the cemeteries in which the plague-stricken of #affe were buried would be upturned1 it would make the prevailing scourge more virulent4 ,it was done in spite of his warning1 and his prediction was verified4 ,in #ahbf1 when cholera made its appearance in ,egypt1 the ,french government sent out medical officers to discover1 if possible1 its origin4 ,it was traced to an old and disused cemetery at ,kelioub1 a village near ,cairo4 ,the outbreak of cholera at ,modena1 ,italy1 in #ahbh1 was shown by ,professor ,bianchi to be due to the upturning of the ground of burial-yards in which victims of the plague had been inhumed #cjj years before4 ,nov4 #ab1 #ahcf1 ,miaulis1 the adjutant of ,otto the ,first1 of ,greece1 was attacked by cholera1 of which he finally died4 ,the body was given in charge of three men1 who also assisted at the post-mortem examination4 ,on the third day after the funeral of the adjutant1 one of the men1 ,jacob ,kuehnlein1 #gb years of age1 was taken ill1 and died the following day4 ,the autopsy proved the disease to be ,asiatic cholera4 ,three days after ,kuehnlein's burial1 the second of the men who had guarded ,miaulis' remains1 ,j4 ,stroehlein by name1 aged #dh1 was stricken down by the cholera1 to which he succumbed within two days4 ,schauenburg 7,cholera1 etc41 ,wuerzburg1 #ahgd1 p4 #h7 gives it as his opinion that decomposition is favorable to the development of cholera germs1 which means the propagation of the comma bacillus4 ,the ,italians do not only stand at the head of the cremation movement to-day1 but they recognized the value of that sure and never-failing germicide--fire--as early as #ahcg2 in that year thousands of the victims of the cholera epidemic1 then raging in ,italy1 were burned on the seashore at ,palermo4 ,the report of the ,london ,board of ,health for #ahdi directs attention to the fact that the cholera was especially prevalent and fatal in the neighborhood of graveyards4 ,this1 however1 need not cause any surprise1 as the ,london ,athenum1 to this day one of the most reliable journals of the ,united ,kingdom1 states in #ahej that1 during the prevalence of the scourge1 #ejj bodies1 dead of cholera1 were daily interred1 in addition to those of other diseases4 ,professor ,jaccoud1 of the faculty of medicine of the ,university of ,paris1 claims1 in his 8,pathologie ,interne10 that there are three ways of transmission of cholera1 of which the third is by corpses4 ,an employee of the ,french marine hospital at ,therapia1 near ,constantinople1 was present at the autopsy of ,marshal ,saint ,armand1 who had died of cholera1 which was held in the amphitheatre of the institution4 ,a few days after the man succumbed to a severe attack of de cholra foudroyant1 which he had contracted at the post-mortem examination4 ,dr4 ,f4 ,bidlot1 of ,liege1 ,belgium1 states that1 in #ahfg1 he was called to a robust cholera patient who1 when asked about the cause of his illness1 said that until noon he had worked at the grave of a person1 dead of cholera1 who had been buried very superficially1 since an exhumation was to take place3 when the body was disinterred1 he was seized by an illness which soon proved to be cholera4 ,the following case was also reported by ,dr4 ,bidlot4 ,a nun who had nursed cholera patients in a hospital died of the dread disease in the summer of #ahfj4 ,at #aj ,a4,m4 in the latter part of ,october she was exhumed4 ,at four o'clock in the forenoon of the same day ,dr4 ,bidlot was called to ,dr4 ,romie1 who had attended the disinterment4 ,he was found to be suffering from cholera1 and declared that his illness was owing to his exposure to the emanations of the body dug up4 ,trinity ,church graveyard1 at ,new ,york1 was the center of very fatal prevalence of cholera at every visit of that pest from #ahcb to #ahed4 ,dr4 ,rauch relates 7,intra-,mural ,interments in ,populous ,cities1 ,chicago1 #ahfh7 how the cholera was spread in ,burlington1 ,ia41 in #ahej4 ,not a single death took place in the vicinity of the cemetery of the city1 until #bj persons1 deceased of cholera1 had been interred therein2 then one case after another occurred1 till the epidemic became truly alarming4 ,in #ahfe1 when a cholera epidemic invaded ,paris1 ,france1 it raged with great virulence in the old quarter of ,montmartre2 in that part of the metropolis there was a vast burial-ground1 from which toxic vapors were continually escaping4 ,of #ejjj victims of the epidemic1 #ahjj belonged to this ancient community4 ,the great mortality in this quarter of the city was no doubt due to the presence of the overcrowded cemetery4 ,dr4 ,john ,murray1 inspector-general of hospitals in ,bengal1 ,india1 wrote a book1 in which he endeavored to determine whether or not cholera can be propagated by human remains4 ,he declares emphatically 7,propagation of ,cholera1 #ahgc1 p4 #baf71 that the body of a cholera patient1 dead or alive1 must be regarded as an agent of transmission of the disease2 and adduces the sequent facts to prove his assertion4 ,several women1 whose business it was to lay out corpses1 had contracted cholera4 ,in #ahah a man died of the dread disease2 five fellow-men1 who carried his body to the last resting-place1 were taken down with cholera1 and died in the night after the burial4 ,dr4 ,townsend reported that1 in #ahfi1 three men were commissioned by the police to carry a corpse to ,dumwahi4 ,the day following their arrival the cholera appeared in this city1 and the first to die of the scourge were the three who had borne the corpse4 ,cholera from time to time threatens to invade our peaceful land4 ,when it comes1 shall we1 in view of what has just been shown1 bury its victims1 saturate the earth with its specific germs1 which1 if the grave should ever be disturbed1 may breed a terrible pestilence1 if not during our lifetime1 yet surely during that of our descendants8 ,there can be but one answer3 ,to secure ourselves against a repetition of epidemics1 we must burn our dead2 it is a duty that cannot be evaded1 that we owe to all mankind1 that1 when sinned against1 as it has been in the past1 is revenged by the resulting visitation4 ,when the cases above related are taken into consideration1 even the most vehement anti-cremationist cannot deny that the specific germs of infectious and contagious diseases are propagated by earth-burial1 and that the only sure medium for their destruction is fire1 for no disease germ can pass through the rosy heat of the crematory and survive to propagate its species4 ,illustration3 ,,furnace ,,of ,,the ,,cincinnati ,,crematorium4 7,designed by ,m ,r4 ,conway47 ,the scientific world was lately startled by the gladsome news that ,dr4 ,domingo ,freire1 a physician of ,rio de ,janeiro1 ,brazil1 had discovered the peculiar microbe of yellow fever4 ,the blood of yellow fever patients swarms with these microbes 7cryptococci71 which1 by inoculation1 produce the disease in animals4 ,dr4 ,freire named the microbe cryptococcus xanthogenicus4 ,he was aided in his labors1 to detect the specific germ of yellow fever1 which included microscopic and spectroscopic examinations as well as experiments on animals1 by his able assistant1 ,seor ,menezes ,doria4 ,dr4 ,freire also examined some soil from the cemetery of ,jurujuba1 where victims of the yellow jack 7as we call this fever sometimes7 lie interred4 ,some of this earth was dried and then placed in a cage which contained a guinea pig4 ,previously to the introduction of the earth1 the blood of the animal was examined microscopically1 and found to contain no bacteria of any kind4 ,the animal became ill1 and died within five days4 ,when its tissues were examined after death1 they were found to present all the characteristic changes which yellow fever brings about4 ,the blood was full of cryptococci xanthogenici in various degrees of development4 ,the urine was highly albuminous4 ,the brain and the intestines were stained yellow by the infiltration of the coloring matter of the cryptococci4 ,after this discovery1 the doctor recommended that all victims of yellow fever be destroyed by fire1 to prevent general infection4 ,the ,brazilian government 7one of the most enlightened in the world7 immediately ordered that a cremation furnace be built at ,jurujuba1 in which all those that die of yellow fever there must be incinerated4 ,the ,st4 ,louis ,medical and ,surgical ,journal makes this very sensible suggestion regarding the disposition of the remains of those dying of yellow fever in our own ,united ,states4 ,it says3-- 8,from what we have learned from private sources1 the resurrection of the bodies1 during the winter months1 of those who died of yellow fever1 has done much to perpetuate this terrible disease in southern cities1 until the warm weather has set in4 ,cremation obviates all possible harm that can come from the dead1 and duty to the living demands that everything be done to destroy the possibility of propagating this and all contagious diseases that run so malignant a course40 ,dr4 ,j4 ,f4 ,a4 ,adams says3-- 8,dr4 ,joseph ,akerly expressed the belief that ,trinity ,churchyard had been an active cause of the yellow fever in ,new ,york in #ahbb1 aggravating the malignity of the epidemic in its vicinity4 ,this church was built in #afih1 and the ground had been receiving the dead for #abd years4 ,sometimes bodies were buried only #ah inches below the surface1 and it was impossible to dig without disturbing the remains4 ,during the ,revolutionary ,war1 this burial-ground had emitted pestilential odors1 and in #agha ,hessian soldiers were employed to cover the ground with a layer of earth two or three feet in depth4 ,the ground was unusually offensive in #aghb1 and annoyed passengers on the surrounding streets previous to the appearance of the yellow fever in ,july4 ,during the epidemic1 the condition of this churchyard1 and the virulence of the disease in its vicinity1 called for some active measures1 and on the night of ,sept4 #bb ,dr4 ,roosa covered the ground with #eb casks of quicklime1 the stench being at the time so excessive as to cause several laborers to vomit4 ,on the #beth and #bfth of the same month ,st4 ,paul's ,churchyard1 and the vaults of the ,north ,dutch ,church in ,william ,street1 received the same treatment1 these being likewise very offensive and foci of epidemics40 ,when the yellow fever raged in ,new ,orleans in #ahec1 the death-rate in the ,fourth ,district 7in which there were three large burial-grounds7 was #deb per #ajjj of the population4 ,dr4 ,bryant1 writing on yellow fever at ,norfolk in #ahee1 regards cemeteries as a constant source of danger in an epidemic1 and urges the total forbidding of intramural or even near-by suburban cemeteries4 ,sir ,spencer ,wells related a fact recently at a meeting of the ,health ,exhibition in ,london1 ,england1 which has a strong bearing on the source of epidemics and their annihilation by cremation4 ,some persons who had died of scarlet fever were interred in a country graveyard4 ,thirty years afterward the cemetery was included in a neighboring garden1 and the old graves dug up4 ,scarlet fever forthwith broke out in the rectory and parish1 and no other probable source having been discovered1 it is impossible to avoid the inference that the germs of scarlatinal infection can retain their vitality a third of a century4 ,in epidemics individuals should be forced to allow their dead 7unless they succumb to some disease other than the prevailing scourge7 to be cremated4 ,to stamp out a contagious or infectious malady1 or to arrest its progress1 incineration must be made general2 its benefits are nil when confined to isolated cases4 ,the individual must stand back when the public health is in jeopardy4 ,governments should not allow bodies to be introduced into their respective countries from an infected land1 unless such bodies have been previously reduced to ashes4 ,thousands of cases of malignant sickness1 ,i have no doubt1 could be prevented by the prompt introduction of cremation4 ,why not1 then1 introduce it8 ,simply because there is an unreasonable prejudice against the custom8 ,it is ridiculous6 ,should any mere prejudice stand in the way of a sanitary reform8 ,i leave it to any sound mind to decide the question4 ,i am not advocating obligatory incineration in times of peace except in cases of infectious and contagious disease4 ,i would rejoice to see it generally introduced1 but not by force4 ,cremation1 moreover1 needs not the aid of the sword or law2 it will find its way unassisted4 ,besides human and animal remains1 ,i think all garbage should be destroyed by fire4 ,the idea of cremation which1 carried by the wings of enthusiasm1 traversed the whole civilized world in the spring of #ahgd1 is really naught but a demand of hygiene in favor of our own health4 ,not only physicians1 but also laymen1 should enter the arena where the great fight between earth-burial and cremation is going on1 and combat for glorious incineration4 ,the ,international ,medical ,congress which convened at ,florence1 ,italy1 in #ahfi examined into the various methods of burial1 and concluded by expressing its belief that cremation was necessary1 and should be adopted in the interest of civilization and public health4 ,dr4 ,c4 ,w4 ,purdy1 of ,chicago1 ,ill41 says3 8,burial-grounds are unquestionably ruinous to health1 as both theory and facts amply demonstrate2 many sections of population suffer annually disease and death which are exposed to their influences2 all engaged in this unwholesome system suffer--the grave-diggers1 the gardeners1 the men who repair the vaults and tombstones1 the friends who visit the graves1 and the whole funeral procession are exposed directly4 ,there is no redeeming feature about this burial system1 degrading to the dead and dangerous to the living40 ,the celebrated medical author1 ,moleschott1 even more vehemently condemns cemeteries4 ,he claims that they emit a vapor which causes malignant fevers1 and concludes his remarks by calling them 8workshops and factories of the devil40 ,beyond a doubt1 cremation soonest places the bodies of the dead in a condition where they can do the least harm to the living4 ,incineration destroys all disease germs and at once removes all possibility of the contamination of air and water by the dead4 ,then why not introduce cremation and do away with all the evils described in this chapter8 ,it is of no consequence to the dead1 whether they rot in the earth and originate miasma1 or are transformed by fire into pure white ashes4 ,they feel as little of the process of decay as they do of the flame2 their eye is surrounded by the same darkness1 whether they are down in the deep grave or in the glowing light of the crematory furnace4 ,but it is of the greatest consequence to us1 the living2 and the only way to protect ourselves from poisonous infection by our dead is to burn them4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,cremation ,,in ,,times ,,of ,,war4 ,after a battle is over1 the field of carnage is covered with the dead4 ,i think it cannot be questioned that these are disposed of in a very careless manner in time of war2 not only those who have been killed during an engagement1 but also those who succumb to disease4 ,after a great combat the slain are usually hastily interred in large trenches1 in which they are arranged in tiers1 or piled pell-mell upon each other1 whereupon they are left to decompose4 ,that no more calamity and sickness results from such a mode of burial1 than is usually the case1 is due1 ,i believe1 principally to the fact that great battles are generally fought on fields far from the habitations of man4 ,war1 ,god knows1 is bad enough1 but far worse are the diseases that follow in its wake4 ,the dead on the 8field of honor10 which is soon naught but a vast cemetery1 are1 as ,i have said above1 inhumed as rapidly as possible4 ,there is no time to lose4 ,hurriedly thousands of fallen braves are thrown into large pits1 and barely covered with earth4 ,the comrades who have rendered them this last service move onward to bury others1 and leave them to vitiate the air and to form a terrible herd of infection4 ,thus it is that a country which has already been devastated by war is again brought to the verge of despair by the appearance of typhus fever1 dysentery1 and other equally serious maladies4 ,unfortunately1 these diseases do not confine themselves to the country in which the war has been waged1 but also invade the lands of the peaceful neighbors4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,crematorium ,,at ,,rome 7,from ,dr4 ,pini's ,work47 ,there is much evidence to prove that what ,i say is true4 ,immediately after the defeat of ,darius1 ,alexander the ,great was advised by the sage ,aristoteles to leave ,arbela1 to secure himself and his army from the pestilential emanations of the dead4 ,when ,syracuse was besieged by ,hannibal1 he decided to wound the feelings of the ,syracusans by desecrating their dead1 who had been buried1 as was the custom in most ancient cities1 outside of the city gates4 ,he ordered his troops to dig up the ill-fated corpses1 cut them to pieces1 and strew them all over the field of battle1 in full sight of their horror-stricken relatives and friends4 ,but this barbarous act was followed by deserved punishment4 ,pestilence decimated the beleaguerers1 and scores upon scores of the soldiers fell victims to the fatal power that arose1 slow but sure1 from the outraged dead4 ,lucan has furnished us with an account of the terrible scourge that befell the army of ,pompey at ,durazzo1 because it had neglected to bury the cadavers of the horses killed in the battle4 ,for the same reason the camp of ,constantine the ,great was once devastated by the plague4 ,mr4 ,william ,eassie1 the honorary secretary of the ,cremation ,society of ,england1 states 7vide his 8,cremation of the ,dead10 page #ai73-- 8,with the ancient ,athenians1 when soldiers fell in battle1 it was the custom to collect them into tents1 where they lay for a few days1 to ensure recognition4 ,each tribe then conveyed their dead in cypress shells to the ceramicos1 or places of public burning1 an empty hearse following behind1 in memory of the missing40 ,the first epidemic of spotted fever on record occurred in ,spain1 in #adij1 and was due to the emanations arising from the decaying bodies which had been left unburied on the battle-ground4 ,in #agif 7according to ,desgenettes71 a military surgeon by the name of ,vaidy supervised the burial of the soldiers and horses that had been killed in a combat near ,nuremberg4 ,while the work was in progress1 he was attacked by colic and nausea1 and afterwards suffered for several days from a severe dysentery4 ,his horse1 after having been tortured by severe abdominal pains1 died on the evening of the day when he was taken sick4 ,persons who were with ,vaidy complained of the same symptoms as he4 ,during the campaign in ,russia in #ahab many of the ,french soldiers who perished in the disastrous retreat were burned by the enemy4 ,after the battle of ,waterloo #djjj bodies were reduced to ashes on funeral piles of resinous wood on the field of carnage4 ,the ravages of the typhus fever in the armies battling during the ,crimean ,war are yet well remembered1 and were too great to be easily forgotten4 ,an eye-witness 7,trusen7 of the siege of ,sebastopol reported at the time that3 8,those who were but lately our brave soldiers have become greater enemies of their successors in arms than the ,russians themselves4 ,barely1 and sometimes not at all1 covered by earth1 their bodies emit a pestilential miasma1 which kills far better than powder and bullet1 and is more reliable than a gun4 ,a bishop has been sent out to consecrate the trenches in which the dead are piled up1 yet the infection will resist consecration and holy water4 ,unfortunately1 the danger does not come from our own troops alone4 ,the wind carries the emanations of the ,russian dead into our intrenchments4 ,we besiege ,sebastopol1 but pestilence besieges us4 ,the same ,frenchmen who came to our rescue with their sabres now poison us by their putrefaction4 ,animal remains also vitiate the air4 ,the cadaver of the noble battle-horse that carried its rider bravely through the day of ,balaklava now lies in the road1 and threatens the victorious dragoon who rode upon it with an inevitable fate4 ,burial-ground and camp adjoin each other4 ,where the soldier fought and fell is his grave1 which is seldom far from the tents of the surviving40 ,during the expedition to ,morea1 the ,french made intrenchments in a cemetery outside of ,patras4 ,all those who were ordered into the trenches experienced first malarial symptoms1 and were finally attacked by typhoid fever4 ,the cholera mowed down more soldiers in the war between ,austria and ,prussia1 in #ahff1 than the missiles of either army4 ,the ,franco-,prussian ,war of #ahgj-ga was accompanied by dysentery and typhus fever4 ,after the battle of ,gravelotte the ,german troops had to camp for weeks upon the graves of their comrades1 subjected all the time to the most dangerous effluvia from the slain4 ,the bodies of those that fell at ,metz were in many instances dug up by the ,germans and re-interred2 since the hasty and superficial way in which they had been buried in the first place caused contamination of the watercourses near by1 and pollution of the air4 ,the evils of earth burial were especially apparent in besieged forts1 for instance in ,metz and ,paris1 #ahgj-ga4 ,the communists at ,paris evaded the evils of inhumation by burning their dead in the casemates4 ,on ,july #ad1 #ahgg1 during the war between ,turkey and ,russia1 ,general ,tergankassoff informed his government at ,st4 ,petersburg1 by despatch1 that the air in and about ,bayazid was so contaminated by the decomposition of the dead1 that it would not only be unwise1 but also dangerous1 to prolong the stay of the troops there4 ,on ,august #bd of the same year1 the naval correspondent of the ,london ,times stated that thousands of soldiers who fell in the ,shipka ,pass were so superficially inhumed that relics of the dead1 such as arms and knees1 protruded from the earth-heaps4 ,on the #adth of ,september following1 the correspondent of the ,london ,daily ,telegraph declared that the stenches of the villages around ,hasankioe were unendurable2 that the retreating invaders had cut off the water-supply by filling up the wells with corpses2 and that in consequence the water had to be brought from a great distance4 ,and on the seventeenth of the same month1 the ,times correspondent reported that fever had broken out at ,kezanlik2 and that1 within #fjj yards of his tent1 some hundreds of uninhumed dead could be seen1 relics of the battle which took place some weeks previously4 ,in order to lessen the danger1 the couriers passing along the ,yemi ,saghra road had actually to ride with camphor in their mouths4 ,this state of things is not only deplorable1 but pre-eminently shameful4 ,it is plain from the above that interment en masse1 as it is practiced during war at the present time1 is very unsatisfactory1 and often leads to disastrous consequences4 ,unfortunately1 burial in single graves is impossible1 for several reasons4 ,in the first place1 it would take up too much time2 secondly1 too much room2 and1 thirdly1 it would remove too many men from the ranks of the combatants4 ,nothing remains to us1 therefore1 but to look about us for some other mode of disposing of the dead4 ,the list of methods from which we may select one is not very large4 ,various schemes have been proposed4 ,one erratic genius actually proposed to blow up the victims of human strife with dynamite4 ,of all the ways of disposing of the slain1 none is so good and advantageous as cremation4 ,history records many instances in which cremation was made use of to destroy the dead after a battle4 ,mr4 ,wm4 ,eassie reports3 8,during the wars between the ,english and the ,burgundians and the ,french1--the latter led by ,joan of ,arc1--the dead were on one occasion piled up outside the city of ,paris1 and consumed in one huge pyre40 ,twelve days after the battle of ,paris1 on the #cjth of ,march1 #ahad1 #djjj horses1 killed during the combat1 were burnt by the ,germans in the environs of ,paris1--the woods of ,montfaucon4 ,in the battle at ,rivas1 ,nicaragua1 on the #bhth of ,june1 #ahee1 between government troops and ,walker's ,filibusters1 the latter lost their commander1 #ab officers1 and #ajj men1 all of whom were cremated4 ,many dead were reduced to ashes by the ,carlists1 after the battle of ,cuenca4 ,more than #dj1jjj human and animal remains had been inhumed in a very superficial manner after the battle of ,sedan1 during the late ,franco-,prussian ,war4 ,in consequence1 the ,belgian villages in the neighborhood were visited by epidemics and infectious diseases4 ,the ,belgian government was petitioned to remove the evil4 ,it despatched ,colonel ,creteur to examine into the grievances1 and1 if possible1 remove them4 ,one's hair stands on end when one reads the report of the colonel on the condition of the ,sedan battle-field4 ,the only way to remedy the evil was to destroy the dangerous cadavers by cremation1 which was a difficult task1 under the circumstances1 but which was nevertheless accomplished by the ingenious ,creteur4 ,the colonel's report is full of horrible facts4 ,the bodies of ,german soldiers in a trench at ,laid-,trou were covered so little by earth that carnivorous animals had already devoured part of the hands and faces4 ,rain-water had caused #cj large pits1 containing the remains of ,bavarians1 to cave in1 and had laid bare the bodies4 ,between ,belan and ,bazailles1 the owners of a field had leveled the elevation of a ,bavarian grave4 ,relics of the dead protruded from the ground4 ,the bodies were covered only by a thin layer of earth1 in which corn flourished luxuriantly4 ,wild bears1 foxes1 and dogs1 relishing the human flesh1 helped to scratch away the soil over the remains1 as did the numerous crows upon the pit in which the horses had been buried4 ,dogs1 having once feasted on this fare1 would not eat anything else4 ,creteur at first could not obtain men to carry out his plans1 as every one who attempted to open the trenches contracted phlyctna1 an eruption of the skin4 ,finally1 by promising good pay1 he enlisted #bg workmen1 whom he endeavored to protect by saturating their clothing and moistening the graves with a solution of carbolic acid4 ,but this only intensified the phlyctna4 ,he then determined to cover the graves with a layer of chloride of lime1 and to pour diluted muriatic acid upon them subsequently4 ,by this means he succeeded in laying bare the topmost layer of the corpses4 ,he then had large quantities of coal tar poured into the pit1 which trickled down among the bodies to the bottom1 thoroughly covering the remains4 ,he then had more chloride of lime heaped upon the corpses1 and finally had bundles of hay1 previously saturated with kerosene1 thrown burning into the pit4 ,creteur declares that from #bjj to #cjj bodies were consumed within #ej to #fj minutes4 ,the smoke1 impregnated with the smell of the carbolic acid that was formed by the combination of the chloride of lime and coal tar1 was not offensive1 and proved entirely harmless to the workmen4 ,about one-fourth of all the contents remained in the pits1 consisting of calcined bones and a dry mass4 ,these were again covered with chloride of lime1 and then the trenches were closed4 ,in this way1 #de1hee human and equine bodies were disposed of4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,milan ,,cinerarium4 ,incineration in war-time should be obligatory--must be so in fact4 ,at present1 cremation in portable furnaces is out of the question1 because it would take too long4 ,only the bodies of prominent officers might be thus cremated and sent to the rear1 so that they might rest under a monument erected by the grateful people of the country that they served4 ,under the existing circumstances1 ,i think ,creteur's method would be the best4 ,by this means1 several hundred bodies could be destroyed at once4 ,there ought to be a cremation corps in every division of an army4 ,better yet it would be to organize a neutral society1 like the ,red ,cross ,association1 and call it the ,society of the ,black ,cross4 ,the members might wear a black cross on their caps and on the left arm4 ,after a battle1 the various corps of this society would begin their work1 gathering the dead and committing them to the flames4 ,thus we would protect our brave soldiers1 who offer up their lives for their beloved country and our sake1 from pestilence and disease4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,the ,,process ,,of ,,modern ,,cremation4 ,in beginning the consideration of the various processes of cremation1 ,i ought to speak of the ancient pyre first2 but since it was fully described in a previous chapter1 ,i deem it best to dismiss it with this passing notice4 ,i will remark1 however1 that were the introduction of cremation attempted with a view to the use of this barbarous mode1 that is1 if there were no alternative but to burn the dead in the old-fashioned way1 ,i would not be the advocate of incineration2 for the method of antiquity was not only obnoxious to the senses1 but almost as dangerous to the living as burial in the earth4 ,it would take up too much space and would1 moreover1 be entirely useless to describe in detail the numerous ,european cremation apparatuses1 of which those of ,siemens1 ,brunetti1 and ,gorini are best known4 ,the trouble with these furnaces is1 that 7#a7 the apparatus costs too much2 7#b7 the process of cremation1 when they are employed1 is too expensive4 ,therefore ,i will confine myself to a description of the cremation furnaces used in ,america4 ,the crematory at ,washington1 ,pa41 is a small1 plain1 brick building1 containing but two rooms1--furnace and reception room4 ,the retort is exactly similar to the ones used in making gas1 and1 indeed1 the whole process is the same4 ,the ,washington crematory is one story high1 #cj feet long1 #bj feet wide4 ,the reception room is #bj feet square1 including walls1 and the furnace room #bj feet by #aj feet1 including walls4 ,cremation is performed in a fire-clay cylinder or retort1 called the incinerator1 which is three feet in diameter by seven feet long1 and the walls of which are from one to two inches thick4 ,the retort is like those used in the manufacture of illuminating gas1 but somewhat of a different shape4 ,it is heated to a red heat by a furnace fire which is built underneath and kept burning for #bj or #cj hours before the cremation is to take place4 ,the body is placed in an iron crib made in the shape of a coffin1 with small1 round rods1 with feet three or four inches long to keep it up off the bottom of the retort4 ,these feet are inserted into a flat strip of iron two inches wide and a quarter inch thick1 turned up at the ends so that the crib with the body will slide into the retort easily4 ,in addition to the ordinary burial garments1 the body is covered with a cloth wet with a saturated solution of sulphate of alum 7common alum71 which even when burned1 retains its form and prevents any part of the corpse from being seen until the bony skeleton begins to crumble down4 ,the incinerator receives to itself the intense heat of the fire below1 but does not admit the flames4 ,the consequence is that the corpse1 when introduced into the retort1 is not1 in a proper sense of the word1 burned4 ,it is reduced to ashes by the chemical application of intense heat4 ,gases are driven off or absorbed1 and1 being carried down into the fire from the incinerator and led back and forth #be feet through its flames1 are utterly consumed4 ,even the smoke of the fire is consumed1 and nothing can be seen issuing from the chimney but the quiver of the heat4 ,the process might be called1 says an eye-witness of a cremation in this furnace1 the spiritualization of the body1 the etherealization or sublimation of its material parts4 ,the time required to complete the operation is about two hours4 ,a very small portion of the remains is ashes1 but the mass is in the form of calcined bones in small fragments1 very white1 odorless1 entirely deprived of all animal matter1 and may be preserved any length of time without change4 ,there are four to seven pounds of these remains from various sized adult bodies1 and can be placed for preservation in a marble or terra-cotta urn1 into which a photograph of the deceased1 with appropriate record1 can be placed before introducing the remains4 ,this urn can be placed in the columbarium of the crematory1 kept among the cherished memorials of the family of the departed1 or placed beside other remains previously buried in cemeteries or graveyards4 ,dr4 ,le ,moyne favored placing the remains of the dead in a one-gallon salt-mouthed druggist's bottle1 with a large ground stopper4 ,after his death1 however1 the bottle-urn idea proved impracticable1 therefore the ashes were generally placed in a sealed tin box4 ,the furnace erected at ,lancaster1 ,pa41 is on a new system1 which was devised by ,dr4 ,m4 ,l4 ,davis4 ,the cost of the crematorium was about #ejjj4 ,the building is beautifully located upon a bluff overlooking the ,conestoga ,river4 ,the grounds occupy two and one-half acres4 ,the crematory is of gothic architecture1 #dh #cb feet1 and contains four rooms1--the audience room or chapel1 toilet1 reception1 and furnace room4 ,the chapel is used for religious services1 the toilet room for the accommodation of relatives and friends accompanying the body1 the reception room to receive the body and prepare it for incineration2 all of the apparatus is located in the furnace room1 except the retort doors1 which face the auditorium4 ,the firing is done in the rear of the furnace1 where all tools and miscellaneous articles are kept4 ,the floor of the auditorium is made of ,portland cement2 the other parts of the building are floored with brick4 ,the audience room is furnished with chairs and a table for the use of ministers or the officers of societies having charge of the ceremonies at cremation2 the walls are decorated with pictures and urns of various designs4 ,the waiting or toilet room is provided with chairs1 lounges1 toilet-stand1 etc41 for the comfort of the waiting friends4 ,the grounds consist of a plot of two acres1 one-half of which is level--here the building is located2 the other is a hillside of solid limestone rock--here the society intends erecting columbaria at an early day4 ,the grounds around the building are beautified by roadways1 walks1 trees1 shrubbery1 etc4 ,the furnace invented by ,dr4 ,davis is made of firebricks and tiles4 ,the outside dimensions are #aj ft4 #f in4 long1 by #f ft4 #f in4 wide1 with #i-;in4 walls of brick4 ,the furnace rests on a foundation #aj ft4 #f in4 by #g ft4 #f in4 and #b ft4 #f in4 deep1 of good building stone1 with mortar of sharp sand and quicklime or equally suitable material1 finished level with the floor of the building4 ,at the rear end the center is occupied by the fire chamber 7,f7 #ah in4 wide1 #dh in4 long1 #c ft4 #i in4 high to arch1 lined with fire-brick #i inches thick and roofed with an arched fire-clay tile #d in4 thick1 covered by #c-;in4 shield tile4 ,the iron doors 7fire and ash7 are furnished with frames1 the fire-door is protected by a lining of asbestos and fire-clay2 the grate-rest is #a ft4 #c in4 from the floor2 beneath the grate are two iron pipes 7#a in47 at the sides1 to carry heated air to supply oxygen to the flues 7at ,o72 a third iron pipe 7 in47 passing to the rear of the fire chamber and up through its back wall to the retort 7at ,p72 a fourth pipe 7#c-;in4 diameter7 leading from the top of the rear end of the retort 7at ,m7 down through the rear wall and opening in the ash chamber under the grate-bars 7at ,n71 to carry off the surplus gases not consumed in the retort4 ,the air-supply pipes are required to keep up rapid combustion by replacing the oxygen already used1 and so to equalize the heat at both ends of the retort4 ,the air-pipes leading into the retort so assists the disintegration of the body in the same way1 supplying additional oxygen and making oxidation more rapid4 ,the retort is #i ft4 #i in4 long1 #c ft4 wide1 and #b ft4 high in the clear2 it is floored with #c-;in4 fire-clay tile in sections2 the sides are of #c-;in tile1 also in sections2 the roof is of the same material arched in sections4 ,the retort is made in sections rather than in one single piece1 in order to make allowance at the several joints for the great expansion and contraction incident to a heat of #bjjj to #bejj degrees1 thus avoiding the annoyance and expense of cracks and patching4 ,the retort is supported by the arched roof of the fire chamber and its covering of shield tile1 and back of the fire chamber by fire-clay pillars1 and at the sides by projections of the tile partitions between the flues4 ,six pairs of flues surround the retort1 #ae and #ac inches wide respectively1 and #c in4 deep1 separated by tile partitions #c in4 thick4 ,the gases from the fire chamber enter the first pair through curved openings 7,,qq7 and pass up through ,,aa down through ,,bb 7receiving additional oxygen at ,o71 and up again through ,,cc1 and through the escape-flue ,s1 into the chimney4 ,the outside facing of the flues is #c-;in4 tile4 ,between the outside facing of the flues and the #i-;in4 brick wall is a space of #c inches which is packed with asbestos to prevent radiation of heat and allow for lateral expansion and contraction of the outer casing of the flues1 giving it much longer life4 ,above the fire space on the top of the retort1 which is #d inches deep1 is an arch of #i-;in4 fire-brick1 above which ashes and sand are filled in to the depth of #f inches above the top of the arch1 and floored over with red brick4 ,the retort door is lined with asbestos and fire-clay2 it is made of steel plate1 closing against a flanged iron frame1 and held to its place by a spider1 upon which is screwed down an arm swinging with the door and fastening to the frame2 the frame is held to its place by two horizontal bars1 walled in at the ends4 ,this arrangement secures a tight joint when the door is closed2 the stay-bars hold the frame1 the bar holds the door to the frame and gives the fulcrum for pressure on the spider1 while swinging with the door it is out of the way when not in use4 ,the whole structure is protected by three buckstays of ,t iron on each side1 securely joined by -inch iron rods1 furnished with nuts to allow tightening or loosening when necessary4 ,the fire-brick escape-flue connects with the chimney2 the dimensions are #af #ad inches in the clear2 the chimney rests on sills of ,t iron1 supported by brick pillars1 and is lined with fire-brick for #f feet above the retort1 and is carried up to a total height of #cj feet4 ,i have given so minute a description of this apparatus because it is an invention of which not only ,dr4 ,m4 ,l4 ,davis1 but his countrymen with him1 may feel justly proud4 ,it is the first cremation furnace that possesses the two cardinal requirements of a good incinerator2 namely1 cheapness and usefulness4 ,the price of this apparatus is from #abjj to #aejj2 the ,european furnaces cost #cjjj and more4 ,the ,davis furnace1 moreover1 uses less fuel than the ,european apparatus1 whereby the expense of cremation is much decreased4 ,ordinarily1 coke and hard or 8steamboat0 coal is used in this furnace1 although 7and this is an additional advantage7 gas1 oil1 or any other heating material may be used4 ,the quantity required varies somewhat1 but the average amount necessary to heat the furnace and incinerate a body is #bej pounds of coke and #bej pounds of coal1 or about one-fourth ton of fuel4 ,the time occupied for complete incineration varies according to the condition of the body1 but ranges from #de minutes to one hour and a half4 ,the furnace can be heated in six hours1 but usually more time is occupied in heating1 as there is less liability of injury to the furnace by rapid expansion4 ,when the ,davis furnace is used1 the process is as follows3 ,the catafalque1 bearing the crib which is covered with a cloth #ae feet long1 wet with alum water1 is placed by the side of the casket containing the body1 the lid of which is removed and strips of muslin are passed under it4 ,the ends of the bands are attached to an elevator1 and the body is gently raised up and placed upon the alum-sheet-covered crib1 the free end being covered over1 thus entirely enveloping it4 ,this procedure is necessary to prevent the clothing in which the corpse is dressed from igniting4 ,all being in readiness1 the catafalque1 on noiseless casters1 is placed in front of the retort4 ,a cable is then attached to the crib1 the retort door is opened1 a signal is given1 and the catafalque with its burden gently approaches the open retort2 when near1 it stops1 and noiselessly the corpse is moved into the retort1 impelled1 as it were1 by an unseen agency4 ,when it is in the proper position1 a signal is given1 the machinery in the rear and out of sight stops1 the door is closed air-tight1 and the mechanical process gives way to the chemical4 ,when the retort is opened1 the cold air rushing in1 the cold body1 crib1 and alum-sheet chill for a few moments the inner surface of the retort2 in a few moments the retort regains its heat2 a fine mist commences to arise from the body1 which gradually becomes thicker and more dense1 until the inside of the retort has the appearance of dense white mist4 ,the idea of fine snow or fog is suggested4 ,this appearance remains until the soft tissues are reduced to ashes4 ,then the interior of the retort gradually becomes more clear4 ,the alum-sheet will be seen to be in the same position as when put in2 perhaps slightly sunken4 ,a blue flame will be seen arising through the sheet2 about six inches above the body it becomes extinguished4 ,this continues until the bony structure is completely cremated1 when all is white as snow1 and nothing can be seen inside the retort1 the ashes having fallen through the crib and the alum-cloth collapsed4 ,the oxygen by the intense heat has been made to unite with the carbonaceous elements of the body1 and the resulting carbonic acid gas1 ammonia1 and water are driven off through the retort walls into and through the flues to the air without1 where they mingle with the elements of nature4 ,in the retort are the ashes1 consisting of pure oxide of lime4 ,it is plain from the above that the corpse does not come in contact with the flames1 that is1 the fire1 in this apparatus4 ,there is no burning4 ,the body is simply oxidized1 and the union of the oxygen and the organic matter composing the body is so complete that what nature has so perfectly formed in life appears to gently1 quietly melt away in death1 and becomes resolved into its original elements4 ,the record of the ,davis furnace has been so far entirely satisfactory4 ,the ,lancaster crematorium contains two of these furnaces4 ,this crematory has no smokestack2 that is1 the chimney reaches but several inches above the roof of the building4 ,on ,nov4 #bc1 #ahhe1 ,prof4 ,t4 ,r4 ,baker1 ,ph4,d41 of the ,millersville ,state ,normal ,school1 collected #cj jars of gases from the escape-flue of the ,lancaster crematorium1 with a view of analyzing them1 to ascertain the nature of the products of combustion of the human body during incineration4 ,many persons have contended that poisonous gases are given off1 thereby polluting the air2 and it was with a view of clearing up this phase of the subject that the experiment was undertaken4 ,the apparatus used to collect the gases consisted of an iron gas-pipe1 five feet being bent two feet from one end at right angles4 ,the long end was passed down the escape-flue from the furnace4 ,to the other end was attached a glass tube1 which ran to a ,u-tube surrounded with ice1 to condense vapors4 ,the gas was collected in a jar4 ,fifteen jars were thus collected before the body was introduced into the retort1 and #ae at various stages of the incineration4 ,the body was that of a man who had died from dropsy4 ,below will be found ,dr4 ,baker's report4 ,,state ,,normal ,,school1 ,,millersville1 ,pa41 ,dec4 #g1 #ahhe4 ,,dr4 ,m4 ,l4 ,,davis3-- ,dear ,sir3 ,i have completed the examination of the gaseous products recently obtained from the chimney of the ,lancaster crematorium1 and will now report the results of my investigation4 ,the escaping products were tested at the crematorium for water and for gases readily soluble in water1 and several bottles of these products were collected before the body was put in the retort1 as well as during the cremation4 ,water1 etc41 were tested for by passing several gallons of the escaping products through the ,u condensation tubes1 surrounded by ice1 and then through distilled water4 ,the estimated amount of water in the products escaping before the body was put in the retort was 4#jjaa of a cubic inch to the gallon1 while during the cremation it was 4#jjdd of a cubic inch to a gallon4 ,the water through which the gases were passed1 both that used before the body was put in the retort and that used during the cremation1 had a distinct acid reaction1 quickly reddening blue litmus paper4 ,i could not1 however1 detect any difference in the degree of acidity of the waters1 and their reaction did not indicate that the gases which had passed through them were more acid than the gaseous products passing off from ordinary coal fires4 ,the waters were found to contain traces of the mineral acids generally found in very small quantities in the products of the combustion of mineral coal4 ,they gave no reaction for salts of ammonia1 nor for sulphuretted hydrogen4 ,the gases collected for laboratory examination were tested especially for carbonic acid 7,,co#b71 illuminating gas1 oxygen 7,o71 carbonic oxide 7,,co71 and nitrogen 7,n74 ,the method of examination employed was that generally followed in gas analysis1 namely1 the absorption of the gases by liquid reagents4 ,carbonic acid was absorbed by potassium hydrate2 illuminants by bromine2 oxygen by phosphorus2 and carbonic oxide by cuprous chloride dissolved in hydrochloric acid4 ,the estimated amounts of the gases enumerated above are as follows1 the values indicating the parts of a cubic inch to the gallon2 the estimated water being also included in the table3-- ,h#b,o,,co#b;,illuminating ,o ,,co ,n ,gas4 ,before ,cremation1 4#jjaa4jjjhj 4#jjj4jjhj4jjjj4jaf ,during ,cremation1 4#jjdd4jjjia 4#jab4jjfe4jjag4jae ,it will be seen by a comparison of these results that the gaseous products of ordinary coal combustion are modified to only an inconsiderable extent by matter passing through the walls of the cremation retort4 ,illuminating gas is a variable mixture of hydrogen1 marsh gas1 olefiant gas1 and other gases1 and is entirely harmless when produced in the small quantities indicated in the table1 and so thoroughly distributed through the air4 ,that so much free oxygen passes off with the escaping products is an indication of the thoroughness of the combustion1 and the complete oxidation of the oxidizable products4 ,in conclusion1 ,i would say that not any of the many and various tests1 either at the crematorium or in my laboratory1 of the products under consideration1 indicated the presence of anything that would pollute the air4 ,the burning of the body produces no material difference in the gases escaping from the chimney4 ,the volume of the chimney products did not seem to be increased by the burning of the body1 and the products had precisely the same odor during cremation that they had before the body was put in the retort4 ,i might add that ,i also made a test of the temperature of the products issuing from the chimney1 and found it to be about #cjj ,f4 ,this is surprisingly low1 considering the high temperature of the retort 7#bejj to #bhjj ,f471 and indicates a most excellently designed furnace1 utilizing as it does so large a percentage of the heat4 ,about one-fourth of the heat of boiler furnaces goes up the chimney4 ,the process of cremation invented by ,joseph ,venini1 of ,milan1 ,italy1 is used in the crematorium of ,buffalo1 ,n4 ,y4 ,the process consists of two parts3 first1 the generation of gas2 and second1 the cremation proper4 ,the apparatus is constructed with a gas generator 7,a71 which is a simple fire-pot about four feet in a vertical measurement and two laterally1 and is located in the basement of the crematory4 ,the air for combustion is admitted through a grate in the bottom1 and is not sufficient to allow of the combustion of the entire mass of small wood which is heaped on the fire4 ,the result is that the fire at the bottom distils the wood at the top1 and the gases of distillation and combustion of wood are carried to the back end of the incinerating chamber 7,b71 which is on the main floor4 ,here these gases are met by air heated in a chamber 7,c7 outside of the furnace1 where the two are ignited by a fire 7,d7 which is kept burning just under their point of union4 ,the ,bunsen flame 7,e7 thus produced is thrown quite across the incinerating chamber2 thence it is carried back beneath the retort by the flue 7,f7 into the basement to a chimney1 which is about #dj feet high1 and so to the open air4 ,a certain amount of gas is also burned in the flue 7,f7 beneath the incinerating retort and also at the bottom of the chimney4 ,it will be seen from this description the ,bunsen burners play directly upon the subject1 and by their heat liberate the gases of the body1 which gases1 being burned in the retort1 are carried into the flue beneath2 here another ,bunsen flame 7,h7 ignites such combustible material as has not been consumed in the retort1 and at the foot of the chimney the third ,bunsen burner1 which is not represented in the illustration1 finishes the combustion4 ,to heat the apparatus requires an hour and a quarter1 and when the temperature is #bejj to #cjjj ,f41 the body is placed in the furnace1 and in about an hour is cremated4 ,the amount of fuel used is little more than half a cord of wood1 or its equivalent4 ,the furnace which will be used at the ,cincinnati crematorium is on a novel system devised by ,mr4 ,m4 ,r4 ,conway4 ,after the fire is lighted1 steam is generated by means of pipes situated in the flues2 this steam passes up through the center wall of the furnace and is distributed over the incandescent coke4 ,in its passage it gathers air enough to supply the required oxygen4 ,it also brings with it the gases generated from the body being incinerated1 and all these gases are regenerated into an intense heat in the combustion chamber2 making a perfectly odorless furnace4 ,i quote from a pamphlet written by an 8eye-witness0 of cremation1 who had before looked upon it with repugnance1 but who on witnessing it became a most earnest advocate3-- 8,a furnace fire is built and kept burning for #bj or #cj hours before the cremation is to take place4 ,immediately above the fire is placed in a horizontal position a cylinder of clay called the incinerator1 three feet in diameter by seven feet long4 ,this fire-clay incinerator1 the walls of which are from one to two inches thick1 receives to itself the intense heat of the fire below1 but does not admit the flames4 ,the consequence is that the body1 when placed in the incinerator1 is not1 in a proper sense of the word1 burned4 ,it is reduced to ashes by the chemical application of intense heat4 ,gases are driven off or absorbed1 and being carried down into the fire from the incinerator and led back and forth #be feet through its flames1 are utterly consumed4 ,even the smoke of the fire is consumed1 and nothing can be seen issuing from the chimney but the quiver of the heat4 ,the process might be called1 as we have said1 the spiritualization of the body1 the etherealization or sublimation of its material parts4 8,when the incinerator has been raised to a white heat1 it is ready for the reception of the remains4 ,as the cover is removed from its mouth1 the in-rushing air cools it from a white to a red heat1 and the whole inner surface is filled with a beautiful rosy light which is fascinating to the eye4 ,it looks like the blush of dawn upon the sky1 or like the exquisite tints which sometimes flicker along the aurora borealis4 ,there is nothing repulsive about it1 and nothing1 as has been said1 to suggest the idea of fire except the intense heat4 8,the body1 being decently clad for burial and tenderly laid in the crib provided for the purpose1 is wholly covered with a clean1 white sheet which has been dipped in a solution of alum4 ,the effect of this is to entirely prevent smoke or fumes or flame1 which would otherwise arise from putting anything inflammable into the midst of such a heat2 but1 under its protection1 even the extraordinary heat of the incinerator does not produce upon the body the appearance of scorching or smoking or anything of the sort4 ,there is no such impression as that of burning made upon the eye4 ,the sheet1 saturated with alum1 retains its original position over the crib1 and conceals the entire form until nothing but the bones are left2 and when the eye first rests upon the remains after they are left in the rosy light of the cylinder1 it sees nothing but these bones gently crumbling away into dust under the mystic touch of an invisible agent1 whose only appearance to the eye is like the tremor of the northern lights in the sky2 or1 more exactly1 the radiation of heat from the earth beneath the summer's sun4 8,you have laid a white-robed form within the rosy cylinder1 and have turned away to think with gratitude that all is well4 ,you have let your imagination dwell lovingly upon the pleasing sentiment that whatever may be left--beside the calcined bones1 most pure and clean--has gone to mingle with the upper air and dwell with sunshine1 birds1 and flowers4 ,the darkness and the dampness of the earth have been escaped1 and so have the perils of grave-snatching1 the indecencies of a possible dissecting-room1 and the nameless horrors of putrefaction4 ,you have pleasant memories to cherish of the #8last sad hour1' which1 instead of #8breathless darkness' and the #8narrow house' and the dreadful thud of falling earth upon the coffin1 presents to mind a lovely bed of rosy light1 and a peaceful form clad in virgin purity resting within its soft embrace4 ,if a lily had been laid upon a bed of pinks or roses1 in the summer1 and you had seen its fragrance and its beauty all exhale amid the shimmering beams or radiated heat beneath the touch of some invisible and gentle agency1 you would have had a not dissimilar experience4 ,and this is neither painful to the eye1 nor distressing to the sensibilities1 nor ungrateful to the memory40 ,the following beautiful description of a cremation of the future is from the ,modern ,age for ,january1 #ahhd1 a journal which1 alas6 was discontinued for lack of support3-- 8,it is not a disagreeable journey on which we now propose to take our readers4 ,it is to witness the final disposition of a friend's remains in the ideal crematory of the future--science having already perfected the mechanical appliances necessary in conducting it in the way we describe4 ,our friend has died1 and through the usual announcements we learn that the last rites will be performed in the columbarium at a given hour4 ,repairing thither at the appointed time1 we first pass through a grove of stately trees1 the soothing murmur of whose rustling leaves brings peace and quiet into the hearts of those who mourn and gather to pay the last tribute4 ,within the grove stands a massive building of gray masonry whose architecture shows no striving after ornamental effect1 and whose solid proportions give a sense of eternal permanency4 ,a few small windows in a simple frieze which crowns its walls do not destroy this effect1 and their plain stained glass clashes in nowise with the harmony of color between the sky1 the trees1 and the gray stone of the temple of rest4 ,about the ,doric pillars of its portico green vines twine fondly as if they1 too1 would do their share in robbing death of all its hideousness4 ,to this place loving hands have borne the body of our friend4 ,no coffin lends its horror to the journey from this earthly home to here1 where eternal sleep awaits him4 ,a flower-strewn bier gives poetic carriage for this short and final journey4 ,entering the broad portal1 the soft1 deep notes of an organ charm the ear4 ,the eye takes in a most imposing sight4 ,the entire interior of the building is one impressive room1 with walls1 floor1 ceiling1 all of white and spotless marble4 ,the view is not a dazzling one1 for the light is subdued and comes in varied color through the windows at the top4 ,on either side of the chamber stand a few memorial statues1--real works of art1--each one of them keeping alive the memory of some one who in his life was either good or great4 ,many of the marble slabs in the sides and floor of the temple bear in plain1 sunken letters1 a name and two dates4 ,behind or beneath them are niches containing urns where rest the pure white ashes of the beloved dead4 ,on a simple dais in the middle of the room lays the body of our beloved friend4 ,the hour has come1 and about it are gathered those who knew and loved him while he lived4 ,the scene1 the surroundings1 the subdued music of the organ1 the absence of everything to jar upon the taste or senses1 brings on a mood of solemn contemplation4 ,no thought of physical corruption jars upon our memories of the dead4 ,the opening words of the speaker are said1 a hidden choir harmoniously chants of hope and life1 and now the end has come4 ,with the words #8ashes to ashes' a white pall is thrown over the dais1 and we have looked upon our friend for the last time4 ,the dais noiselessly sinks from sight1 a short hour is spent in listening to a funeral oration1 or in contemplation1 until the dais1 still covered with the pall1 rises from below4 ,the pall removed1 we see upon the dais an urn--provided beforehand1 and containing the ashes of our friend4 ,this is now sealed into one of the niches1 and the ceremony is over4 ,this is not pure imagination4 ,modern invention has now robbed incineration of all its objectionable features4 ,never till of late years could the world well and simply solve the problem of what to do with its dead4 ,the whole process is carried on as we have pictured1 and without a single revolting feature in any part of it40 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,the ,,medico-,,legal ,,aspect ,,of ,,incineration4--,,the ,,objections ,,to ,,cremation4 ,the battle between torch and spade is not new2 it has been going on since early times4 ,tertullian1 a writer of the second century1 declares that many of the ,gentiles were opposed to cremation on the score of the cruelty which it did to the body1 which did not deserve such penal treatment4 ,this is exactly what some are asserting now4 ,the work of an ancient ,greek poet even contains a passage requesting ,prometheus to take back the fire which he had procured them4 ,there was a time when the ,pagans were disputing the propriety of burning the dead upon any consideration whatever4 ,heraclitus advocated cremation2 ,thales and ,hippon1 earth burial4 ,in the war which a few ,christians are now waging against incineration1 we therefore only have another illustration of how history repeats itself4 ,peoples are still contesting the point in lands which are painted in ,pagan black upon the maps of the missionaries1 and where ,christians as yet have no footing4 ,some sects in ,japan bury and some burn their dead2 some of the ,hindoos practice interment1 others incineration4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,buffalo ,,crematorium4 7,exterior ,view47 ,the injudicious promoters of cremation are among the greatest enemies of the reform4 ,the utterance that incineration should be obligatory was extremely unfortunate1 as was the idea of producing illuminating gas for general use from the combustion of corpses1 something after the fashion of the twelfth century's lanternes des morts4 ,the fancy of ,sir ,henry ,thompson to use the ashes resulting from cremation as a fertilizer was also a mischievous idea1 and did much to delay the progress of incineration in ,great ,britain4 ,the abhorrence entertained by many of cremation depends1 to a very great extent1 on the universal tendency of individuals and peoples to resent any interference with established customs2 to reject any innovation1 simply because it is an innovation4 ,for instance1 if cremation should be the customary practice at the present time1 a proposition to re-establish inhumation would meet1 ,i am certain1 with the most violent opposition4 ,the cremationists are now charged with enthusiasm and fanaticism by individuals who would be content that science should 8stand at gaze like ,joshua's moon in ,ajalon40 ,most of the progress in all departments of learning has been made by enthusiasts1 and a man must be an enthusiast indeed to withstand the prejudice 8dry as dust0 which yields the ground slowly and grudgingly1 but which is certain to be defeated in the end4 ,the first question that comes before us for consideration is1 ,would not cremation destroy the evidence of crime8 ,this refers not only to cases of poisoning1 but also to those instances where persons meet with a violent death by being shot1 stabbed1 or otherwise severely injured4 ,this is the only tangible objection that has ever been made by the anti-cremationists4 ,it is of great importance1 and unless we are able to show that it can be obviated1 we must admit that it constitutes a serious drawback to cremation4 ,this1 as ,dr4 ,j4 ,o4 ,marble appropriately remarks1 is1 in fact1 the one and only real lion in the way of the progress of incineration as a substitute for inhumation1 and unless we can muzzle this lion1 he may frighten away the pilgrims4 ,if the charges made by the anti-cremation party were true1 incineration1 if established1 would offer facilities for the commission and concealment of hideous crimes4 ,a victim could be destroyed by poison1 the dead body carried to a furnace and reduced to a small heap of ashes in a short space of time1 and the crime thus forever placed beyond the reach of detection4 ,the cremator1 then1 would become the instrument and accomplice of the murderer4 ,it is urged that the agents employed in the commonest form of secret murder--poisoning--are often of a novel1 subtle1 and various character4 ,we are apprised that it is extremely improbable that the physician called in1 if he be called in1 has ever seen their effects1 either on man or animals2 that care will be taken that he shall not see them2 that the poisoner has the advantage of preparation on his side2 and finally1 that discovery1 when made1 is generally made at some variable period after death1 and then rather in consequence of an aggregation of suspicious collateral circumstances pointing to the commission of other crimes of a like nature than of any possible observations at the bedside of the murdered person4 ,indeed1 a formidable array of arguments1 which can be1 nevertheless1 overcome in several ways4 ,the question now before us for solution is not of recent date1 but has already agitated the minds of the ancients1 who1 most probably1 investigated the cause of death before they consigned their dead to the funeral pyre4 ,tacitus1 the ,roman historian1 relates that the corpse of ,germanicus lay in state in the forum of ,antioch1 a place fixed for sepulchral rites1 but that 8whether it bore the marks of poisoning yet remains undecided10 for the people were divided in their opinions1 some pitying ,germanicus and suspecting ,piso's guilt1 others prejudiced in favor of the latter4 ,pliny also relates in chapter #ga of his ,natural ,history1 lib4 xi3 8,it is claimed that the heart of those who die of morbus cardiacus 7organic heart disease7 cannot be destroyed by fire1 and the same is said to be true of the heart of poisoned persons40 ,an oration of ,vitellus is extant in which he accuses ,piso1 the physician1 of having poisoned ,germanicus1 since the heart of the latter would not burn4 ,piso defended himself by describing the disease of which the emperor had died4 ,dr4 ,j4 ,o4 ,marble1 who has written of this subject1 affirms3 8,it must be admitted that cases of criminal poisoning1 such as would be detected by an exhumation and examination of a buried body1 are very rare1 for in our day ,lucrezia ,borgias and ,brinvilliers are few and easily detected4 ,in a community like ours cases of this kind are extremely rare4 ,in a vast majority of cases the cause of death is perfectly evident to any intelligent physician4 ,no doubt obscures the case4 ,the list of causes of death1 perfectly evident even to the friends and non-medical persons1 embraces probably at least nine-tenths of the whole mortality4 ,doubtful cases have generally been visited by more than one skilful physician4 ,the fraction in which crime of any sort might have been perpetrated becomes thus very small4 ,moreover1 in the present state of chemical analysis and expert medical testimony1 the advantages of the posthumous examination of a body with a view to the detection of crime accrue less to justice than to the lawyer for the defense40 ,the medico-legal objection1 as it is called1 does not apply in every case1 since every day individuals die of easily determined causes1 such as small-pox1 consumption1 hemorrhage from the lungs or stomach1 drowning1 or other accidents1 and suicide2 in short1 in such a way as to place the cause of death beyond cavil and dispute4 ,it is true that a regular proportion of bodies are dug up every year on suspicion of foul play2 but1 aside from the fact that that proportion is very small1 how many of these cases justify the exhumation8 ,so uncertain and inaccurate is the post-mortem evidence of criminal poisoning1 that no bodies have been exhumed for forensic purposes in ,vienna1 ,austria's capital1 since #ahje4 ,tarchini-,bonfanti1 for #bf years perito-medico 7medical expert7 at the tribunal of ,milan1 ,italy1 declares that during this time1 although many thousands of litigations came before the court which was requested to pronounce judgment upon them1 only in ten cases was it necessary to resort to exhumation4 ,only ten cases in #bf years1 out of several thousands of lawsuits1 and four only out of the ten exhumations led to the detection of the crime and the criminal4 ,these four cases1 however1 occurred in a single lawsuit--that of ,boggia4 ,in this instance the disinterment would have taken place1 even if cremation had been at the time an established and universal custom1 for ,boggia had buried his victims in his own cellar4 ,tarchini-,bonfanti asserts that exhumations for forensic purposes are extremely rare1 and that those which are made yield either negative1 or at best doubtful results4 ,disinterment1 instead of furnishing an explanation1 instead of shedding light upon some mystery1 more often is followed by confusion1 and may give rise to erroneous conclusions4 ,it would be next to impossible to cremate a murdered person in a furnace of the ordinary kind4 ,as to the poor and ignorant murderer1 the regulation of cremation would make him shrink from submitting his victim to the authorities of a crematorium1 and he would find it far more convenient and safe to inter the corpse secretly1 as these criminals generally do at the present time4 ,there are many poisons which1 by a rapid change of their substance1 are extremely difficult to detect in the human body after death1 even after a short time1 sometimes but a few days2 for instance1 cyanide of potassium1 prussic acid1 and at certain times phosphorus4 ,but when a careful inquest1 such as the cremationists propose1 is held1 poisoning by these agents cannot so easily escape detection4 ,in poisoning by phosphorus1 the yellow hue of the face of the victim would excite suspicion and lead to a post-mortem examination1 when the characteristic sign of phosphorus poisoning in the fatty degeneration of the liver would be discovered4 ,an autopsy would speedily make evident poisoning by pure prussic acid1 for the open cavities of the body would exhale the odor of bitter almonds4 ,poisoning by cyanide of potassium can1 of course1 only be detected by a chemical analysis of the contents of the stomach1 intestines1 etc4 ,i think ,i may safely affirm that it is impossible for the best of anatomists to determine the lesions1 if there be any1 of a decomposed body4 ,all vegetable poisons1 except the alkaloid of strychnia1 decompose with the body2 it is extremely rare that any alkaloid can be discovered in the body posthumously4 ,mineral poisons1 such as antimony1 lead1 copper1 combinations of baryta1 and many others1 are indestructible1 and can be detected in the ashes4 ,it may even happen that1 by some extra care1 the process of incineration may be the most efficient means of detecting poisoning by arsenic and mercury4 ,of course we should not forget that1 without some precaution1 the salts of arsenic and mercury would be volatilized2 but while they are volatilized1 they must also1 at a reduced temperature1 be again deposited1 and it remains for the chemist to determine the most efficient contrivance for recognizing its deposition4 ,direct experiments instituted by ,m4 ,cadet and verified by ,,mm4 ,doursant and ,wurst1 even prove that the salts of arsenic can be detected in the ashes after incineration4 ,as matters stand to-day1 it is puerile to think that we can prevent the rich and skilful poisoner from committing crime as long as we permit him to employ undertakers1 who1 without restraint of law1 inject arseniate of soda and corrosive sublimate into the body of his victim1 and thus remove all traces of the crime4 ,dr4 ,cameron1 in a speech before the ,house of ,commons of ,england in #ahhd1 declared3-- 8,numerous modern researches have shown that putrefactive fermentation in decaying animal matter gives rise to the formation of sepsine and other alkaloids1 some of them intensely poisonous4 ,little or nothing is known in this country concerning the products of putrefaction4 ,ptomaines is the general name which has been given to them abroad1 and ,i don't know that ,i ever saw it printed in the ,english language4 ,little is known of these ptomaines even by those who have studied them most closely1 but enough has been discovered to show that we must be very careful as to how far we rely upon what are called physiological tests for poisons in the case of bodies which have been exhumed2 and that the fact that frogs1 rabbits1 or dogs are killed by the action of matters extracted from the viscera of a putrefying body can no longer by itself be held as proving that those viscera contained any poison before putrefaction commenced40 ,is it surprising1 when the above is taken into consideration1 that the testimony of chemists at trials for poisoning should vary so much and be so contradictory in nature8 ,sir ,henry ,thompson1 in his admirable exposition of cremation1 which was translated into almost every civilized language of the world1 thus disposes of the medico-legal objection3-- 8,it has been said1 and most naturally1 what guarantee is there against poisoning if the remains are burned1 and it is no longer possible1 as after burial1 to reproduce the body for the purpose of examination8 ,it is to my mind a sufficient reply that1 regarding only #8the greatest good to the greatest number1' the amount of evil in the shape of disease and death which results from the present system of burial in earth is infinitely larger than the evil caused by secret poisoning is or could be1 even if the practice of the crime were very considerably to increase4 ,further1 the appointment of officers to examine and certify in all cases of death would be an additional and very efficient safeguard4 ,but--and here ,i touch on a very important subject--is there reason to believe that our present precautions in the matter of death certificate against the danger of poisoning are what they ought to be8 ,i think that it must be confessed that they are defective1 for not only is our system inadequate to the end proposed1 but it is less efficient by comparison than that adopted by foreign governments4 ,our existing arrangements for ascertaining and registering the cause of death are very lax1 and give rise1 as we shall see1 to serious errors4 ,in order to attain an approach to certitude in this important matter1 ,i contend that it would be most desirable to nominate in every district a properly qualified inspector to certify in all cases to the fact that death has taken place1 to satisfy himself as far as possible that no foul play has existed1 and to give the certificate accordingly4 ,this would relieve the medical attendant of the deceased from any disagreeable duty relative to inquiry concerning suspicious circumstances1 if any have been observed4 ,such officers exist throughout the large cities of ,france and ,germany1 and the system is more or less pursued throughout the provinces4 ,in ,paris no burial can take place without the written permission of the #8mdecin vrificateur'2 and whether we adopt cremation or not1 such an officer might with advantage be appointed here40 ,sir ,henry suggests that in suspected cases the 8dead officer0 should retain in sealed vessels the stomach and other portions of the viscera for future examination4 ,but ,i think it next to impossible that such an officer could execute duties so burdensome and so averse to the genius of the people4 ,let us for a moment turn to our dear ,american commonwealths4 ,do our burial laws aid in the detection of crime8 ,in the majority of states a death certificate1 signed by a physician1 must be filed with the health officer1 who issues a burial permit4 ,this is all which is required4 ,generally it makes no difference whether the physician or surgeon who affixes his name to the document is reputable or not4 ,the burial permit is looked upon as a mere formality1 an unnecessary institution1 that owes its origin to some whimsical lawmaker4 ,how often do even the most zealous of health officers investigate the causes of the deaths that are reported to them8 ,the doctor's certificate is put upon record2 that is satisfactory1 and no more is asked for4 ,the rest is silence--like that which reigns under the turf1 where the undetected victims of the poisoner lie4 ,now1 if our faulty burial laws1 if the indifference of our officers of health1 are not a direct incentive to the foulest and most insidious forms of crime1 ,i do not know what is4 ,were ,i a secret assassin1 ,i certainly would wish for no more encouragement4 ,as matters now stand1 any evil-doer1 with the help of some unscrupulous medical man1 may commit murder daily without fear of detection4 ,i propose to show that if incineration were established1 the careful scrutiny of corpses and official examinations in suspected cases1 which would precede the reduction of the body to ashes1 would rather assist in the detection of murder than hinder it4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,eassie1 in a lecture delivered at the ,international ,health ,exhibition last year1 expressed himself anent this question as follows3 8,with regard to doubtful deaths it would be necessary to make sure that the body exhibited no traces of poison1 or that certain small portions of the body should be removed therefrom and kept for a few years4 ,for instance1 a small portion of the stomach and intestines and their contents in case of vegetable poisoning1 and a small portion of the liver1 should mineral poisoning be suspected4 ,there is no difficulty in dealing with this matter in other countries where cremation has become permissive2 and it is upon record that the examination of the body of a child in ,italy1 which had been made in the ordinary way demanded by the authorities previous to the cremation1 proved that the child had been poisoned apparently by sweetmeats1 and this would not have been revealed had an ordinary burial in the earth taken place40 ,i must here repeat what ,i have already said regarding ,sir ,h4 ,thompson's intimation that part of the bodies about to be cremated might be conserved for future examination3 ,the strong dislike of the public would never allow of such a measure4 ,lord ,bramwell1 the eminent ,english lawyer1 in a letter to ,sir ,spencer ,wells concerning incineration1 states3 8,i wish you success in the promotion of cremation2 ,i think it is right1 and what is very rare1 with no drawback4 ,it is the cheapest1 the most wholesome1 and to my mind1 the least repulsive way of disposing of the dead and those we have loved4 ,that it is legal there is not a doubt4 ,the only objection1 that murders might go undetected1 ,i believe to be more than unfounded4 ,you have surrounded the thing with precautions4 ,i have heard it suggested that there are many murders which escape detection for want of suspicion and consequent inquiry4 ,how that may be ,i know not1 but it will not be the case with those bodies cremated under the regulations of the ,cremation ,society of ,england4 ,the ,english society requires such undoubted proofs of natural death that a criminal would not dare trust his victim to the flames40 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,buffalo ,,crematorium4 7,interior ,view47 ,to cut a long story short1 let me say that cremationists meet the medico-legal objection by a demand for a careful inquest over every dead body1 and a post-mortem examination1 including a chemical analysis of all the viscera1 in every instance where death by toxic agents is suspected4 ,in many cities of ,europe the dead are examined by physicians appointed by the government4 ,the result has been that1 as for instance in ,dresden1 ,leipsic1 and ,frankfort1 ,germany1 no exhumation took place after the inquest became obligatory and was practiced in every instance of decease4 ,in ,bavaria1 ,saxony1 ,nassau1 and ,baden1 there are regular coroners whose duty it is to inspect every corpse1 while in ,england the coroner's jury only convenes in cases where the cause of death is not apparent4 ,with us the office of coroner is not an important one4 ,generally laymen are appointed to it1 men who have done some work at that awful power1 the political machine4 ,this is wrong4 ,the office of coroner should only be vested in medical men1 and only in such who have shown that they are qualified to fill such a position of consequence4 ,every candidate for coroner should be examined in forensic medicine and pathology1 and should give an ocular demonstration of his capability to make a thorough autopsy4 ,only those who have graduated from a medical school of repute1 recognized by law and all the boards of health of the country1 should be eligible4 ,the coroner should have power to demand an explanation of the cause of death from the physician who attended the deceased in his last illness1 and whenever such explanation is unsatisfactory1 or there are other reasons which lead him to suspect that the defunct has been foully dealt with1 to order a complete post-mortem examination4 ,he should1 furthermore1 have the right to summon before him any witnesses whose testimony might clear up the case in hand4 ,the coroner should issue the burial permits1 the health officer being notified only when persons have died of an infectious or contagious disease4 ,to make this scheme successful1 it is essential that the practitioner of medicine who assumes the coronership should receive adequate payment for his services1 such remuneration in fact as would enable him to give up his whole time and talent to his office4 ,beside the advantages which ,i have already indicated1 a system such as this would doubtlessly enrich the mortality statistics as well as forensic medicine and pathological anatomy4 ,that it would be an efficient safeguard against crime1 ,i think every unprejudiced person will admit4 ,if this were not so1 ,i could but indorse the ,rev4 ,h4 ,r4 ,haweis1 who declares honestly3 8,for so grand a benefit to mankind1 a few more cases of poisoning would be a small price to pay4 ,in the great progress of social and sanitary reform ,i cannot conceive what it signifies whether or not an additional ,smith or ,jones gets poisoned here and there40 ,dr4 ,purdy says3 8,indeed1 we have not in man's history any great benefit resulting from a system or practice but it is attended by its consequent minor evils2 no great public good but has its attendant drawbacks40 ,for these reasons the following saying of the celebrated ,professor ,coletti1 of the ,university of ,padua1 ,italy1 will always be recognized as a truth of unusual stability3 8,the health of whole communities is of far greater importance than the possible escape of a few criminals40 ,the enemies of cremation inquire3 ,would not incineration deprive the schools of medicine of anatomical material1 the phrenologists1 craniologists1 and last1 but not least1 the anthropologists1 of the basis of their investigations2 namely1 the human skeleton8 ,objections of this nature can only provoke a smile4 ,in a country like ours1 where many of the cadavers which are dissected in our medical schools are stolen from the graveyards1 the proposed introduction of cremation must1 no doubt1 raise a storm among teachers of anatomy1 who are fearful that the supply of corpses will be cut short by the reform4 ,it is not to be wondered at1 that the anatomists raise a cry of alarm1 for1 indeed1 ,i know of no other method of disposal of the dead that is as damaging to their relations with the defunct as cremation4 ,even a professor of the ,jefferson ,medical ,college1 a man who ought to have known better1 joined the anti-cremationists for these reasons4 ,every educated person knows that a thorough knowledge of anatomy is essential to the successful practice of medicine and surgery1 and that a familiarity with the internal workings of the human system can be gained in no other way under the sun4 ,but although ,i belong to the medical fraternity1 ,i can but wish that such a terrible and desecrating practice as grave-robbing be put a stop to4 ,it is for the government of each state to provide fully for the dissecting-rooms of the medical colleges1 to deliver to them all who die in prisons and poor-houses4 ,prisoners should not be given up1 even when claimed by relatives or friends2 the idea that the commission of crime may land one on the dissecting-table may deter many from trespassing the laws of their country4 ,what difference it makes whether future generations know1 or do not know1 how our skulls compared with that of a gorilla1 ,i cannot conceive4 ,let the craniologists and allied scientists make their investigations now and record them in books4 ,printed matter of value is immortal4 ,how the archologists and anthropologists1 ignoring the printing press1 can imagine 7for such fears only dwell in their imagination and have no real foundation7 that without the records of the tombs the present age1 its acts and deeds1 might pass away from the ken of posterity as completely as the ancient civilizations of ,central ,america and ,malacca1 ,i am unable to explain4 ,but even if dire oblivion should be the ultimate doom of the nineteenth century1 the opinion of the world two thousand years hence is of little consequence when compared with the health of those now inhabiting it4 ,in the words of the learned rector of the ,university of ,padua1 ,professor ,coletti3 8,man should disappear and not rot2 he should no more be transformed into a mass of corruption--the source of filthy and injurious exhalations--than into a grotesque mummy1 a shapeless mixture of pitch1 resin1 and perfumes2 man should become a handful of ashes and nothing more40 8,would not cremation rob nature of its supply of ammonia80 ,this1 one of the most discreetly urged weapons against cremation1 was that promulgated by ,professor ,mohr1 who asserted that if incineration were practiced to its full extent1 an interruption to the order of nature would ensue1 since the supply of ammonia would be arrested or greatly curtailed4 ,dr4 ,mohr's objections to the cremation of the dead principally rest upon the following bases3-- #a4 ,that ammonia is the most important form in which nitrogen is taken up by the plants4 #b4 ,that free nitrogen does not1 or at any rate in sufficient abundance1 return to the organized world4 #c4 ,that in cremation the ammonia is entirely destroyed1 and the nitrogen entirely liberated4 #d4 ,that the nitrogen of buried corpses is entirely converted into ammonia4 ,mohr soon had many followers who imagined that if the bulk of all animal remains should be burnt to ashes1 the mischief produced by the loss of ammonia would be incalculable4 ,they claimed that it is as necessary to vegetable life as is the air we breathe to us2 that there is no counterbalance in nature whereby this ingredient can be supplied from other sources2 and that by cutting off a large proportion of the supply of ammonia the loss would be quickly felt throughout all the animal kingdom1 and would soon be followed by an appreciable diminution of animal life on the globe4 ,dr4 ,mohr's objections were met by the eminent ,professor ,franchimont1 of the ,university of ,leyden1 ,holland1 who proved that the views held by his confrre were both erroneous and absurd1 and concluded his expos as follows3-- #a4 ,that it is not proved that ammonia is the chief nitrogenous constituent of plants4 #b4 ,that it is proved that free nitrogen returns by many and various routes to the organic world4 #c4 ,that it is not certain that by interment all the nitrogen becomes ammonia1 and that probably a portion of this ammonia is temporarily taken out of circulation2 and1 finally1 #d4 ,that it is not proved that the nitrogen is completely set free during cremation4 ,and even if this were so1 its quantity1 in comparison with that of the ammonia now yearly produced by the dry distillation and combustion of coal1 is so small that the loss of it cannot be advanced as any really serious objection to the practice of cremation4 ,i must here add that the explanations given by ,professor ,franchimont are held to be perfectly satisfactory by seventeen professors and teachers of botany and chemistry in the ,dutch universities1 whose names are well known in the scientific world4 ,students of agricultural chemistry1 and others interested in the subject1 should not fail to read ,mr4 ,eassie's excellent article on the asserted loss of ammonia caused by the cremation of bodies1 in the ,london ,sanitary ,record of ,jan4 #ah1 #ahgh4 ,it must be remembered that all animals--from the smallest insect to the largest beast--excrete a great amount of ammonia during their lifetime1 which passes off with the fecal matter1 urine1 and transpiration4 ,besides1 it cannot be denied that ammonia is formed spontaneously1 during the great electrical processes which take place in nature1 from the nitrogen and water of the atmosphere4 ,the smoke that emanates from the chimneys of factories all over the world supplies more ammonia to the vegetable kingdom than the decomposing animal bodies ever could4 ,and1 finally1 it must be kept in mind that we can generate ammonia artificially2 therefore1 should a dearth of ammonia ever occur1 which is not very likely1 this expedient would still be left to us4 ,there is no recorded evidence to show that any damage was done to the ,egyptian vegetable world by the mummification which was carried on for thousands of years in the land of the ,pharaohs4 ,on the contrary1 the country was in a more flourishing condition then than now4 ,the sentimental objection to cremation ,i have already treated of in a previous work2 but since ,i have something to add to what ,i then remarked1 ,i will revert to the topic4 ,the subject at first glance is revolting4 ,to some persons there may be something in the idea of reducing one's friends to ashes that is repulsive4 ,yet1 when one makes a careful study of the question1 that prejudice or repulsiveness wears away entirely1 and makes way to a feeling that cremation is correct both in theory and practice4 ,one should not listen to the emotions in a matter like this1 but study incineration to be able to judge of it2 objections founded on sentiment only are sure to be wrong4 ,if the general public knew1 as a physician does1 the many changes a body undergoes in the process of decomposition1--putrefaction and most disgusting changes1--,i think a great deal of their objection to cremation would be removed4 ,i fancy if people in general could see the ordinary process of decomposition1 they would be in favor of the quicker and more scientific method of cremation4 ,the ,bishop of ,lincoln intimated that incineration would keep all future great ones out of the silent company of those who have in former times added lustre to ,england's name4 ,it will do no such thing4 ,i cannot comprehend what obstacles could stand in the way of the entombment of an urn containing the ashes of some illustrious personage who chose to be cremated instead of buried1 in ,westminster ,abbey4 ,mr4 ,william ,eassie says3-- 8,in the play of #8,virginius' the body of ,virginia is represented as having been placed in an urn1 and when the distraught father inquires for his missing daughter1 the vase is placed in his hands by the sorrowing lover4 ,when this scene is presented1 the thrill which seizes the audience is succeeded by a sensation of admiration at the eminently superior system of the ancients4 ,i have seen the actor ,brooke1 in this tragedy1 and the effect which he here produced was inexpressible4 ,many whom ,i have consulted as to the feelings engendered at this point have invariably declared that they were at the time complete converts to cremation1 and that the sense of approval only left them when they began to realize how impossible were funeral pyres in this country4 ,happily the ,siemens apparatus is now at hand1 and its suitability proved beyond cavil40 ,an eye-witness to the process of incineration says3 8,i have stood before the crematory with a faltering heart4 ,i have trembled at the thought of using fire beside the form of one whom ,i had loved4 ,but when1 in obedience to his own dying wish1 ,i saw the door of the crematory taken down1 its rosy light shine forth1 and his peaceful form1 clad in white1 laid there at rest amid a loveliness that was simply fascinating to the eye1 and without a glimpse of flames1 or fire1 or coals1 or smoke1 ,i said1 and say so still1 this method1 beyond all methods ,i have seen1 is the most pleasing to the senses1 the most charming to the imagination1 and the most grateful to the memory40 ,illustration3 ,,ground ,,plan ,,of ,,the ,,buffalo ,,crematorium4 8,is cremation illegal80 ,this interrogation ,i am obliged to answer with a most decided 8,no60 ,in our country1 it is true1 the legal status of the question is somewhat unsettled1 but ,i do not believe that any action taken in our ,american courts could prevent any persons from cremating a dead body who wished to do so1 provided it was not contrary to the expressed wishes of the deceased4 ,in ,england it is only illegal to burn a corpse in cases where an inquest ought to be held or has been ordered4 ,in other cases1 if the burning is conducted in such a manner as not to cause a nuisance or offense against public decency1 there is no rule of law to prevent this mode of disposing of a corpse being adopted4 ,some time ago a rajah1 who consulted ,mr4 ,eassie as to burning the body of his ranee1 had to be told that what he claimed as a right in ,india could not be accorded him in the capital of the ,empire except at a risk of scandal4 ,thanks to the decision of ,sir ,james ,stephen1 the honorary secretary of the ,cremation ,society of ,england would not now be forced to make such a humiliating admission4 ,there are1 ,i am sorry to say1 individuals who think that those who are cremated let themselves be burned only because they are anxious to create for themselves a little notoriety after death4 ,i can but pity the people who believe that ,dr4 ,gross and ,garbaldi1 for instance1 adopted such a means to attract public attention after decease4 ,those who now order their bodies incinerated after that mysterious power called life is fled1 have the courage of their opinions1 recognize the many advantages of incineration1 and allow their convictions to triumph over local and even family prejudice2 they are the true martyrs of cremation4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,burial ,,alive4--,,cremation ,,from ,,an ,,sthetic ,,and ,,religious ,,point ,,of ,,view4 ,our great ,american poet1 ,edgar ,allan ,poe1 says3 8,to be buried alive is beyond question the most terrific of all extremes which have ever fallen to the lot of mere mortality40 ,is any death more horrible than this8 ,to be embraced1 unprepared1 down in the deep dark grave6 ,to awake again with the greatest longing for life1 suffering the most severe bodily tortures1 in the coffin6 ,to realize that there is no escape from inevitable death6 ,who can conceive the feeling of finding one's self in the grave1 the blood rushing to the head1 the body trembling convulsively in the vain endeavors of casting off the oppressing weight1 the organs of respiration laboring without avail for air1 the muscles of the whole body working without result1 and above all1 being mindful of certain death near at hand8 ,from time to time anti-crematists1 advocates of earth burial1 of course1 assert that cases of burial alive are exceedingly rare and occur very seldom4 ,this is very erroneous4 ,our newspapers teem with the reports of such cases1 and one must be a careless reader indeed not to observe them4 ,as ,i am a daily peruser of some specimen of the secular press1 and hardly anything of importance escapes my notice1 ,i succeeded in making a collection of cases of burial alive1 from which ,i will cite some striking examples4 ,a ,wheeling1 ,w4 ,va41 special despatch to the ,chicago ,tribune relates the terrible fate of a young married lady as follows3-- 8,one of those ghastly stories of interment before life has become extinct1 which cause an involuntary shudder of horror to pass through the reader1 is current in this city to-night4 ,the victim1 so the story goes1 is a young married lady of #bj years4 ,in ,may of last year1 three months after her marriage1 the lady was taken violently ill1 and after lingering for ten days1 apparently died4 ,there were certain peculiarities about the appearance of the supposed corpse1 however1 which caused a suspicion in the mind of the attending physician that his patient might be in a trance1 but after keeping the body for four days with no signs of returning life1 the remains were consigned to the grave1 temporary interment being made in the family lot in an abandoned graveyard4 ,a day or two ago the body was disinterred prior to removal to another cemetery4 ,to the surprise of the sexton the coffin-lid showed signs of displacement1 and on its being removed the grave-digger was horrified to find the remains turned face downward1 the hand filled with long tufts of hair torn from the head1 and the face1 neck1 and bosom deeply scratched and scarred1 while the lining of the coffin had been torn into fragments in the desperate efforts of the entombed victim to escape from her horrible fate4 ,since the discovery the young husband has been prostrated1 and his life is despaired of4 ,the names are withheld40 ,the sequent curious case of premature interment occurred at ,leipsic1 a small town in the state of ,ohio4 ,a lady who was pregnant died suddenly4 ,she was put in a coffin and placed1 temporarily1 to await the burial-day1 in a vault4 ,some of her relatives1 however1 thought that she had been disposed of too hastily and caused her coffin to be opened4 ,when the air struck her body1 she revived4 ,she was taken home and recovered entirely1 being soon after delivered of female twins4 ,a despatch from ,woodstock1 ,ont41 dated ,jan4 #ah1 #ahhf1 to the ,detroit ,evening ,news states3-- 8,one year ago a girl named ,collins died1 as was supposed1 while playing on the street4 ,the body was moved last week from where it had been buried in the family plot1 and the parents wishing to view the remains1 had the coffin opened1 when to their horror they discovered that a dreadful struggle must have taken place after burial4 ,the shroud had been torn to shreds1 the knees were drawn up to the chin1 one arm was twisted under the head1 and the features bore evidence of dreadful torture1--all unmistakable proofs that the girl had been buried alive40 ,the celebrated ,english anatomist1 ,winslow1 is said to have been twice nearly interred alive4 ,the ,marquis ,d',ourches1 courageous in all other respects1 had the greatest fear of premature burial4 ,he recorded all the stories of burial alive2 he believed in them1 and even asserted that one of his uncles had awaked under ground4 8,i have seen death in every aspect10 said a general to ,dr4 ,josat1 a gentleman rewarded for a book on mortuary houses1 8and it has never had any terrors for me2 but ,i own that ,i shudder at the notion of finding it at the bottom of a ditch in the cemetery40 ,incomplete death1 or trance1 as it is called1 stands midway between death and life4 ,during this state the senses cannot receive impressions2 they are inactive1 paralyzed1 as it were4 ,yet the spark of life is still there and can1 under proper care1 be retained until the natural condition is restored4 ,yet almost always trance ends through ignorance and carelessness in complete death4 ,it is an established fact that there is no certain sign of death1 none but the beginning of decomposition4 ,to prevent premature burial the body must be retained until the commencement of decay is visible4 ,incineration protects from the horrors of burial alive4 ,even if a person in a trance should be introduced into a cremation furnace1 the intense heat to which the body would be subjected would extinguish life immediately and painlessly4 ,it is alleged by some who are more impressed by prejudice than reason1 that cremation is heathenish1 brutish1 pagan1 atheistic1--in short1 contrary to ,christian practice4 ,this ,i deny6 ,to be sure the heathen did practice it1--the ancient ,asiatics 7,oriental peoples in general71 ,romans1 ,greeks1 ,teutons1 and ,etruscans1--but at the same time they executed grave-burial2 and yet ,i have never heard anybody decry the latter as abominable1 disgusting1 and heathenish4 ,it must be kept in mind1 that the first ,christians were compelled by their heathen persecutors to adopt burial4 ,they were forced to inter their dead secretly in the catacombs2 they could not1 even if they had chosen to1 burn their dead1 as the smoke from the cremation pyre would have betrayed them4 ,why inhumation should have become so universal among the ,christians1 that it is looked upon as a necessary part of the religion1 and all other means of disposal of the dead as heathenish1 is not entirely plain4 ,there is no condemnation of cremation in any of the dogmatic teachings of the apostles4 ,the early ,christians1 whether in ,juda1 ,greece1 or ,rome1 were mainly of the poorer classes1 who had to bury their dead4 ,the mere fact that the richer and more educated classes1 who were the most difficult to proselytize1 universally practiced cremation would probably cause that custom to be associated with their other heathenish practices4 ,the ,romans regarded the early ,christians as a new sect of the ,jews and called them 8,nazarenes40 ,and1 in fact1 ,christianity was born of ,judaism2 for ,jesus1 the founder1 himself says 7,matthew v4 #ag73 8,think not that ,i am come to destroy the law1 or the prophets3 ,i am not come to destroy1 but to fulfil40 ,it is easy to understand how1 being an offspring of ,judaism1 ,christianity should adopt that method of disposing of the dead then prevalent among the ,jews4 ,at first1 as ,dean ,stanley avers1 the breach between the heathens and ,christians was not an utter one4 ,according to this great divine the early ,christians inhumed in the same places as the heathens1 and even painted and engraved upon the catacombs representations of the pagan gods4 ,later on the breach widened1 however1 and the ,christians1 as intimated above1 were forced to bury their dead in seclusion4 ,it is alleged by some eminent writers on theological subjects that in the beginning ,christians were even cremated4 ,merivale1 the historian1 holds that letters inscribed on many of the ,christian tombs in the catacombs imply that the early ,christians sometimes burned their dead4 ,nevertheless1 at the end of the fourth century ,christians heard of burning with horror1 and finally becoming inimical to the practice1 although it was nowhere forbidden in the ,new ,testament1 made haste to abolish it in ,europe4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,black ,,and ,,white ,,jasper ,,urn4 7,barlow ,collection47 ,at the time of ,pope and ,dryden a classical reaction set in1 and now again may be seen in every churchyard the broken shaft1 the inverted torches1 and innumerable marble urns which 8in pride of place0 rest upon the monuments in our cemeteries4 ,the phrase 8ashes to ashes1 dust to dust10 which occurs in almost every funeral sermon preached by modern clergymen1 is but an allegory which was derived from the ancient custom of cineration4 ,it is impossible to imagine ashes without the act of burning4 ,the inscription 8peace to his ashes0 which so often is found1 in black or golden letters1 on the tombstones of the present time1 preaches incineration in our burial-grounds4 ,when the ,romans embraced ,christianity1 it was transformed completely1 and represented a strange commixture of rites partly of pagan and partly of ,hebrew origin4 ,the dalmatica of priests1 utensils for celebrating mass1 frankincense1 etc41 were derived from the ,jews2 whereas many other things1 as for instance the worship of images1 sprung from heathenism4 ,the papal tiara has a remarkable resemblance to the historical conical cap of the ,roman ,pontifex ,maximus2 and to this day the ,latin appellation of the ,pope is identical with that of his pagan predecessor4 ,the derivation of the crosier1 the pastoral staff of the bishops1 from the crook of the augurs is undeniable4 ,the mummy graves and representations upon the vessels of clay which were deposited in the sepulchres with the mummies testify that the cross 7and indeed the upright cross7 was one of the oldest and pre-,christian ornaments in the hands of the gods of ancient ,egypt4 ,it was not before the twelfth century that it was erroneously made a specific ,christian symbol1 ostensibly to demonstrate that although the cross was most contemptible1 yet ,christ himself had elevated it into dignity4 ,thus the sign of the cross became the symbol of ,christianity4 ,such wooden crosses1 history tells us1 were also placed as a memorial upon the mounds of heathen graves4 ,if we would not want to imitate heathenism any more1 we would have to quit eating with knives and forks1 stop wearing boots and pantaloons1 and do away with surcoats and rings4 ,with the exception of steel pens and matches1 but little would be left of our daily necessities of life that would not be an imitation of paganism4 ,the perpetual lamp burning at the ideal grave of the ,saviour on the altars of ,catholic churches is an imitation of the lamps which were lit on the memorial days of the deceased in the columbaria of ancient ,rome1 and by whose maintenance slaves1 according to testamentary directions1 attained the position of freedmen4 ,the decoration of our burial-grounds with flowers on the memorial days of the dead is copied from the analogous usage of the heathenish ,romans4 ,the enemies of incineration say that every ,christian is bound to practice interment because the ,bible 7,i4 ,moses iii4 #ai7 prescribes3-- 8,in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread1 till thou return into the ground2 for out of it wast thou taken2 for dust thou art1 and unto dust thou shalt return40 ,the above has no value whatever as evidence for inhumation2 since at the times when the books of ,moses were written the inurned ashes were also deposited in the dust1 i4e41 the earth4 ,the preservation of urns above ground is a much later custom4 ,the above citation has no reference to the destruction of a body by fire or decay1 but directs simply that the final remains of man1 the dust1 be placed in the earth4 ,at least1 this ,bible passage might be urged against columbaria1 but it has no bearing whatever on cremation4 ,if we should have to follow the ,bible in all things1 we would have to give up most of our modern inventions4 ,for instance1 the day of agricultural machines would be over1 and we would have to tread out corn with oxen as of yore4 ,it must be remembered that the early ,christians practiced many things which ,christians now do not practice2 and they abominated some things which ,christians now universally practice4 ,for instance1 the early ,christians did not worship in temples or churches3 they abominated temples as either pagan or ,jewish2 they hated art and condemned statuary and painting1 especially in connection with religion2 they destroyed many masterpieces of ancient art which were not religious1 besides some that were2 and they burned all books save the ,bible4 ,but these notions are no longer a part of ,christianity1 and were never part of its true faith4 ,when the ,romans and ,greeks knew better than we know1 we exercise no compunction in adopting their practices4 ,our boys are taught from the classics2 artists study the models of ,greek1 that is1 pagan1 art2 much of our philosophy is heathen1 and more of our jurisprudence4 ,the ancients were wiser than we in practicing incineration4 ,why not1 then1 imitate them in this respect8 ,granted even that cremation were a 8pagan custom10 not to adopt it when it has been conclusively demonstrated to be superior to burial1 simply because it is of heathenish origin1 shows nothing but miserable narrow-mindedness4 ,if cremation is a 8pagan custom10 how about interment8 ,earth-burial to-day is practiced by more heathens than ,christians4 ,or are not those whom we choose to style pagans in the majority8 ,would it not1 therefore1 be far more correct to denominate inhumation a pagan custom8 ,dr4 ,neil declares3-- 8,it was once considered an eminently ,christian virtue1 entitling him who practiced it to the honors of canonization1 to discard the use of soap and water2 and this kind of medival piety prevails a good deal yet1 notwithstanding the good old ,roman practice of ablution4 ,i do not find1 however1 that even ,christian sanitarians object to the more frequent use of the bath because it was the pagan practice40 ,inhumation is claimed to be the ,christian method of disposal of the dead par excellence because ,christ was so disposed of4 8,by the same sort of reasoning10 says the ,medical ,times and ,gazette of ,london1 ,england1 8might it not be held that crucifixion has been so consecrated that it ought to be the mode of capital punishment in ,christian countries80 ,moreover1 as the ,rev4 ,h4 ,r4 ,haweis informs us1 8,christ is no example to us1 for according to ,christian belief he rose from the dead and saw no corruption40 ,it is exceedingly interesting to read what ,christ himself said about burial4 ,jesus1 being a ,jew1 like the ,hebrews in general had little regard for burial and the grave4 ,among the ,jews contact with the dead was considered an act of defilement that had to be soon atoned for4 ,from the following passage 7,matthew viii4 #ba1 #bb7 it is plain that ,christ was no friend of interment3-- 8,and another of his disciples said unto him1 ,lord1 suffer me first to go and bury my father4 ,but ,jesus said unto him1 ,follow me2 and let the dead bury the dead40 ,by the dead 7i4e41 spiritually dead7 the ,saviour1 according to the best exegesis1 meant the outside world1 and he wanted to intimate that burial was fit work for them1 but not for the ,christian or disciple4 ,see also ,st4 ,luke ix4 #ei4 ,christ disparaged the importance of burial more than once4 ,indeed1 it seems that he paid little attention to the disposal of the dead4 ,we find him1 during his ministrations on earth1 healing the sick1 turning water into wine to make glad the hearts of guests at a wedding feast1 administering to the wants of the indigent1 and cheering the down-trodden2 but never at funeral ceremonies4 ,it was he who declared3-- 8,god is not the ,god of the dead1 but of the living40 ,dr4 ,le ,moyne says3-- 8,so far as we have knowledge of ,new ,testament history1 we find no command given anywhere which was a #8thus saith the ,lord' for any mode of burial4 ,the ,christian world was left to choose a mode of burial40 ,when ,jesus distinguished between cave and earth burial1 he considered the latter the most despicable mode of burial1 to which he compared the scribes and ,pharisees2 for when he reproved them by rebuke and disparagement1 he said 7,matthew xxii4 #bg73-- 8,woe unto you1 scribes and ,pharisees1 hypocrites1 for ye are like unto whited sepulchres1 which1 indeed1 appear beautiful outward1 but are within full of dead men's bones1 and of all uncleanness40 ,the above shows in what estimation the founder of ,christianity held inhumation4 ,it seems ,christ himself gave the preference to cave-burial1 for so he was disposed of4 ,he was placed 7vide ,matthew xxvii4 #eg-fj7 in the rock-hewn tomb of ,joseph of ,arimathea1 which was open in front1 and the door of which was closed with a stone4 ,christ was not buried in the earth1 but was placed in a sepulchre because he was a ,jew4 ,had he been an ,egyptian1 he would have been embalmed after the fashion of a mummy4 ,it was merely a matter of custom1 and is not necessarily a precedent to be followed4 ,it is evident that to be buried as ,christ was1 ,christians would have to be deposited in rock-hewn tombs4 ,the assertion of certain religious fanatics1 that cremation interferes with the ,christian doctrine of the resurrection1 proves untenable enough when one but remembers that both interment and incineration lead to the same result2 namely1 to the total destruction of the body4 ,in the case of cremation this takes place within an hour2 in earth burial the process may last for centuries until completed4 ,professor ,max ,mller1 the famous linguist1 in his biographical essays1 writes3-- 8,i often regret that the ,jews buried and did not burn the dead1 for in that case the ,christian idea of the resurrection would have remained far more spiritual40 ,cannon ,liddon believes that3-- 8,the resurrection of the body from its ashes is not a greater miracle than the resurrection of an unburnt body4 ,each must be purely miraculous4 ,faith in the resurrection would have been as clear and strong if the ,jews had burnt their dead1 as it is when1 as a matter of fact1 they buried them40 ,dr4 ,le ,moyne says3-- 8,some religionists object to cremation because it might possibly throw obstacles in ,god's way of collecting the particles which once formed the body4 ,they seem to forget that the dispersion of the atoms which compose the human body is just as wide and perfect by inhumation as by cremation40 ,napoleon ,i41 the ,great1 was a firm believer in cremation4 ,on ,dec4 #ad1 #ahaf1 five years before his death1 he conversed freely with his surgeon1 ,barry ,o',meara1 on various topics4 ,mr4 ,o',meara 78,napoleon in ,exile2 or1 ,a ,voice from ,st4 ,helena40 ,by ,barry ,e4 ,o',meara4 ,w4 ,gowans1 ,new ,york1 #ahec1 ,vol4 ,i4 p4 #bgg7 says3-- 8,he afterwards spoke about funeral rites1 and added1 that when he died1 he would wish that his body might be burned4 #8,it is the best mode1' said he1 #8as then the corpse does not produce any inconvenience2 and as to the resurrection1 that must be accomplished by a miracle1 and it is easy to the ,being who has it in his power to perform such a miracle as bringing the remains of the bodies together1 to also form again the ashes of the dead4'0 ,during another talk with his medical adviser the ex-emperor said1 8that he had ordered the slain burnt after the battle at ,wagram40 ,i clip the following from the ,medical ,herald1 and commend it to the notice of opposers of cremation on the ground of religion3-- 8,the most prejudiced religionist cannot offer one valid objection1 for if ,god is to call up the scattered remains of the dead from both land and sea on the day of final resurrection1 the ashes shall be as easily resolved from the urn as from the dbris of a building in which bodies may have been accidentally consumed by fire40 ,i should like to see the ,christian who believes that ,god will not take unto himself the soul of the brave fireman1 who rushes courageously into a burning building to rescue his fellow-beings1 and has the misfortune to fall and perish in the flames1 while an indolent crowd is looking on below4 ,nay1 nay6 ,i believe that he will be twice as welcome in the kingdom of heaven4 ,at the opening of the ,bolton cemetery in #ahgd1 ,bishop ,fraser combated the anti-cremation movement1 based upon the doctrine of the resurrection1 with the sequent vigorous language3-- 8,the ancient ,romans believed in immortality1 and yet they believed in burning the bodies of their dead4 ,urn burial was certainly quite as decent as the practice of interment2 and urns containing the ashes of the dead were more picturesque than coffins4 ,can any one suppose that it would be more impossible for ,god to raise up a body at the resurrection1 if needs be1 out of elementary particles which had been liberated by the burning1 than it would be to raise up a body from dust1 and from the elements of bodies which had passed into the structure of worms8 ,the omnipotence of ,god is not limited1 and he would raise the dead whether he had to raise our bodies out of churchyards or whether he had to call our remains1 like the remains of some ancient ,romans1 out of an urn in which they were deposited #bjjj years ago40 ,it is a clerical duty to dispel superstitions4 8,superstition10 well says ,sprengel1 8is the grave of science40 ,but it is not only the grave of science1 but of all progress4 ,the clergy should aid the latter and not place obstacles in its way4 ,colonel ,olcott says3-- 8,i am too firm a believer in the immortality of the soul1 to view with patience the inconsistency of those who behave over the dead bodies of their friends as if the immortal part were being laid away in the ground4 ,the more ,i might love my dead1 the less willing ,i should be to leave the fair form that had once held an immortal spirit to turn into putrid carrion under ground1 and breed a myriad of loathsome creatures out of its own rottenness4 ,the attempt to substitute the scientific1 poetical1 and rational system of cremation has my earnest sympathy4 ,i pray heaven that it may be possible to commit my body or that of any of my beloved to the pure flame1 that in one short hour will purge them of dross as gold is refined in the furnace seven times heated40 ,even the organ of the ,mormon hierarchy1 ,the ,deseret ,news1 that believes in an absolutely literal interpretation of the ,bible1 reasons thus3-- 8,some object to cremation on the ground of its inconsistency with the ,christian doctrine of the resurrection4 ,we do not see any force in that4 ,no particle of matter is destroyed by fire2 it is merely changed in form and reduced to primitive elements1 or in their direction1 for it is not clear that the action of fire extends so far as to resolve organized matter into its primal atoms4 ,the same power that can call forth from the tomb a body that has decayed and gone to dust can quicken the dried ashes and draw from the elements the gases that have been dispersed by the flames of the crematory4 ,how much of the actual particles that are seen now by the natural eye is necessary to the reformation of the human frame into a spiritual body with flesh and bones does not at present appear4 ,but this is certain3 the power that can resurrect the body from the grave or from the sea can bring it forth from any place or condition in the universe4 ,belief in the resurrection implies belief in ,god1 and with him all things are possible40 ,kate ,field1 who of all ,americans probably is best acquainted with ,mormon life and doctrines1 points out that when the literal ,mormon abjures literalness1 it is high time for orthodox ,christians to cast away the above-mentioned sacrilegious objection4 ,how1 by the way1 about those who fall overboard and are swallowed by the fishes1 or those who are blown up by an explosion8 ,are they to be consigned to eternal damnation simply because they happened to meet with an accident8 ,are they not to be raised hereafter8 ,the absurdity and unreasonableness of this erroneous notion was tersely and happily expressed by the ,earl of ,shaftesbury during a conversation with an eminent 7,sir ,t4 ,spencer ,wells1 ,i believe7 promoter of the present cremation movement4 ,he said3-- 8,what would in such a case become of the blessed martyrs80 ,many of them have been reduced to ashes1 and still these are held sacred4 ,i would advise the person who holds the opinion that the resurrection cannot take place after cremation to seek quickly the nearest physician who makes a speciality of insanity4 ,i wonder if such persons are conscious that they commit a sacrilege in doubting that ,god is omnipotent4 ,from a purely catholic point of view it is urged that incineration would destroy the relics of individuals who might afterward be canonized4 ,this is the most ridiculous objection of the whole lot6 ,are not the ashes of a saint as venerable as his bones8 ,when such ashes are kept in a sealed urn1 we may be certain of the genuineness of the relics4 ,today1 there is no guarantee whatever of their genuineness--many cities claiming to possess the only real relics of this or that saint4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,portland ,,vase4 7,originally a ,cinerary ,urn47 ,there is no relation between cremation and religion4 ,they are independent of each other4 ,no passage in the ,holy ,bible prohibits incineration4 ,the ,christian religion does not oppose it1 nor does the ,jewish1 as ,i learnt from an article in the ,jewish ,chronicle4 ,some newspapers seem to think that cremation is contrary to the ,jewish doctrines4 ,our brethren at ,gibraltar and in the north of ,africa bury their dead in quicklime4 ,no one can deny the orthodoxy of the ,jews on the shores of the ,mediterranean1 yet more than once have some of their number been disposed of in the manner related above2 the method being carried out but lately at ,mile-end4 ,among the ,jews at ,london1 instances of cremation are not unknown4 ,a ,swiss clergyman1 the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,lange1 declares that our ,saviour never spoke a single word in condemnation of incineration4 ,dr4 ,altherr1 ,religious ,journal for the ,people 7,no4 #aa1 #ahgd71 also entertains the same opinion4 ,an ,english ,catholic pointed out that cremation would once more enable us to bury our dead in the churches1 not only in the crypts of the sacred edifices1 but also along the sides of the body of the churches4 ,rev4 ,henry ,ward ,beecher had a word to say about cremation in a recent sermon of his4 ,he thought that the universal ,christian teaching of the resurrection of the body would prevent any general acceptance of it while that teaching prevails4 ,of course1 a man of a 8classical0 education cannot reject incineration altogether1 especially when he considers it from a hygienic point of view4 ,i have always been of the opinion that a great many clergymen fear to state their real views concerning cremation1 lest their congregation might discharge them and engage the services of some other theologian2 and ,i still have the same impression4 ,the so-called religious objection to cremation is wholly unsound1 as even a great many anti-cremationists admit2 it is therefore not surprising that 8religious0 opposition is fast weakening and waning wherever it has existed at all4 ,a late writer in the ,church ,review advises us to take care that incineration does not fall into infidel hands1 and so become at last a symbol of irreligion4 ,the cemetery is regarded1 in general1 as a permanent resting-place of the dead1 where they may sleep undisturbed4 ,man of the present time puts his beloved into the dirty1 dark ground1 and hands them over to the foul putrefaction2 he places upon their graves large1 heavy monuments1 as if to keep them down and prevent them from finding their way back again into this sinful world4 ,but he thinks not of the festering mass of corruption hid away under the tombstone2 to him the departed is more like one asleep1 like he or she was when death claimed the mortal body4 ,he fondly imagines that his dear ones shall remain there forever1 that their quiet rest shall be unbroken4 ,from year to year1 however1 bodies are added to those already buried1 the disgusting state of overcrowding which ,i described minutely1 with all its evils1 shows itself1 and then one of two things happens3 either the remains of those buried before are ruthlessly dug up by the sexton's spade and thrown into the mud whenever a new grave is made1 or all of the bodies are exhumed and taken away2 the soil is parcelled1 and the new generation takes possession of the 8city of the dead40 ,in some cemeteries corpses are allowed to remain in a grave only a stipulated time2 in ,english burial-grounds1 where a freehold right is not secured1 the remains may rest undisturbed but seven1 in ,france five1 years4 ,the sentiment of the public is expressed in the sequent extract from a lecture by the ,rev4 ,brooke ,lambert3-- 8,there is no subject on which people feel more deeply than the disturbance of the remains of their ancestors1 and even the displacement of effete memorials of them4 ,i find that the prevailing feeling is that the dead ought never to be removed1 nor the position of their monuments changed even by a hair's breadth4 ,now whilst our present system of burial remains1 such changes in their places of interment must occur40 ,when ,mr4 ,walker1 the surgeon1 inspected the ,portugal ,street ,cemetery at ,london1 ,england1 on ,april #bg1 #ahci1 he discovered that two graves had been opened1 the bones of the remains exposed to view2 and a lot of coffin-wood1 some quite fresh1 intended 7as he was informed7 for firewood4 ,a gentleman who visited the same burial-ground some time before 7vide ,times1 ,june #be1 #ahch7 wrote3 8,i was shocked to see two men employed in carrying baskets of human bones to the back of the ground through a small gate4 ,i have #ab of my nearest and dearest relatives consigned to the grave in that ground1 and ,i felt that ,i might perhaps at that moment be viewing1 in the basket of skulls which passed before me1 those of my own family thus brutally exhumed40 ,a correspondent to the ,weekly ,despatch1 of ,september #cj1 #ahch1 thus describes ,st4 ,giles' ,churchyard1 where he had just been3-- 8,what a horrid place6 ,it is full of coffins up to the surface4 ,coffins are broken up before they are decayed2 and bodies removed to the bone-house before they are sufficiently decayed to make their removal decent6444 ,the bone-house is a large1 round pit4 ,into this had been shot from a wheelbarrow the but partly decayed inmates of the smashed coffins4 ,on the north side was a man digging a grave4 ,he was quite drunk4 ,so1 indeed1 were all the grave-diggers we saw40 ,walker saw the tin plates removed from the coffins broken up1 and witnessed how many wagon-loads of bones were taken to the charnel-houses4 ,lord ,ronald ,gower writes in ,vanity ,fair3-- 8,the other day ,i came across a somewhat rare little brochure1--an account of the violation of the royal sepulchres of ,st4 ,denis1 during the first ,french ,revolution4 ,the work of destruction and sacrilege commenced early in ,october1 #agic1 and lasted all the month4 ,the first corpse found was that of ,henry ,,iv1 the once beloved ,henri de ,navarre4 ,some curiosity1 if not affection1 still seems to have lingered even among those patriots who have constituted themselves body-snatchers1 and the bearnais was propped up against the church wall in his shroud1 and became quite an attraction for the crowd4 ,one of the republican guards even condescended to cut off the king's gray1 upturned moustache1 and place it on his lip2 another removed the beard1 which he declared he would keep as a relic4 ,after these marks of attention were exhausted1 the body was thrown into a huge pit filled with quicklime1 into which successively followed those of its ancestors and descendants4 8,on the next day the corpses of ,henry ,,iv's wife1 ,maria de ,medicis1 that of his son1 ,louis ,,xiii1 and that of his grandson1 ,louis ,,xiv1 were added to this4 ,the body of the sun-king 7as ,louis ,,xiv's courtiers loved to call him7 was as #8black as ink4' ,what a contrast to that majestic1 bewigged head1 as we see it on the canvas of ,le ,brun and ,rigault1 must not that poor blackened skull have been6 ,the body of the ,grand ,monarch's wife and that of his son1 the ,dauphin 7father of ,louis ,,xv7 followed2 all these1 and especially the latter1 were in a state of shocking decay4 8,the following day poor harmless ,marie ,leczinska's body was torn from its resting-place1 as also were those of the #8,grand ,dauphin1' the ,duke of ,burgundy and his wife1 and several other princes and princesses of the same race1 including three daughters of ,louis ,,xv4 ,all these were in a state of terrible decomposition1 and in spite of the use of gunpowder and vinegar1 the stench was so great that many of the workmen were seized with fever1 and others had to continue the grewsome work4 ,by a strange chance1 on the very morning that ,marie ,antoinette's sufferings came to an end on the ,place de la ,revolution1 the body of another unfortunate queen saw the light of day1--it was on the #afth of ,october that the body of our ,queen ,henrietta ,maria1 who had died in #affi1 was taken from its coffin and added to the ghastly heap in the #8,ditch of the ,valois1' as the pit into which these royal remains were hurled was called2 that of her daughter the once #8,belle ,henriette' came next1 and then in quick succession the bodies of ,philippe ,d',orleans2 that of his son1 the notorious regent2 of his daughter1 the no less notorious ,duchesse de ,berri2 of her husband2 and half a dozen infants of the same family4 ,on the same day a coffin was cautiously opened4 ,this was found at the entrance of the royal vault 7the customary position for that containing the latest deceased king71 and contained the remains of ,louis #8le bien aim4' ,no wonder that the body-snatchers hesitated before withdrawing the corpse from its enclosure1 for it was remembered that ,louis had perished of a most terrible illness1 and that an undertaker had died in consequence of placing the already pestilent corpse in its coffin4 ,consequently it was only on the brink of the ditch that the body was removed and hastily rolled over the edge1 but not without the precaution of discharging guns and burning much powder1 and even then the air was terribly tainted far and near4 8,i turn the page and find that we are only in the thick of all these dead men's bones and uncleanness1 for the republican resurrectionists began by the ,bourbons and had still to disentomb all the ,valois1 and further back1 up to the ,capetian line1 and are not content until the almost legendary remains of ,dagobert and ,madame ,dagobert reappear4 ,suffice it to add1 that after ,louis the ,well-beloved had been disposed of1 came in succession1 like the line of royal ghosts seen by ,macbeth1 ,charles ,v1 who died in #achj1 whose body was one of the few well-preserved1 and was arrayed in royal robes1 with a gilt crown and sceptre1 still bright2 that of his wife1 ,jeanne de ,bourbon1 who still held in her bony hand a decayed distaff of wood2 ,charles ,,vi with his queen1 ,isabeau de ,bavire2 ,charles ,,vii and his wife1 ,marie ,d',anjou2 and then ,blanche de ,navarre1 who died in #acia4 ,charles ,,viii1 of whom nothing but dust remained1 ,henry ,,ii1 ,catherine de ,medicis1 ,charles ,,ix1 and ,henry ,,iii1 were disinterred on the morning of the #ahth2 #8after the workmen's dinner1' ,louis ,,xii and his queen1 and among other less interesting royal remains1 the bones of ,hugh1 ,comte de ,paris1 father of ,hugh ,capet2 and so on the work went1 till one tires even of the details of the preservation of this or that king or queen4 ,can anything be more shocking than to know that all the horrors of decay and decomposition will remain even after two or three centuries have passed over the lifeless form1 and that1 supposing one has the ill luck to be thus coffined and one's body removed1 #8a black fluid1 emitting a noxious smell1' will run from out our last home1 as was the case with those royal remains during that hot summer month at ,st4 ,denis in #agic80 ,the ,rev4 ,h4 ,r4 ,haweis says3-- 8,you cannot preserve the buried dead securely from the outrages of the living4 ,the people who dig graves1 or are employed to remove bones1 are not as a rule scrupulous1 but they are very often drunk4 ,the other day only a number of wild ,irish were so employed at ,new ,york2 the bodies were offered for sale on the ground to a party of medical students4 ,these young fellows had the grace to shrink from the horrors they then witnessed4 ,one coffin was found full of a heavy decomposed mass1 like spermaceti2 it was used to grease the axle-tree of the cart4 ,another coffin contained the body of a woman1 aged #bj1 as the inscription announced4 ,she had rested for #ajg years--laid there with what tears1 what tender regrets of husband1 or lover1 or mother6 ,but now her head was rudely seized and kicked like a football from one ruffian to the other40 ,but the 8sweet sleep and calm rest0 of the dead was not only broken by the ruthless hand of man1 but was even disturbed by the elements4 ,on the #bfth of ,august1 #ahed1 at ,herrnlauersitz 7,guhrauer ,kreis7 more than #ajj corpses were washed out of their graves by an inundation4 ,many of them remained in their coffins4 ,they were found afterward in gardens1 yards1 fields1 in the woods1 and even in houses1 whither they had floated4 ,sixteen days passed before the bodies were all collected2 some were recovered whole1 others in parts2 then they were buried in one large pit forever 7871 as the officiating clergyman announced4 8,i was long since cured of a belief in earth burial10 says a very intelligent army officer1 8by an appalling sight ,i witnessed when going down the ,mississippi4 ,there had been a great freshet1 during which the river had so changed its course as to invade a cemetery and dislodge its occupants1 who1 in various stages of decomposition--the coffins having rotted or been torn asunder by the torrent--were floating down the stream4 ,it was a ghastly spectacle40 ,i don't think that the people along the banks of the mighty river were particularly edified with the sight4 ,and if1 at the time1 they would have known of some other mode of disposing of the dead1 ,i am sure they would have adopted it without hesitation4 ,a similar occurrence happened at ,kansas ,city1 ,mo41 in ,february1 #ahhf4 ,the ,missouri ,river being blocked by ice1 caused the channel to rise and sweep the lower part of an island away that lies opposite the city1 and upon which is the small-pox hospital4 ,about #bj graves were in this part of the island2 they were opened by the flood and the corpses that had been interred in them swam down the river in their coffins4 ,these bodies had been buried only since one year4 ,the people on both sides of the ,missouri1 from which the city derives its water-supply1 were quite agitated over this affair4 ,at the same time the cemetery at ,copiano1 ,chili1 was inundated2 many of the vaults were full of water and the coffins were floating around1 while many of the common graves had been completely cleared of their contents4 ,the most horrible feature of the situation was that the water which flows from the cemetery goes into the river which supplies the inhabitants with water for domestic purposes4 ,the ,quarterly ,review 7,no4 ,,xlii1 p4 #chj7 states3-- 8,many tons of human bones every year are sent from ,london to the ,north1 where they are crushed in mills constructed for the purpose1 and used as manure60 ,and a correspondent of the ,times writes to his journal from ,alexandria3-- 8,the other day at ,sakhara1 ,i saw nine camels pacing down from the mummy pits to the bank of the river1 laden with nets in which were femora1 tibia1 and other bony bits of the human form1 some two hundred-weight in each net1 on each side of the camel4 ,among the pits there were people busily engaged in searching out1 sifting1 and sorting the bones which almost crust the ground4 ,on inquiry1 ,i learned that the cargoes with which the camels were laden would be sent down to ,alexandria1 and thence be shipped to ,english manufacturers4 ,they make excellent manure1 ,i am told1 particularly for ,swedes and other turnips4 ,the trade is brisk and has been for years1 and may go on for many more4 ,it is a strange fate to preserve one's skeleton for thousands of years1 in order that there may be fine southdowns and cheviots in a distant land60 ,gen4 ,w4 ,t4 ,sherman once visited the catacombs under ancient ,syracuse4 ,his guide informed him that there were a million interments1 but that the contents of every chamber had been sold for manure4 ,the general asked him if a single grave had been spared2 not one4 ,only a short time ago a ,london florist bought two cart-loads of mould1 and found it full of legs1 arms1 skulls1 and other human bones4 ,he brought an action against the person from whom he purchased the soil for misrepresenting his 8goods40 ,on ,feb4 #i1 #ahgd1 the railroad tunnel under the cemetery of ,pre la ,chaise at ,paris1 ,france1 caved in with a thundering crash1 forming a pell-mell mass of coffins and bodies1 earth and dbris4 ,in our own country the rest of the dead is fast becoming from year to year more insecure4 ,the ,medical ,herald affirms3 8,as the increasing necessities of man create new demands for space1 graveyards are demolished and converted to other uses4 ,in ,louisville1 ,ky41 within the past fifteen years1 two extensive cemeteries have thus been transformed1--one on ,portland ,avenue into a common1 and one in ,jefferson ,street into a park1 called ,baxter ,square4 8,now the youth stroll along the graded walks and sit in the shaded nooks1 upon the very ground in which the bodies of their ancestry have decayed4 ,the sacred spot of last repose of grandparents is now the mirthful scene of the nocturnal orgies of irreverent grandchildren4 ,cremation would render this impossible1 and place any profanation of the sacred memorials of the dead beyond the public eye40 ,recently two burial-grounds1--one in ,new ,england1 the other in ,pennsylvania1--caved in1 and the thickly crowded bones of many generations were exposed to view4 ,in my native city1 ,detroit1 four cemeteries1 to my knowledge1 were closed and given up to the living4 ,in every case save one these burial-grounds were excavated1 the coffins1 bones1 semi-decomposed bodies1 etc41 carted away1 and business blocks erected in their stead4 ,in one of these cemeteries a brother of mine was buried2 what became of his last remains ,i know not4 ,possibly they were used to fertilize a field2 or perhaps cupidity tempted men to steal his body for the purpose of dissection2 or an unscrupulous grave-digger may have sent his bones to a bone-mill1 vended his coffin-plate1 and used his coffin for firewood4 ,who knows8 ,i would give a great deal if the relics of my brother1 decently inurned1 could be with me2 but alas6 ,i must give up expectations of ever finding any trace of him again4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,proposed ,,detroit ,,crematorium4 ,within a quite recent period at least two graveyards in ,montreal have been torn up to make public squares2 and it is not likely that any more respect will be shown to cemeteries in the future than there has been in the past4 ,dr4 ,wm4 ,porter says3 8,i well remember1 when a boy1 seeing our old sexton exhume a body buried for several years1--that of a strong man called away in the prime of life4 ,the rotting coffin was slowly lifted from its damp bed1 and the lid being broken1 we saw within a horrible mass of putrefaction4 ,matted hair and decomposing grave-clothes but poorly covered the blackened skeleton as it lay in the once handsome casket1 now reeking with the emanation of its loathsome contents4 ,yet this had been a beautiful grave2 roses had blossomed upon it1 and the arbor vit had whispered to it4 ,there would be but little plea for the grave on the ground of sentiment could we see the changes there taking place2 there would be few1 if any1 who would not choose that the body1 after faithful service1 should be purified by fire1 rather than rot in such a grave40 ,we are accustomed to consider sacred the venerable remains of our dead1 and the simplest memorial of a departed friend makes us1 if but for moments1 sad4 ,therefore1 all who lay any claim to civilization or humanity must be vehemently opposed to the profane exhibition of the bones of the deceased in bone-houses1 where they lie pell-mell in a heap1 or catacombs1 where they stand braced against the wall1 lie in their coffins1 or are put away in niches1 i4e41 on the shelf1 and where any dawdling fool may inspect them for a small sum of money4 ,the ,rev4 ,h4 ,r4 ,haweis states3 8,where are the thousands who were laid in the heart of ,paris1 and who slept for centuries in the graveyards of the ,innocents1 ,st4 ,eustache1 ,st4 ,etienne de ,prs8 ,every tourist who takes a return ticket to ,paris may gaze upon their bones1 speculate upon their skulls1 and finger their dust4 ,by order of the minister of police they were all dug up in #aghg and carted off to the catacombs4 ,the bones were cleaned and arranged in grim and picturesque symmetry4 ,in one gallery are the arms1 legs1 and thighs intersected by rows of skulls2 the small bones are thrown in heaps behind them4 ,whose dust is separate there8 whose ashes are sacred8 ,and yet they were borne to this grotesque sepulchre with priests and tapers40 ,as regards disrespect and insult to the dead1 a correspondent of the ,medical ,times and ,gazette1 writing from ,bordeaux1 says3-- 8,the earth around one of the oldest churches in ,bordeaux seems to have something peculiarly antiseptic in its nature1 so that the bodies buried during ages were converted into mummies4 ,during some alterations at the beginning of this century these bodies were laid bare1 and instead of being decently buried again1 they were taken out of their resting-place and ranged upright in a row around a crypt under the bell-tower of ,st4 ,michael4 ,here they constitute a disgusting and demoralizing show1 which is visited by crowds of people1 and ,i am afraid that the clergy of the church are not ashamed to pocket the profits4 ,a rough fellow1 a candle on the end of a stick1 such as they have in wine-cellars1 goes round as showman4 ,he taps and thumps the bodies to show that they are perfectly sound1 tough like leather trunks1 and not the least brittle4 #8,see here1 gentlemen1 is a very tall man2 see how powerful his muscles must have been1 and what excellent calves he has now6 ,the next is the body of a young woman4 ,remark the excellent preservation of her chemise1 though it was buried #djj years ago2 and see1 it is trimmed with lace4 ,the next1 gentlemen1 is a priest2 you can see his soutane with the buttons on it4 ,there is a woman with a dreadful chasm in her breast2 she had a cancer4 ,the next four are a family poisoned with mushrooms2 observe the contortions of their faces from the coliques they suffered4 ,see1 next1 a very old man with his wig still awry upon his pate4 ,the next is a poor misrable that was buried alive4 ,see how his head is turned to one side and the body half turned round1 in the frantic effort to get out of the coffin1 with his mouth open and gasping4' 7,it is quite true that the attitude is singular1 but it does not warrant the inference which the showman draws47 ,but enough of this disgusting mercenary exhibition of the human body in its lowest state of humiliation4 ,if the guardians of consecrated sepulchres1 in which people have paid an honest fee to be buried1 are to dig them up and cart them off as in ,england1 or make a show of them as here1 why1 ,i can only say that cremation will gain a good many converts4 ,any one would prefer urn burial to the chance of being thus made a spectacle4 ,so good1 too1 it must be for the rising population to take off the edge of any salutary horror they may feel at death and decay1 or of reverence for the dead40 ,there are many such shows where the human corpse is used for the purpose of eliciting money from a public loving horrible and sensational sights4 ,i need but mention the catacombs of ,rome1 or the ,bleikeller of ,bremen1 to conjure up before your mind all the terrible scenes which the clerical and medical gentlemen whom ,i have just cited have pictured4 ,there is another way in which the dead are insulted1 another mode by which their graves are desecrated4 ,the monuments which are erected upon the last resting-place of the deceased to perpetuate their memory are sometimes moved about till they no longer mark the spot where the person whose name they bear was interred4 ,here1 then1 all the good intentions of friends are set at naught2 their expense1 their attention1 is all in vain4 ,the tombstones are moved1 and when they become yellow with age they are broken up to act as headstones for some public highway4 ,that this does not hold good of ,european countries only1 but also of ,american ones1 is proven by our honored and beloved 8autocrat of the breakfast table10 ,oliver ,wendell ,holmes1 who declares3 8,the most accursed act of vandalism ever committed within my knowledge was the uprooting of the ancient gravestones in three at least of our city burial-grounds1 and one at least just outside the city1 and planting them in rows to suit the taste for symmetry of the perpetrators4 ,the stones have been shuffled about like chessmen1 and nothing short of the ,day of ,judgment will tell whose dust lies beneath any of those records meant by affection to mark one small spot as sacred to some cherished memory4 ,shame6 shame6 shame6 ,that is all ,i can say4 ,it was on public thoroughfares1 under the eye of authority1 that this infamy was enacted4 ,i should like to see the gravestones which have been disturbed or removed and the ground levelled1 leaving the flat tombstones4 ,epitaphs were never famous for truth1 but the old reproach of #8,here lies' never had such a wholesale illustration as in these outraged burial-places1 where the stone does lie above1 and the bones do not lie beneath40 ,now be candid6 ,do you not think that facts like these go a good way to endorse cremation8 ,there would be no need of disturbing the dead1 there would be no vulgar exhibition of the deceased1 after incineration would have been introduced4 ,there would1 in fact1 be nothing to do violence to that most sacred and deep-rooted feeling of humanity1--respect for the dead4 ,among all the outrages on the dead1 that committed by the hand of ghoulish desecration is1 by far1 the worst4 ,body-snatching1 for providing anatomical institutions with material1 has become a business in the ,united ,states2 love of gain being1 as usual1 the cause4 ,and not only are bodies abducted to supply medical colleges1 but persons are liable to be murdered for the same reason4 ,in ,february of #ahhd two negroes were arrested at ,cincinnati1 who1 after a severe examination1 confessed to having killed an old man1 his wife1 and his adopted daughter2 after which they sold the corpses to the ,ohio ,medical ,college1 receiving #ae for each4 ,but some grave-robberies are perpetrated simply for revenge1 or else for pure deviltry4 ,a special despatch to the ,detroit ,free ,press1 from ,point ,pleasant1 ,w4 ,va41 relates an instance of this kind as follows3-- 8,salt ,creek1 a small stream1 empties into the ,ohio ,river three miles south of this4 ,two miles from the mouth is a church called ,pisgah1 attached to which is a burying-ground4 ,this morning when the sexton went to dig a grave1 he was horrified to find half a dozen graves open and the bodies taken from their coffins and stretched on the ground4 ,in one or two instances the limbs were severed from the bodies4 ,the graves had been opened without regard to family4 ,the bodies lay in one place arranged in the shape of a ,greek cross4 ,there is no clue to the perpetrators of the sacrilegious offense1 and no reason can be imagined4 ,the bodies evidently had been exposed for a day or two40 ,the funeral car of the late ,a4 ,t4 ,stewart was followed by six carriages laden with gorgeous floral offerings2 yet in spite of the more than regal magnificence of his funeral1 and of his great wealth1 only a few days later his body was stolen by sacrilegious robbers1 and has never been recovered4 ,need ,i remind you of the mortification our nation felt on hearing that guards had to be set to watch over the graves of our lamented presidents1 ,lincoln and ,garfield4 ,not only in our country is body-snatching a frequent offense1 but also in ,england1 as will be seen by the sequent quotation from ,mr4 ,walker 7p4 #bjb73-- 8,an undertaker who had charge of a funeral went with a friend into the vault of a chapel4 ,a coffin recently deposited was taken under his arm with the greatest ease4 ,his friend1 doubting1 poised the coffin1 and was affected to tears from the conviction that the body had been removed4 ,several other coffins were in the same condition40 ,the corpse of the late ,earl of ,crawford was stolen from the ,dun ,echt mortuary chapel in ,aberdeen4 ,there is one case of outrage on the dead on record that1 for hideousness and devilishness1 surpasses all others4 ,i refer to that grave-digger of ,koenigsberg1 ,prussia1 who fed his swine with human bodies4 ,one of the most abominable modes of outrage on the dead is that where men 7beasts is the proper designation for them7 have gratified their animal passions by outraging the fresh corpses of young and pretty women4 ,it seems incredible1 but this violation was known in the most ancient times1 and is not yet extinct in the present age4 ,herodotus already reports in the #hith chapter of his second book1 that the ,egyptians of old did not deliver up the bodies of ladies of quality or the remains of young and beautiful women to the embalmers until decomposition had set in1 so that these men could not have coition with them4 ,for it was said that an embalmer had once surprised a colleague in the act of outraging the corpse of a youthful woman1 and had reported the case to the authorities1 who punished the inhuman offender promptly4 ,the evening edition of the ,national ,zeitung 7published at ,berlin7 of ,nov4 #ba1 #ahgd 7,no4 #edd71 relates that in ,lichtenberg1 which is situated near the capital of the ,german ,empire1 in the night from the #dth to #eth of ,november1 two children1 recently buried1 were disinterred and removed from their coffins4 ,on the morning of ,november the #eth the corpses were found on the ground near the graves1--the shrouds were torn1--and one body1 that of a little two-year-old girl1 bore all the signs of a recent outrage4 ,all these sacrilegious outrages on the dead could be obviated by incineration4 ,the avaricious would not be tempted by a small quantity of ashes in a plain urn4 ,there would be no valuable clothing and no costly jewelry1 ordinarily inhumed with some bodies1 to excite rapacity4 ,furthermore1 cremation promises the greatest possible security from vandalism4 ,when the urn containing the remains1 i4e41 ashes1 of our friends or relatives is placed in a niche in the columbarium1 it can be easily guarded4 ,one watchman1 in communication 7by electrical alarm7 with the police department of the city1 will suffice to protect the urn-hall of a columbarium4 ,the same cannot be said of a cemetery2 it would take at least a company of watchmen to properly guard the grounds of a medium-sized graveyard4 ,some day we will have ,westminster ,abbeys on a small scale1 where1 amid grand monuments and costly urns1 the simple tablet of wood shall have its place1 its inscription remaining legible1 not being blotted out by the elements1 as it is to-day4 ,each church could have its own urn-hall1 and the burial ceremonies could be conducted according to the belief of the deceased4 ,the greatest foe incineration has to contend with is the widespread antipathy against it1 entertained and nursed by people who are governed more by sentiment than by reason4 ,which is the most poetical mode of disposal of the dead1 cremation or burial8 ,think6 think66 think666 and you cannot fail to find out4 ,mr4 ,w4 ,robinson1 ,f4,l4,s41 says3-- 8,the simplest urn ever made for the ashes of a ,roman soldier is far more beautiful than the costly funeral trappings used in the most imposing burial pageant of modern times4 ,of urns of a more ambitious kind1 the variety and beauty are often remarkable1 as may be seen in our national and various private collections4 ,it would be a gain to art if some of the money spent on coffins1 which rot unseen in the earth1 were devoted to such urns1 which do not decay1 and which might be placed in the light of day1 and perhaps teach a lesson in art as well as bear a record40 ,and the ,medical ,herald declares3-- 8,an urn of granite1 alabaster1 malachite1 or one of the precious metals1 with the life-sized statue of great men placed in the halls of state1 would much more befittingly express the state's regard1 and preserve and perpetuate the grateful tribute a ,christian people would pay their memories1 than any number of columns and shafts reared in cemeteries1 which must in time be demolished40 ,which is the more sthetic1 a small heap of pure1 pearl-white ashes1 or a grim skeleton8 ,certainly those who have seen a decomposing body1 or human remains in the state of adipocere1 would not call them sthetic4 ,contrast with the ghastly skeleton1 now commonly employed as an illustration of death1 the representation of death by the ancients1--the boy with the inverted torch4 ,which is the more refined8 ,the strong tombs1 of such a grandeur and beauty--proof against the gnawing teeth of time--mortuary monuments1--as we shall not be able to leave to our offspring1 testify to the pious veneration for the dead of the ancients4 ,i need but remind you of the grand pyramids1 the extensive necropolis at ,thebes1 the mausoleums and columbaria of the ,via ,appia in ,rome1 to cause you to perceive the truth of my statement4 ,the ancients thought of the dead as being turned into shades2 when we think of them we imagine rattling skeletons4 ,the stupid and disgusting glorification of the skeleton did not originate with ,christ2 it is a product of the ,middle ,ages1 as are the many tales of witches and ghosts that are related1 especially in connection with churchyards1 and still cling to them to-day4 ,the cremationists of to-day1 who propose to substitute a decent sthetic and sanitary mode of disposal of the dead for the present harmful and loathsome custom of inhumation1 are repulsed1 met by sentimental objections1 are even called monsters without religion1 without reverence for the dead4 ,but the apostles of incineration are as far removed from striving to suppress and murder such sacred feelings as is ,dan from ,beersheba4 ,on the contrary1 they believe that cremation is far more conducive to a pious veneration for the dead than interment4 ,what would you rather look upon1 that horrible remnant of mortality1 for which1 as ,bossuet says1 8there has been found no name in any human language10 or the innocuous1 pearly ash in the memorial urn of marble1 alabaster1 or one of the precious metals8 ,cremation is humane1 healthful1 and1 most of all methods1 consonant to the natural impulse of ,christianized veneration for the dead2 serving and honoring that impulse by preventing the exposure of the dead to those visible elemental and chemical conditions and operations which breed a revolt of the feelings1 and tend to surround the subject with an atmosphere of abhorrence4 ,undoubtedly1 one result of adopting generally the in-cinerative burial1 will be a disassociation in our ideas from that existing and shocking conception of horrible bodily decay1 in which almost every thought bestowed upon the dead is necessarily enveloped1 and we will learn to contemplate the body with the cheerful philosophy of the ,persian poet1 ,omar ,khayyam3-- 8#8,tis but a tent where takes his one day's rest ,a ,sultan to the realms of death addrest2 ,the ,sultan rises1 and the dark ,ferrash ,strikes and prepares it for another guest40 ,at a burial there is but darkness1 at a cremation rosy light unaccompanied by fustiness2 the dead is really reduced to ashes1 and with him the time-honored saying1 8,peace to his ashes10 is not a hollow phrase1 as it is with those who are interred4 ,those who do not wish to miss religious and other ceremonies at incinerations may use any form of burial service they like1 and those who desire to dispense with them may do so4 ,and those who already have beloved dead in the cemeteries may rest by their side when the end is come1 for the ashes can be interred as well as the body4 ,a ,sicilian poet suggested that along with the ashes thus buried might be deposited the seeds of some flower1--such as heart's-ease1 violets1 or forget-me-nots1--so that when it sprung up1 the friends and relatives might gather the blossoms from year to year as a dear memorial of the life that lasts beyond the tomb2 and ,tennyson's 78,in ,memoriam07 poetic verses would be realized3-- 8,and from his ashes may be made ,the violet of his native land40 ,only when cremation is practiced1 can a family obtain the remains 7ashes1 of course7 of its friends and relatives who have died in a foreign land2 only then it is possible to deposit such remains with those of the ancestors4 ,with the ,chinese it is customary to always inter the dead in their native land2 when they are far away from home they inhume their deceased temporarily1 but at the earliest opportunity remove them to ,china1--a usage that deserves to be imitated4 ,the small urn containing the parental ashes may be taken by migratory man into the new world or the old1 always preserved as the most sacred relic of the family4 ,how much more beautiful and better would it not be to have the remains of our kin near at hand1 in the house4 ,only then we would be reminded of them every day4 ,every building could be made to contain a mortuary chamber4 ,then we would know our dead shielded from the elements4 ,now1 when the storm rages and the rain pours down in torrents1 we imagine that he or she whom we have recently buried is yet subject to the inclemency of the weather4 ,maxime du ,camp relates a touching example of the power of illusion4 ,on one of his walks in the ,paris cemeteries he discovered a young lady kneeling before a tombstone1 who was singing 7interrupted frequently by her sobs7 an aria from an opera4 ,when she observed him1 after she had finished she said1 excusing herself involuntarily3 8,there my dear mother lies buried6 ,she loved to hear this aria60 ,that these questions which ,i have just briefly considered are of considerable moment is demonstrated by the experience of the ,rev4 ,brooke ,lambert1 who says3-- 8,it has been my misfortune to lose four of my nearest relations in different parts of the world4 ,it has been also a subject of regret to me that their remains lie so far off4 ,i care little for the fate which happens to their bodies2 and yet1 had such a practice as cremation been in use1 it would sometimes have been a comfort to feel that ,i had their ashes with me4 ,collected in an urn1 they might either repose in columbaria1 like those at ,rome1 or in a mortuary chapel in my own house40 ,this citation brings to my mind a beautiful epigram of ,count ,platen1 who1 as you undoubtedly know1 was called the favorite of the ladies4 ,it is impossible to translate it1 and therefore ,i will content myself with mentioning the contents4 ,it entreats the sacred flames to return1 and to purify the air which death has contaminated2 it requests those about to bury to reduce to ashes the body of their friend2 and it rejoices that the remains of our beloved will again rest in a clean and decent urn near our abodes4 ,there are many authors who1 in their works1 have expressed themselves in favor of cremation4 ,among the first to do this was ,a4 ,f4 ,ferdinand von ,kotzebue1 a ,german writer of note1 who glorified incineration in his novel 8,die ,leiden der ,ortenberg'schen ,familie40 ,there are those who are afraid that cremation will do away with all that is mortuary in poetry and song4 ,for instance1 they say3 8,what will become of ,gray's ,elegy in a ,country ,churchyard8 ,allusion to burial runs so inseparably through its verses that nothing would be left of them were it eliminated40 ,as a work of art ,gray's masterpiece will live forever2 but if reason or common sense is applied to it1 ,i doubt whether it has a right to exist1 even now4 ,i admit that the poem is beautiful1 that it is grand2 but it is all sentiment--nothing more4 ,there is now already a new literature1 prose as well as poetry1 accumulating4 ,the 8,cremazione dei cadaveri0 already has its poets--principally in ,italy4 ,professor ,giambattista ,polizzi of ,girgenti dedicated 7in ,march1 #ahgc7 a poem on cineration to ,signora ,emilia ,salsi when her husband1 ,doctor ,giuseppi ,salsi1 died and was cremated4 ,he praised incineration as the best mode to dispose of the dead1 and to preserve the remains of the departed4 ,in ,january1 #ahgd1 ,civelli's printing house at ,milan1 ,italy1 turned out #bb stanzas on incineration1 in the ,milanese dialect4 ,the anonymous author is a patron of cremation4 ,dr4 ,moretti of ,cannero published an excellent poem on cremation in the ,annali di ,chimica of #ahgb4 ,a ,german author1 writing under the pseudonym of 8,dranmor10 sent forth some very good verses on the same subject1 as did also the celebrated ,dr4 ,justinus ,kerner4 ,mr4 ,william ,eassie laments3-- 8,it is a matter of regret that those of our own poets who have been in favor of burning the dead did not enshrine their proclivities in verse4 ,southey1 for instance1 wrote that the custom of interment #8makes the idea of a dead friend more unpleasant4 ,we think of the grave1 corruption1 and worms2 burning would be better4' ,but he left us no poetry on the subject40 ,the objections to cineration put forward by the sentimentalists are really of no consequence at all2 they are far too trivial to be worth even only superficial consideration4 ,i have only mentioned them1 because ,i am aware of the strong hold that sentiment has on most people1 and because they allowed of a comparison between burial and cremation1 which is decidedly in favor of the latter4 ,dr4 ,e4 ,j4 ,bermingham of ,new ,york ,city hits the nail on the head by saying3-- 8,we believe the abhorrence entertained by many1 of cremation1 depends to a very great extent on the universal tendency of individuals and nations to resent any interference with established customs1 to reject any innovation simply because it is an innovation40 ,sentimental objection to incineration resolves into this3 ,we are the slaves of custom4 ,we love to walk in the old wornout paths1 and when some one discovers a new way that is much shorter1 and by which the destination is reached much sooner1 we are loathe to use it4 ,first only a few adopt it1 then more and more travel over its surface1 until finally the old path becomes obsolete4 ,to what an extent people are governed by their time-honored customs was illustrated by the ancient historian ,herodotus 7see ,muses1 ,book ,,iii1 chap4 #hh71 as follows3-- 8,if all people were to choose the most beautiful among the customs1 they would after close examination select their own1 because every nation believes that its own customs are the best and the most beautiful4 ,one therefore cannot imagine that anybody but a madman would ridicule such matters4 ,when ,darius reigned he summoned the ,greeks then in his land1 and when they came1 he requested them to name the price they would take to eat their deceased parents4 ,they replied they would not commit such a crime for all the gold in his empire4 ,then he caused the ,kalatians 7natives of ,india71 who were in the habit of eating their parental dead1 to appear before him2 when they arrived1 he questioned them 7in presence of the ,greeks1 to whom every word was interpreted7 how much remuneration they would want to burn their dead4 ,they cried aloud1 and bade him not to think of such a sacrilege4 ,thus custom rules4 ,i believe ,pindar to be right when he asserts in one of his poems that custom is the king of all40 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,economy ,,of ,,cremating ,,the ,,dead4--,,the ,,present ,,state ,,of ,,the ,,cremation ,,question4 ,dr4 ,f4 ,julius le ,moyne1 speaking of the great expense often lavished on funerals1 says3-- 8,the aggregate of such questionable expenditures over the ,united ,states would amount to billions of dollars1 a sum truly alarming in size2 and this criminal expenditure has been an important factor in conducing to the monetary panic#a still prevailing4 ,this is one of the many extravagances which account in a great degree for national financial difficulties4 ,the average expenditure for each body by the system of inhumation may be placed at #ajj4 ,the average expense by the cremation plan would not exceed #bj1--showing what an immense national saving would be gained by substituting cremation for interment40 ,footnote #a3 ,dr4 ,le ,moyne's paper was written in #ahgh4 ,it must be kept in mind that the expense of a modern funeral consists of the purchase of a lot in the graveyard1 the funeral expenditure1 and the outlay for the customary tombstone or monument4 ,the cost of a cemetery to the community is tremendous4 ,the cost of a plain furnace with a columbarium does not exceed #ejjj1 a mere trifle when compared with the price of a burial ground4 ,imagine what a lot of valuable land--the best soil is always selected for cemeteries--is lost by our present method of disposing of the dead4 ,i firmly believe that graveyards are often a hindrance to the growth of a city2 but progress cannot be stopped forever2 it may be delayed for a short time1 but finally it will overcome all obstacles1 the dead are carted away1 and a world of activity takes their place4 ,graves are not houses which last till doomsday4 ,in this country where cities grow so rapidly1 graveyards are soon surrounded by dwellings1 and a cemetery which was once far outside of the city limits finally is almost in the centre of the city4 ,it then becomes necessary to remove the dead4 ,they are dug up and carted away1 and are1 perhaps1 quietly dumped into some swamp to fill it up and assist in the generation of malaria4 ,business blocks are then erected in the place that was once sacred to the dead1 and the peace of the burial ground is changed for the din of traffic4 ,the following citation from an editorial of the ,detroit ,free ,press will serve to elucidate what ,i have said3-- 8,the interment of the numerous dead of a large population in the midst of a large population is very serious4 ,to it are attributed the constant outbreaks of cholera in ,india1 and the increase of leprosy in ,china1 and it is certain as anything can be that the existence of cemeteries in crowded communities is meeting with an increasing prejudice4 ,the people of large cities are already forced to seek1 at some distance from their limits1 suitable places for interment4 ,and the existence of great cemeteries in the suburban communities themselves is provoking vigorous opposition4 ,at ,newton1 ,long ,island1 there are #ac cemeteries1 in which #cj1jjj bodies of people dying in ,new ,york and ,brooklyn are buried annually4 ,there are1 therefore1 #fj1jjj live people in one part of the town1 the rest being occupied by #c1ejj1jjj dead ones4 ,property is depreciating and taxes are increasing4 ,people are not attracted to a town of this sort1 and the real estate of the village has been falling in value for some time40 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,proposed ,,crematorium ,,at ,,cincinnati1 ,,ohio4 ,but the financial deterioration is nothing when compared with the effect which the aggregation of many dead produces upon the health of the surrounding population4 ,in and about ,new ,york1 ,brooklyn1 and ,jersey ,city1 #djjj acres of valuable land are taken up by cemeteries4 ,it is calculated that with the probable increase of population in the next half a decade1 #ejj1jjj acres of the best land in the ,united ,states will be enclosed by graveyard walls4 ,think of it6 ,five hundred thousand acres of soil that might contribute towards the maintenance of the living given up to the 8cities of the dead40 ,it is an outrage6 ,now1 let us compare the cost of burial with that of incineration4 ,as ,i have mentioned before1 there is an immense saving of valuable land when cremation is adopted4 ,millions of acres now uncultivated1 and simply used for burial to the detriment of the living1 would be changed into food-bearing land and furnish additional means for the maintenance of the people4 ,a crematory connected with an urn-hall would not occupy more space than #cfj to #djj square feet1 and would last for centuries4 ,there would also be a diminution of funeral expenses4 ,the average expense of cremation in the ,united ,states is #be4 ,contrast this with the ordinary funeral expense1 and you will agree with me when ,i assert that the present waste of money for burials is as enormous as it is unnecessary4 ,some author has said justly that the difference in expense would often equal one-half the proceeds of a life insurance policy4 ,it is plain that the expense of the burning of single bodies will be very much reduced by the general use of the system4 ,the annual expense for the cremation of #gjjj bodies in ,bombay1 ,india1 amounts to #ae1jjj only1 which is but #b4ej for each corpse4 ,the cost of incineration in our own country has varied4 ,it is1 of course1 impossible to estimate the expense of the earlier cremations4 ,the furnace at ,washington1 ,pa41 was erected for the use of ,dr4 ,le ,moyne only1 and those of his friends who concurred with him in this reform4 ,the public at one time believed that this furnace had been built for its accommodation1 and that the owner followed cremation as a business1 and charged fees for the use of his crematory4 ,during the lifetime of the doctor no fee whatever was charged for incineration in his furnace4 ,after his death the trustees of the crematorium were obliged to charge the moderate sum of #de to compensate them for their time and trouble4 ,this included all expenses after the body reached the railway station at ,washington1--a hearse1 carriage1 and box to contain the remains1 as well as fuel1 attendance1 etc4 ,the building at ,washington was put up at the least possible expense 7as economy was one of ,dr4 ,le ,moyne's principal arguments71 and cost in all about #aejj4 ,compare this expenditure with that of purchasing a cemetery1 not taking into consideration the improvements which must be made on a graveyard before it can be opened to the public4 ,it will prove interesting to consider the present state of the cremation question1 and to note the progress which the reform has thus far made in various countries of the civilized world4 ,incineration is making great headway in ,europe4 ,in ,germany1 societies were organized at ,coeln1 ,hainichen1 ,bonn1 ,frankfort on the ,main1 ,potsdam1 ,liegnitz1 ,chemnitz1 ,heidelberg1 ,elberfeld1 ,eger1 ,breslau1 ,nordhausen1 ,rheda1 ,kollberg1 ,bremen1 and ,schleswig4 ,since ,prince ,bismarck declared that he would not be adverse to a law regulating and permitting the practice of cremation in all parts of the empire1 the leading physicians of ,berlin and the members and officers of all the cremation societies of ,germany have petitioned the national parliament--the ,reichstag--to permit incineration in all cities of the empire1 not restricting cremation to ,gotha1 as has been done heretofore4 ,in ,austria1 opinion is about evenly divided for and against the practice4 ,a deputation from the 8,urne0 ,society of ,vienna waited on the president of the ,austrian cabinet to ask that cremation should be authorized4 ,this society now comprises #hjj members1 amongst whom every class is represented2 they have collected sufficient funds for the construction of a crematory apparatus4 ,and what was the answer of the government to this request8 ,the ,minister of ,austro-,hungary replied to the ,urne ,society for the ,propagation of ,cremation that incineration is forbidden in the empire because public opinion is against it4 ,the committee of the ,belgian chamber has favorably reported upon a petition for a law making cremation optional4 ,the municipality of ,paris lately decided to cremate the bodies which have been used at the ,school of ,practical ,anatomy and at ,clamort4 ,over #cjjj bodies a year are received at these two institutions for the purpose of dissection4 ,the ,municipal ,council of ,paris also recently authorized the erection of three crematories in the ,pre la ,chaise ,cemetery1 according to the ,gorini system1 which are to be used for the purpose of cremating the remains of those persons who die of infectious or contagious diseases4 ,they will be heated with wood1 and are calculated to be capable of reducing the bodies of #ej persons per day at a cost of #ae francs inclusive of personal expenditure and the cost of an urn for the reception of the ashes4 ,the ,prefect of ,police of ,paris has endorsed the decree of the municipality1 laying stress especially on the many advantages--sanitary and economical--of cremation4 ,he stated that sufficient testimony had been recorded by ,kuechenmeister and many other scientific authorities to demonstrate beyond a doubt that cremation is a protection against cholera1 yellow fever1 and small-pox epidemics4 ,the furnaces at the ,pre la ,chaise can be used eight hours a day4 ,the total expense is estimated at #ej1jjj francs2 and preparations will be made to burn #dejj bodies a year4 ,the establishment of these crematories was brought about mainly through the efforts of ,m4 ,koechlin-,schwartz1 mayor of the eighth ward of ,paris2 and the plan for their construction was submitted to the municipality in the name of the ,commission of the ,assistance ,publique by ,m4 ,chaisoaing4 ,the ,french ,chamber recently enacted the following3 8,any adult or free minor1 capable of being a testator1 may freely determine the mode of his sepulture4 ,he may elect inhumation or incineration1 may will his body or any part thereof to institutions of public instruction or to learned societies1 and may regulate the conditions of his funeral1 notably in regard to its civil or religious character40 ,the privilege of cremation in the crematories at the ,pre la ,chaise is now granted to any one who asks for the same4 ,the ,paris ,municipality will at a future sitting vote the construction of a sort of lay temple1 where families will be allowed to keep urns or other funereal vessels1 containing the ashes of dead relatives4 ,this will not necessarily do away with any religious ceremony short of that of consigning the dead to consecrated ground2 but1 as ,m4 ,koechlin-,schwartz says1 there is no reason why urns may not be consecrated1 or why ,protestants1 ,catholics1 ,jews1 and ,free ,thinkers may not build a vast mausoleum in which the ashes of thousands could be deposited in beautiful vessels without injury to the living4 ,it is probable that crematories being now legal in such an art center as ,paris1 new and beautiful forms of artistic decoration will grow out of it4 ,altogether1 cremation is progressing so favorably everywhere that one may be hopeful that comparatively soon it will be adopted by every country in the world4 ,public opinion in ,england has undergone a wonderful change1 and now is universally in favor of cremation4 ,even so great a newspaper as the ,times1 once a vehement opponent of the reform1 has come around1 and now upholds incineration4 ,the crematory belonging to the ,cremation ,society of ,england1 erected by them at ,st4 ,john's1 ,woking1 ,surrey1 was made use of for the first time on the #bfth of ,march1 #ahhe4 ,the body upon which the rite was performed was that of ,mrs4 ,pickersgill1 of ,london1 aged seventy-one--a lady well known in literary and scientific circles4 ,she had previously become a member of the society1 with a view of supporting the reform1 in which she took great interest4 ,the form of declaration drawn up by the society had been signed by her1 and1 after the medical certificates had been duly filled up by registered medical men and an application from a representative of the deceased1 the cremation was allowed to proceed4 ,an autopsy had been previously carried out by the medical attendants of the deceased4 ,the body was conveyed to the crematory from ,london in a suitable hearse2 and the cremation1 which lasted one hour1 was attended by two friends of the deceased1 who expressed themselves perfectly satisfied with the system employed4 ,the cost for fuel was under ten shillings altogether2 and during the time of the cremation1 no smoke escaped from the chimney-shaft1 whilst the ashes were of a purest white and small in volume4 ,the ,italian government ordered the building of a crematory1 on the ,gorini-,gozzi system1 for the cholera hospital at ,varignano1 which was completed in the summer of #ahhe4 ,a crematorium was erected at ,florence1 on the ,venini system1 which cremates a body in #gj minutes1 and the cost of which was #dejj francs4 ,crematories are building at ,pisa and ,como4 ,on the #bc;d of ,june1 #ahhe1 the crematorium at ,livorno was dedicated with appropriate ceremonies4 ,it contains a ,spaciani ,mesmer furnace4 ,general acquiescence in the process of cremation is steadily growing among us2 and ,i verily believe that the time is not far distant when crematories will be established in every state and territory of the ,union4 ,the fact that one was recently erected in ,new ,york ,city1 one has been built at ,lancaster1 and one has just been completed at ,pittsburg1 certainly proves that cremation has found a foothold in this country4 ,the ,new ,york ,cremation ,society was organized in the city of ,new ,york on ,march #h1 #ahha1 under the presidency of the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,j4 ,d4 ,beugless1 and was incorporated on the #bfth of ,march in the same year4 ,the objects and purposes of this society are to disseminate sound and enlightened views respecting the incineration of the dead2 to advocate and promote in every proper and legitimate way the substitution of this method for burial2 and to advance the public good by affording facilities for carrying cremation into operation4 ,the members of the society consist of three classes3 active1 associate1 and corresponding members4 ,active members are subdivided into annual and life members1 of whom the annual members pay the regular dues1 and the life members the amount of #cj in one sum4 ,those who have paid the regular dues for twelve successive years also become life members4 ,no further payment is then required from such member4 ,these payments for twelve successive years entitle an active member to all the privileges of the society for the remainder of his life2 and an associate member to the benefit of the incineration fund without further charge4 ,only active members are qualified for election or appointment to any official position in the society2 to vote at any election2 and to debate and vote at any meeting2 corresponding members are chosen from among those who have distinguished themselves by rendering service in the promotion of cremation2 and they may reside in any part of the world1 except within a radius of five miles around the city of ,new ,york4 ,at present1 the ,new ,york ,cremation ,society numbers #dgj members1 of whom #djj are active and #gj passive members4 ,the ,united ,states ,cremation ,company1 incorporated under the laws of the state of ,new ,york1 is in no manner connected with the ,new ,york ,cremation ,society1 although many members of the latter are stockholders in the former4 ,this company was founded for the purpose of acquiring land1 and erecting thereon the necessary buildings1 works1 and other appliances for carrying cremation into operation4 ,it was incorporated under the general business act of #ahgf of the state of ,new ,york1 with a capital stock of #ce1jjj1 divided into #adjj shares of the par value of #be per share2 #bh1bjj worth of stock has already been taken4 ,among the stockholders of the ,united ,states ,cremation ,company are such persons of note as ,andrew ,carnegie1 ,professor ,h4 ,h4 ,boyesen1 the distinguished author1 ,professor ,felix ,adler1 and ,courtlandt ,palmer4 ,early in #ahhd1 the company purchased a fine site on ,long ,island1 about #de minutes' drive from the city4 ,the cremation temple was erected upon the summit of a hill at ,fresh ,pond1 ,long ,island4 ,the site is bounded by ,olivet1 ,evelin1 and ,summit ,avenues respectively on the east1 south1 and west1 and commands an unobstructed view of the cities of ,new ,york and ,brooklyn1 from the center of population in either of which it is about five miles distant4 ,it lies between two cemeteries4 ,the grounds are high and picturesque4 ,this place of rest will be1 if present plans are carried out1 more complete than anything of the kind in the world4 ,it is expressly wished to deprive it of the mournful aspect usually associated with burial-grounds4 ,to this end there are no yew or willow trees1 nor any emblems of mourning4 ,the grounds are tastefully laid out1 and adorned with flowers4 ,the corner-stone of the crematory at ,fresh ,pond was laid on ,nov4 #bj1 #ahhd4 ,prof4 ,felix ,adler conducted the services1 the principal speeches being made by him and the ,rev4 ,howard ,henderson4 ,the directors of the ,united ,states ,cremation ,company fixed the charge for the incineration of bodies at #be4 ,the crematorium was finished in the latter part of ,october1 #ahhe4 ,experiments were made with the bodies of a number of the lower animals1 in order to perfect the workings of the machinery4 ,on ,nov4 #aj1 #ahhe1 a dressed ram1 weighing #ge pounds1 together with the skin1 shank1 and hip bones of an ox1 was introduced into the furnace4 ,with a temperature of #bjjj ,f4 the incineration was completed in two hours4 ,a strong wind greatly retarded the process by interfering with the draught of cold air4 ,the defect was remedied at once by altering the flues and the insertion of a steam jet at a point above the entrance of the flues4 ,the site was selected in order to carry out the first plans of the edifice1 which were those of a ,grecian temple4 ,the plans have been modified and modernized so that only a remnant of the classical design is left4 ,the front portion of the building will be1 when finished1 two stories high4 ,the rest of the structure is one story high1 and is built of plain red brick4 ,the dimensions are #ch #gd4 ,light is admitted to the interior of the building by skylights in the roof1 as well as by the half-dozen windows on each side4 ,cremation in ,new ,york has been advancing steadily1 although perhaps slowly1 in public favor4 ,the first body was incinerated at ,fresh ,pond on ,dec4 #d1 #ahhe1 and since then more than #ajj persons have been cremated there4 ,cremation is spoken of with respect1 and the stage of smiling and joking over it in ,new ,york passed away long ago4 ,it receives the unanimous support of the press and the medical profession4 ,the ,society of ,medical ,jurisprudence and ,state ,medicine appointed early in #ahhf a committee to consider the subject4 ,the report of that committee1 which was adopted1 declared cremation to be 8a sanitary necessity10 and recommended that all persons dying of contagious diseases should be cremated under direction of the medical authorities4 ,the cremation of ,dr4 ,dio ,lewis1 the famous health reformer1 in the latter part of ,may1 #ahhf1 and that of ,mr4 ,henry ,dodge1 of one of the leading banking firms on ,wall ,street1 in the early part of ,june1 attracted wide attention4 ,the first one to advocate the adoption of cremation in ,buffalo1 ,n4 ,y41 was1 to my knowledge1 ,dr4 ,frederick ,peterson1 who championed the reform in an article written for the ,buffalo ,medical and ,surgical ,journal4 ,many years passed1 however1 before his ardent advocacy was followed by practical results4 ,the ,buffalo ,cremation ,company 7,limited7 was incorporated in ,july1 #ahhd1 under the law of #ahge1--the so-called limited liability act4 ,at a meeting held ,may #ah1 #ahhf1 the first board of directors was elected1 with ,dr4 ,charles ,cary as president4 ,the gentlemen constituting this first board managed the affairs of the company so well1 and agreed among themselves so perfectly1 that they were reelected1 and are still in office4 ,at this meeting committees were appointed on the purchase of real estate for a suitable site for building a crematorium1 also for plans for the erection of a furnace for the incineration of bodies4 ,subscriptions came in rapidly1 and those who had strong faith in the ultimate accomplishment of this work were gratified by the realization of their hopes4 ,any one who takes a look at the crematorium of ,buffalo to-day1 must acknowledge that the crematists of this city have a right to be glad and proud to behold at last the practical outcome of their work4 ,at a meeting of the board of directors in the early part of ,august1 #ahhe1 the committees appointed for the purpose rendered their reports in reference to a site for a crematorium and a cinerary apparatus4 ,in accordance with these reports the directors purchased a site on ,delavan ,avenue1 near ,delaware ,avenue4 ,the dimensions are #aha feet front1 #afa feet rear1 and #adh feet in depth4 ,the property was bought at a cost of #bj per foot1 and on very favorable terms4 ,originally the capital stock was #aj1jjj1 divided into #djj shares1 of the par value of #be per share4 ,this was afterward increased to #ae1jjj1 divided into #fjj shares of the same par value4 ,this stock when once paid up is non-assessable1 and not liable for the debts of the company4 ,the ,buffalo crematorium1 which was finished recently1 is of a composite style of architecture1 and is constructed of ,medina stone1 with a slate roof4 ,the outline of the building is a pleasing one1 and the architecture is of such a character that it resembles a church more closely than a place where any mechanical operation is carried on4 ,the grounds of the company are entered from ,delavan ,avenue by a spacious roadway1 running to a porch and then passing around the building to the door of the mortuary chamber1 on the east side4 ,those who accompany the body alight at the porch1 and pass thence into the auditorium4 ,the body itself is removed from the hearse at the door of the mortuary chamber4 ,when the coffin containing the body is received in the mortuary chamber1 the body is removed and placed on the car which awaits its reception4 ,the car is then moved by machinery1 and without noise1 into the chancel1 where1 if it is desired1 the body may remain in sight of those in the auditorium during the progress of such service as the friends and relatives may wish to have performed4 ,at the proper time the same mechanism moves the car noiselessly behind the doors which cut off the incinerating room from the sight of the audience4 ,the building itself is some #gj feet in width1 by #fj feet deep4 ,the construction throughout is of the most substantial character4 ,the lot is graded and seeded1 and trees and shrubs were planted1 so that the appearance of the crematorium and its surroundings is most pleasing to the eye4 ,illustration3 ,,crematorium ,,at ,,lancaster1 ,,pa4 7,interior ,view47 ,on ,dec4 #bj1 #ahhc1 ,mr4 ,john ,storer ,cobb1 who was one of the projectors and founders of the ,new ,york ,cremation ,society and the ,united ,states ,cremation ,company1 requested ,bostonians 7in the columns of a leading newspaper7 who were in favor of substituting incineration for inhumation as a means of disposing of the dead1 to furnish him with their names and addresses4 ,after the receipt of these names he called a meeting1 which took place ,jan4 #bd1 #ahhd1 and the result of which was the organization of the ,new ,england ,cremation ,society4 ,organization was effected under ,chapter #aae of the ,massachusetts ,public ,statutes2 but the commissioner of corporations refusing to allow such incorporation1 the society not wishing to organize under the general corporation law1 whereby the par value of shares must be #ajj1 and all stock subscribed for and paid in before it could commence operations1 applied for a special charter1 embodying its views and needs4 ,but the time for the introduction of new business having expired1 it was obliged to wait till the next session of the legislature4 ,early in the session it presented a bill for incorporation1 which took the form of a general law1 authorizing the formation of cremation societies4 ,it was the intention of the society to at once incorporate under this act1 place the stock of the society on sale1 and as soon as possible erect a crematorium in the near vicinity of ,boston4 ,the bill passed both houses of the legislature1 but was amended1 so that now the par value of shares must be either #aj or #ej1 and1 as under the general corporation law of ,massachusetts1 the whole capital stock must be subscribed and paid in before the society can commence operations4 ,the capital stock of the society is #be1jjj1 distributed into #bejj shares1 each of the par value of #aj4 ,at present the society numbers about #ge members4 ,the officers are3 ,john ,storer ,cobb1 president2 ,charles ,a4 ,holt1 treasurer2 and ,sidney ,p4 ,brown1 secretary4 ,inspired with the necessity of a better method of disposing of the dead1 ,dr4 ,john ,o4 ,marble began the agitation of the question in ,worcester1 ,mass41 in ,november1 #ahhd1 by reading a paper upon the subject before #be of the most prominent physicians of that city4 ,much to his surprise and pleasure they heartily approved of the plan of cremation as a substitute for the present time-honored1 but1 to the living1 dangerous custom of earth-burial4 ,at the solicitation of one of them1 who is the enthusiastic president of the ,worcester ,natural ,history ,society1 the doctor delivered a lecture upon the subject of the 8,disposal of the ,dead1 ,cremation ,preferred10 before a large audience in the hall of the society on the evening of ,dec4 #d1 #ahhd4 ,the people of the conservative city of ,worcester seemed to appreciate the sanitary necessity1 and began intelligent inquiries1 which ,dr4 ,marble answered in eight communications in the ,worcester ,daily ,spy4 ,the movement was favored by almost all of the best citizens1 and1 after considerable hard work on ,dr4 ,marble's part1 took shape in the organization of a society4 ,the constitution was signed by1 and the society is composed of1 persons of the very highest position1 socially1 professionally1 and in every respect4 ,the society is not yet quite ready for the erection of a crematory1 but it is expected that such result will follow in the near future4 ,the ,cincinnati ,cremation ,company was incorporated on ,oct4 #ah1 #ahhd2 it was organized two or three weeks later4 ,the capital stock of the company is #be1jjj1 divided into #ajjj shares of the par value of #be per share4 ,no member is permitted to own more than #bj shares4 ,in the spring of #ahhe1 the company purchased a site for the erection of ,cincinnati's crematorium4 ,the site is on a commanding eminence on ,dixmyth ,avenue1 west of ,burnet ,woods and within a quarter of a mile of the terminus of the ,clifton line of cars4 ,the property is within city limits2 it is easily accessible1 being on a fine drive2 its elevation will give the crematorium a distinguished prominence1 while the view to the west and south is extended and beautiful4 ,the front measurement of the site is somewhat over #cjj feet1 with a depth of #cej1 comprising an area of more than two and a half acres1 at a cost of #djjj4 ,the basement of the ,cincinnati crematorium has been finished2 the furnace is being erected1 and will be completed in a short time4 ,at present1 the company counts #cbe stockholders1 with quite a representation of ladies4 ,about #ae1jjj of the stock has been subscribed for4 ,a crematory on ,sixth ,avenue1 in the centre of the city of ,pittsburg1 ,pa41 was completed in ,january1 #ahhf4 ,the furnace 7constructed by ,dr4 ,m4 ,l4 ,davis7 is heated by natural gas to at least #bbjj degrees4 ,the apparatus is owned by ,mr4 ,h4 ,samson1 the ex-president of the ,national ,funeral ,directors' ,association1 who is a wide-awake man1 and thinks the funeral directors 7vulgo1 undertakers7 are very shortsighted to allow cremation associations to be organized2 they should be willing and prepared to take care of and make such disposition of the dead as the people want4 ,the use of natural gas enables ,mr4 ,samson to have his furnace in the basement of his business house4 ,the first cremation in this apparatus took place on ,march #ag1 #ahhf1 when the remains of ,milton ,fisher1 of ,columbus1 ,o41 were incinerated4 ,the body was placed in the retort at #g4cj o'clock1 and in less than an hour was reduced to ashes4 ,this was the first time that natural gas had ever been used for cremating purposes2 and its advantages were apparent at once4 ,the ,national ,cremation ,association1 which was organized and incorporated ,feb4 #aj1 #ahhc1 has so far met with success1 as its object to make propaganda for the principle of cremation and keep its ideas before the eyes of the public has been fully sustained1 as the discussions and arguments pro and contra in the press of ,philadelphia1 ,pa41 where it is located1 will prove4 ,according to its constitution1 this association agrees to cremate the remains of any active or passive member in good standing at death1 when so desired4 ,the expenses of the funeral and cremation are carried by the association4 ,since the incorporation of this society1 one of its members died1 ,may #aj1 #ahhd1 and was1 in accordance with his wishes1 cremated4 ,the body was transferred to ,washington1 ,pa41 on the #acth of the same month1 and there reduced to ashes1 which were returned to the care of the family of the deceased4 ,since the incorporation of the association1 the number of members has risen from six to #ei and will soon1 no doubt1 be a full hundred4 ,it is now the main object of this association to secure the erection of a crematory in or near ,philadelphia4 ,for this purpose subscriptions were received and stock issued4 ,as soon as the necessary capital is obtained the crematorium will be built4 ,in the medical school of the ,university of ,pennsylvania the bodies which have been utilized for dissection are burned instead of being buried as heretofore4 ,the ,lancaster ,cremation and ,funeral ,reform ,society at ,lancaster1 ,pa41 originated in this wise3 ,early in #ahhd1 a few gentlemen interested in the matter agitated it among their friends2 and a list of members of a proposed society was made4 ,on ,may #bg1 these subscribers met at the office of ,messrs4 ,steinmann and ,hensel 7both of whom were members71 and1 calling ,d4 ,g4 ,eshleman to the chair1 a temporary organization was effected4 ,a committee was appointed to report on a proper location for a crematory1 also a committee on charter and by-laws4 ,these committees reported ,june #f1 when the amount of stock was fixed at #ejjj in #aj shares4 ,at the third meeting1 ,june #ac1 a permanent organization was effected by electing a board of directors4 ,the board organized immediately upon the adjournment of the stockholders' meeting1 and chose ,d4 ,g4 ,eshleman1 ,esq41 president2 ,dr4 ,henry ,carpenter and ,rev4 ,j4 ,max ,hark1 vice-presidents2 ,j4 ,d4 ,pyott1 clerk2 ,h4 ,c4 ,brubaker1 ,esq41 corresponding secretary2 ,geo4 ,k4 ,reed1 treasurer4 ,mr4 ,middleton was placed on the committee on ground and building in place of ,mr4 ,hensel1 whose engagements prevented his acting2 and this committee was instructed to report ,june #bj1 at which time the site now occupied was selected and the committee ordered to purchase4 ,on the #cjth of ,june1 the stock subscribed was called in1 and building proposals asked for4 ,on the #aath of ,july1 bids were opened2 on the #adth of ,july1 the contract was awarded to ,mr4 ,dinkelberg1 and the building was immediately begun4 ,on the #ajth of ,september1 the building was completed2 and the retort builders having failed to come to time1 the committee were authorized to construct one on plans of their own4 ,this was done2 for ,dr4 ,m4 ,l4 ,davis devised and built a furnace from his own designs1 and on ,nov4 #a the board met in the crematory building1 and provided for the improvement of the grounds4 ,on the night of ,nov4 #d or the morning of the #eth1 the furnace went to white heat1 despite predictions of experts to the contrary1 and justified the plan of construction4 ,on the evening of the #agth of ,november1 the body of a sheep1 two ox-heads1 and several sheep-heads were enclosed in a wooden box and placed in the retort at red heat1 the company present being unwilling to remain later4 ,some smoke1 of course1 was made2 but when white heat was reached1 the cremation was perfect1 as specimens of the residuum amply proved4 ,the crematorium was dedicated on ,tuesday1 ,nov4 #be1 at #b ,p4,m41 when the body of a lady from ,jersey ,city1 ,n4 ,j41 was incinerated4 ,it must be remembered that this society was organized on ,may #bg1 #ahhd1 purchased land1 erected its building1 and had its first cremation within the period of six months1 while several other societies organized much earlier had not yet advanced much beyond laying the corner-stones of their respective buildings4 ,the dedication exercises were opened by a prayer by ,rev4 ,geo4 ,gaul1 of ,st4 ,paul's ,methodist ,church4 ,thereupon1 the building was delivered to the society by ,dr4 ,m4 ,l4 ,davis1 chairman of the building committee1 who discussed the subject of cremation from a sanitary standpoint4 ,the next oration1 preceding the benediction1 was delivered by ,rev4 ,j4 ,max ,hark1 pastor of the ,moravian church1 one of the vice-presidents of the society1 who treated the subject from a theological standpoint4 ,the benediction over1 the participants in the dedication ceremony dispersed4 ,the incineration that took place on this occasion was entirely satisfactory4 ,the whole ceremony was solemn1 and produced a profound impression upon the intelligent and thoughtful audience1 among whom were many guests from other cities4 ,the rules of the ,lancaster ,cremation and ,funeral ,reform ,association are very stringent and well calculated to meet all demands4 ,all applicants for cremation of bodies must present a certificate of death1 signed by the physician attending during the last illness1 whose standing as a reputable practitioner must be attested by a magistrate or notary public4 ,when brought from a distance1 official board of health papers are also required4 ,the rules request that the body should be dressed in a shroud of cotton or linen fabric2 all metallic substances being avoided--hooks1 buttons with metallic eyes1 etc4 ,the body should be enclosed in a plain wooden coffin2 or1 what is preferable1 in a coffin made of sheet zinc4 ,the cost of incineration is #be4 ,the condition1 financial and otherwise1 of the society is excellent4 ,mr4 ,h4 ,c4 ,brubaker started the subscription shortly after ,dr4 ,gross's demise1 and succeeded in getting some #ej subscribers before organization4 ,the society now numbers about #hj members1 of the best thinking element in the community1 male and female4 ,so far1 #ea cremations have taken place in the ,lancaster furnace1 every one of them to the entire satisfaction of all concerned4 ,recently a second furnace was put in the ,lancaster crematorium2 and some important improvements were made by ,dr4 ,davis in the process which was invented by him4 ,a single feature of the earlier incinerations seemed out of harmony with the character of the occasion--it was necessary to force the receptacle with the body into the retort by direct pressure4 ,this was sought to be remedied by drawing it in by a wire cable2 but the latter proving unreliable1 the body1 enclosed in the alum-saturated cloth1 is now laid in a cradle consisting of a steel frame covered with asbestos and fire-clay1 which is suspended from an extension arm1 operated by a quick-thread screw extending lengthwise of the catafalque1 by which the cradle is placed silently in the retort and the arm withdrawn4 ,the incineration being completed1 by reversing the process the cradle with the ashes is extracted intact and allowed to cool4 ,it is to be remembered that these ,lancaster people had almost everything to learn4 ,dr4 ,le ,moyne1 of glorious memory1 had devoted his labors to teaching the principle by precept and example2 his method was necessarily primitive and crude4 ,lancaster added the required art1 gave the principle an adequate process1 and sent forth the body of truth suitably clothed4 ,the record of their first cremation was published1 with all sorts of comment1 in every live paper of the land2 and the impetus then given to the cause of reform1 while it cannot be fully estimated1 is plainly seen in the wonderful development of correct thought and sentiment on this subject which immediately followed4 ,in the list of persons cremated at ,lancaster1 the ,german element largely predominates2 and practically the whole list is made up of residents in cities--showing that the centers of culture are also the nuclei of advanced thought on this question4 ,nor is this crematorium altogether without honor in its own country4 ,one of the prominent members of the society 7,george ,brubaker1 ,esq47 dying since its establishment1 was incinerated2 also ,ex-,mayor ,christian ,kieffer1 of ,lancaster1 and both parents of ,mrs4 ,h4 ,c4 ,brubaker4 ,the society is extremely fortunate in its personnel2 from its president1 a leading lawyer1 its vice-presidents1 in the front rank of medicine and divinity2 its directors1 active men in all walks of life1 the high school principal1 leading journalists1 bankers1 managers of large business enterprises1 the medical profession largely represented in the rank and file of its #hj members--its position in the community is assured1 and its radical doctrine finds the most solid of 8backing40 ,the cremation society of ,new ,orleans1 ,la41 was organized and incorporated on the #adth of ,february1 #ahhd4 ,it was established mainly through the efforts of ,dr4 ,felix ,formento4 ,it was founded to ascertain and demonstrate1 by scientific research and investigation1 the importance and necessity of incineration to society as the best method of disposing of the bodies of the dead2 and in pursuance thereof to make known to the people the dangers to public health resulting from the mode of burial generally practiced all over the country1 more particularly the special dangers to a city like ,new ,orleans1 from the peculiar method followed there2 to demonstrate the advantage of cremation over all other modes of disposing of the dead1 in a sanitary1 social1 and economical point of view2 to remove all prejudices which there may be against the introduction of cremation in the ,crescent ,city1 and to prove that cremation can be practiced without in the least wounding religious sentiment or susceptibilities2 to obtain information in regard to the different methods2 to obtain1 if necessary1 proper legislative enactments on the subject of incineration1 providing for the disposal of bodies1 especially those whose death resulted from contagious or infectious diseases1 and especially in small-pox hospitals and other public institutions2 to procure necessary funds for the erection of a crematorium in the city of ,new ,orleans1 and for its management under proper sanitary regulations4 ,i regret to say that this society is no longer in existence4 ,it went to the dogs on account of the apathy of the people of ,new ,orleans4 ,it started out with good prospects of success2 a square of ground was even bought near the city1 and it was thought that a furnace for the burning of the dead would be built without delay4 ,but gradually the interest in cremation lessened in the ,crescent ,city and1 in consequence1 the society went into liquidation4 ,at ,st4 ,louis1 ,mo41 the propaganda in favor of cremation was carried on for years by ,dr4 ,luedeking1 who died1 and was reduced to ashes in the ,lancaster crematory4 ,thereupon the robes of an agitator for incineration were donned by ,mr4 ,oscar ,hoefer of the ,westliche ,post1 an influential ,german journal1 and ,rev4 ,jonas1 both of whom kept the interest in cremation alive by delivering lectures on the subject and by contributing articles to the daily press4 ,the ,missouri ,crematory ,association was organized in the early part of #ahhe for the purpose of providing and establishing in the city of ,st4 ,louis1 a suitable building and other facilities for the cremation of the dead1 and for the proper preservation of their ashes in a columbarium4 ,the capital stock is #be1jjj1 divided into #ajjj shares of #be each1 ten per cent of which amount must be deposited by the subscriber immediately upon signing4 ,non-residents may become members of the association1 and1 for the purpose of cremation1 the bodies not only from this city or state1 but also from other states and locations may be received4 ,from the beginning the association encountered a great deal of opposition4 ,this was so strong that once the advisability of disbanding was seriously discussed4 ,all agreeing1 however1 that it was too great a pity to abandon a project1 for the execution of which there was enough capital on hand1 concluded not to disorganize and to make more strenuous efforts to overcome the prejudice prevailing in the city council and among the citizens4 ,this proved to be temporary1 for a bill1 prohibiting cremation within the city limits1 was repealed recently by both houses of the city council of ,st4 ,louis1 and only awaits the signature of the mayor to become a law4 ,the association bought no less than three lots4 ,with the last one1 not very desirable in location1 they are at length gaining success4 ,when they had bought the first lot1 the building commission issued a building permit to them1 for which they had to pay #e4 ,after this1 however1 the municipal council enacted a law forbidding them to make use of that very permit1 by prohibiting cremation4 ,and the #e were never returned to them4 ,the association is in a prosperous condition1 and will proceed at once1 as soon as the present obstacles are removed1 to carry out the objects for which it was founded4 ,the ,first ,cremation ,society of ,san ,francisco was incorporated on the #agth of ,february1 #ahhb1 with #ec members4 ,the directors of this society are3 ,e4 ,d4 ,wheeler1 president2 ,s4 ,heydenfelt1 ,jr41 vice-president2 ,e4 ,a4 ,denicke1 treasurer2 ,max ,levy1 recording secretary2 ,george ,e4 ,voelkel1 corresponding secretary2 ,h4 ,a4 ,cobb1 ,j4 ,bayer1 ,m4,d41 ,f4 ,schuenemann-,pott1 ,dr4 ,wozencroft4 ,the law of the state of ,california provides only for the disposal of the dead by burial2 therefore the society is now making the greatest efforts to induce the legislature to enact a law authorizing cremation1 leaving the people free to choose as to the disposal of their dead between the two methods4 ,at the last annual meeting of the society1 the secretary stated that the society now numbers #aac members1 of which six are ladies4 ,one of the original members died1 another left the society1 which makes an increase in membership of #fb persons4 ,the ,san ,francisco ,cremation ,company was incorporated on the #ajth of ,september1 #ahhe1 with #aag stockholders1 representing #bad shares at #ej4 ,the capital stock is #be1jjj1 divided into #ejj shares of #ej each4 ,the object of the company is to erect a suitable crematorium for the immense population of the great city at the ,golden ,gate4 ,a lot has been purchased1 and a crematorium will be erected capable of incinerating #dj bodies a day4 ,the officers of this company are3 ,judge ,e4 ,d4 ,wheeler1 president2 ,s4 ,henderfelt1 ,jr41 vice-president2 ,max ,levy1 temporary treasurer and recording secretary2 ,george ,e4 ,voelkel1 corresponding secretary2 ,c4 ,w4 ,banks1 ,general ,cobb1 ,e4 ,o4 ,denicke1 ,w4 ,t4 ,trelan1 ,jr4 ,a cremation company was organized at ,los ,angeles1 ,cal41 in the early part of ,september1 #ahhe1 with #aeb members1 of which #ab are ladies4 ,this company intends to build a crematorium as soon as #fjjj have been subscribed4 ,cremation companies were also recently founded at ,sacramento and ,stockton1 ,cal4 ,the ,davenport 7,iowa7 ,cremation ,society was formed on the #agth of ,february1 #ahhe1 and is still in existence4 ,it counts about #abj members4 ,it was founded to 8enlighten the people on the subject of cremation40 ,the annual dues are #a4 ,the ,northwestern ,cremation ,society of ,davenport may be regarded as an offspring of the above4 ,at a meeting held in ,april1 #ahhe1 a committee was appointed to obtain subscriptions for the purpose of building a crematorium4 ,the committee reported ,may #f that #ajj shares1 at #be a share1 had been subscribed4 ,at this meeting a committee was instructed to draft articles of incorporation1 to be acted upon at a future meeting2 and another committee was appointed to ascertain the cost of cremation furnaces4 ,the committee reported on ,june #cj2 and the stockholders then proceeded to elect the directors of the organization4 ,on the #c;d of ,july1 the board of directors elected the officers3 ,h4 ,h4 ,andresen1 president2 ,c4 ,stoltenberg1 vice-president2 ,f4 ,g4 ,clausen1 secretary2 ,f4 ,t4 ,blunck1 treasurer4 ,the capital stock of this company is #be1jjj1 divided into #ajjj shares of #be each4 ,the stock is payable at such time or times as the board of directors may determine4 ,four thousand three hundred and fifty dollars have already been subscribed4 ,a committee has been appointed to purchase a lot1 and the crematorium will probably be erected in the course of this year4 ,in the spring of #ahhe1 several citizens of ,san ,antonio1 ,tex41 circulated a list which read as follows3-- 8,we1 the undersigned1 believing cremation the proper1 most healthful1 and most satisfactory method of disposing of our dead1 do therefore sign our names hereto1 with the expectation of forming ourselves into a society1 the immediate object of which will be the erection of a crematorium in this city40 ,this circular was signed by #ie persons1 ladies as well as gentlemen4 ,a meeting was then called4 ,at this gathering1 three committees were appointed3 one to obtain a charter1 one to prepare the constitution and by-laws1 and one1 finally1 to get subscriptions4 ,the latter made the round of the city with the following agreement3-- 8,we1 the undersigned1 do hereby agree to become members of the cremation society now being formed in ,san ,antonio1 ,bexar ,county1 ,tex4 ,each of the undersigned hereby agrees to pay #ej cents down1 as a contribution to the fund for defraying the preliminary expense in forming the society40 ,this list was signed by #ajg persons of both sexes1 and #ec were collected to pay for printing1 etc4 ,after this1 another meeting was called in the latter part of ,may1 and the company organized permanently4 ,the organization is called the 8,san ,antonio ,cremation ,company10 and has the following officers3 ,e4 ,b4 ,hadra1 ,m4,d41 president2 ,m4 ,f4 ,corbett1 vice-president2 ,f4 ,groos1 banker1 treasurer2 ,a4 ,maverick1 secretary4 ,the company was incorporated on the #ahth of ,june1 #ahhe4 ,the amount of the capital stock of this corporation is #ej1jjj1 divided into #ejjj shares1 of the par value each of #aj4 ,so far1 #adhj have been subscribed by #fj shareholders4 ,an acre of land was donated to the company by ,mr4 ,a4 ,maverick4 ,it lies east of the city1 on a hill1 in the neighborhood of the cemeteries2 but the property lies east of them1 so that the east and southeast trade winds1 which blow in ,san ,antonio during the summer1 reach the place first1 and1 consequently1 do not fetch any bad odor from the graveyards4 ,the grounds will be beautifully laid out and planted with trees and shrubs in the near future4 ,the view from this site is very fine4 ,toward the north may be seen the government depot1 with all its stately buildings1 about two miles off2 toward the east and southeast is visible a beautiful valley terminated in the distance by the picturesque blue mountains4 ,in the beginning the company was opposed by a ,baptist preacher1 who was soon silenced by the following declaration in one of the daily newspapers3-- 8,i have no doubt but that my good old ,christian friend is in this world for doing good2 but1 by opposing cremation1 he not only does harm to us all as long as he lives1 but continues to injure us after he is dead and buried10 etc4 ,the cremation movement in the state of ,michigan was begun by the author of this volume immediately after he returned from the incineration of his mother4 ,by repeated newspaper articles ,i continued to awaken a lively interest in the reform at ,detroit1 and was supported in my undertaking by all the leading newspapers of the city2 even a publication only a few days old declaring in favor of cremation4 ,none but the purely religious journals opposed the scheme4 ,on the #gth of ,august1 #ahhe1 a meeting was held at a public hall in the ,city of the ,straits1 for the purpose of discussing the question of cremation and of forming a cremation society4 ,the meeting was well attended1 nearly #ajj persons being present4 ,dr4 ,j4 ,h4 ,carstens was chosen chairman1 and ,dr4 ,h4 ,erichsen as secretary4 ,the meeting was opened by ,dr4 ,j4 ,h4 ,carstens4 ,two plans1 he said1 had been proposed for the consideration of cremationists2 one of these was the building of a crematory1 the other1 the formation of a society1 each member of which would pledge himself to provide for the incineration of his body4 ,i then made the address of the evening1 giving the main arguments for incineration as opposed to earth-burial4 ,my statements were followed by remarks of a similar nature1 made by several of the gentlemen present4 ,a motion was then made by ,dr4 ,j4 ,e4 ,emerson1 a prominent physician1 that the chairman appoint a committee of three to prepare a constitution and by-laws for the organization of a cremation society in ,detroit2 and three gentlemen were appointed as such committee4 ,the following agreement was thereupon prepared1 and received #bg signatures3-- 8,we1 the undersigned1 do hereby unite ourselves into an association for the purpose of providing facilities for carrying cremation into operation40 ,then the meeting adjourned1 subject to the call of the committee4 ,the entire time of the committee was taken up by the formation of a stock company1 which proposes the erection of a crematory4 ,influenced by flattering prospects1 the promoters of the project had prepared by ,messrs4 ,spiers and ,rohns1 architects1 plans for a handsome crematorium4 ,the chart shows three divisions1 viz43 the exterior of the building1 the main floor1 and the basement4 ,illustration3 ,,crematorium ,,at ,,lancaster1 ,,pa4 7,exterior ,view47 ,the exterior view shows a handsome ,romanesque structure of one story and a basement4 ,the main height is #af feet1 which rises in four gables on the sides4 ,a dome1 #ce feet in circumference1 attains a height of #fe feet4 ,the drawing of the first floor shows an auditorium of octagon form4 ,back of the two rear niches are dressing-rooms for clergymen4 ,two handsome altars on which to hold religious services will front from these niches4 ,two rooms in the lower end of the building1 on either side of the approach1 are reserved for toilet rooms1 one for ladies1 and the other for gentlemen4 ,in the center of the upper end of the auditorium is placed a catafalque1 resting on an elevator4 ,after a body has been properly prepared1 it will be placed on this catafalque4 ,when the religious services are concluded1 the body will be lowered to the basement1 and the opening in the floor closed with a slide trap4 ,the plan of the basement shows the same divisions as are made on the main floor4 ,on the left-hand side is a retiring-room4 ,the front is divided into four rooms4 ,an ice cellar1 a frigidarium1 which is calculated as a place in which to preserve bodies for several days2 a calidarium1 a heated room in which bodies can be placed for several days1 to insure against cremation while in a state of trance2 and a drug room1 where restoratives will be kept4 ,the right-hand wing is designed for a preparing room1 from which the body is taken directly to one of the furnaces4 ,the furnaces1 of which there will be two1 are not yet definitely designed4 ,it is supposed1 however1 that they will be after the plan of the apparatuses at ,lancaster1 in ,pennsylvania4 ,in the rear of the building it is proposed to build an addition1 in the form of a three-quarter circle1 which will be styled the columbarium4 ,on the inside this will be divided by three corridors1 and the walls divided into compartments for containing urns4 ,there will be room in this limited space of #dj #cj feet1 it is estimated1 for holding the remains of #hjjj bodies4 ,the building is designed to be built of ,ionia red sandstone4 ,two immense flue chimneys1 one for ventilation1 the other for the furnaces1 rising to a height of #ge feet1 will give character to the building4 ,the front will be set off with a handsome porch supported by ,roman pillars and approached by a half-circle road-bed1 over which the hearse and carriages can drive up to the main entrance4 ,the ,michigan ,cremation ,association was organized at ,detroit on the #cast of ,march1 #ahhf4 ,dr4 ,h4 ,erichsen was chosen temporary chairman1 and ,mr4 ,a4 ,n4 ,low secretary of the meeting4 ,the documents of incorporation were signed4 ,on motion of ,dr4 ,j4 ,h4 ,carstens1 a board of directors was elected4 ,at the close of the meeting the directors met1 and elected the following officers3 ,president1 ,james ,f4 ,noyes1 ,m4,d42 vice-president1 ,hugo ,erichsen1 ,m4,d42 secretary1 ,mr4 ,a4 ,n4 ,low2 treasurer1 ,mr4 ,m4 ,w4 ,field4 ,the treasurer furnished a #aj1jjj bond1 as required by the original agreement4 ,the subject of cremation was first agitated at ,baltimore1 ,md41 in the winter of #ahhd1 by ,dr4 ,g4 ,w4 ,lehmann and ,mr4 ,j4 ,r4 ,rennous1 who were also the originators of the cremation company in that city4 ,in #ahhd1 two public meetings were held2 but they were poorly attended1 and the prospects gloomy in the extreme4 ,but the two advocates of incineration worked steadily on until their efforts were crowned with success4 ,the ,cremation ,cemetery ,company of ,baltimore ,city was incorporated on the #cjth of ,march1 #ahhe1 with a capital stock of #ae1jjj1 divided into #fjj shares of the par value of #be per share4 ,at a meeting of the stockholders the following officers were elected3 ,b4 ,f4 ,horwitz1 president2 ,j4 ,r4 ,rennous1 secretary2 ,j4 ,w4 ,middendorf1 treasurer4 ,the founders of the organization were obliged to call it 8,cremation ,cemetery ,co410 to comply with the general laws of ,maryland in obtaining the charter4 #ijjj worth of stock has already been taken up1 and the company expects to make such headway that it will be able to build soon4 ,when the ,la ,crosse 7,wisconsin7 ,cremation ,society was founded in the middle of ,october1 #ahhe1 with ,mr4 ,john ,pamperin as president1 it resolved upon a full investigation of the subject of incineration and appointed a committee to get reports from other societies4 ,this committee having performed its work1 a meeting of the committee was held at the residence of ,mr4 ,gustav ,carl1 and these reports read1 arranged1 and discussed4 ,the report from ,detroit was particularly exhaustive4 ,davenport also furnished a report4 ,the cremation society there had sent a representative to ,lancaster1 ,pa41 who had examined the cremation furnace there and had prepared a report1 of which ,la ,crosse was given the benefit4 ,the result of the conference was that a resolution was adopted calling for a meeting of stockholders at an early date for permanent organization4 ,the ,la ,crosse ,cremation ,association filed articles of incorporation with the secretary of state on the #bfth of ,november1 #ahhe4 ,the purpose of the association is to dispose of human bodies after death1 by cremation1 and it shall continue its business for #bj years1 unless the holders of two-thirds of the stock consent to the dissolution of the association4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,pamperin is the president1 ,mr4 ,g4 ,carl1 secretary1 and ,mr4 ,j4 ,ulrich the treasurer of the association4 ,a person wishing to become a member of this association may subscribe for one or more shares of #be each 7not exceeding #ej shares7 of the capital stock of the association1 which is limited to #hjjj4 ,the shares so subscribed shall be paid in instalments4 ,the first instalment must be paid at the time of subscription1 and the balance in instalments1 as called for by the directors1 within one year thereafter2 but none shall be called for until three months after the other4 ,if any of the subscribers should die before the projected crematorium has been erected1 and the deceased should have expressed a wish to have his body cremated1 and provision is made by him or his family for the expenses incident thereto1 the officers of the society shall see that his will in this respect be carried out at the nearest convenient crematory4 ,the ,kentucky ,cremation ,society1 at ,louisville1 which was organized in the fall of #ahhf1 has been steadily growing1 and now counts about #gj members4 ,the subscribed capital is sufficient to buy a lot and commence building1 and the society therefore hopes to have a crematory ready during next year4 ,a license was issued on ,jan4 #b1 #ahhf1 to ,william ,christian1 of the ,chicago ,tribune1 ,elmer ,atkinson1 a lawyer1 and ,david ,hamilton1 a real estate dealer1 to build a crematory for the incineration of human bodies1 near ,chicago1 ,illinois4 ,the capital of the company which they have organized1 and which is called the 8,chicago and ,cook ,county ,cremation ,company10 is #dj1jjj4 ,on ,april #f1 #ahhf1 ,dr4 ,o4 ,w4 ,carlson read a paper advocating cremation1 before the ,academy of ,medicine1 at ,milwaukee1 ,wis4 ,at the close of the address the subject was discussed at some length by those present1 and some very interesting facts were brought out4 ,a proposition was made that the ,academy of ,medicine found a cremation society at ,milwaukee1 and1 though no action in the matter was taken at the time1 it is probable that steps will be taken by the members with that object in view4 ,lately a cremation society was organized at ,milwaukee1 that has already secured a desirable site upon a local cemetery1 and intends to erect a crematorium as soon as the necessary funds are obtained4 ,it is proposed to build a crematory at ,toronto1 ,canada4 ,the pastors of the leading churches1 upon being interviewed1 almost unanimously expressed their opposition to cremation4 ,the newspapers state that a crematory will be erected at ,atlanta1 ,ga4 ,this volume would not be complete without the mention of the ,modern ,crematist1 a monthly journal devoted to the interests of incineration1 and published by ,dr4 ,m4 ,l4 ,davis of ,lancaster1 ,pa4 ,the ,neue ,flamme1 a worthy ,german contemporary1 is published at ,berlin4 ,my native country was always eager to embrace deserving reforms2 there is no reason why it should not adopt the superior system of incineration4 ,nay1 ,i think it will become the standard-bearer of this sanitary reformation1 and march in the avant-guard of this signal progress4 ,the subject of incineration is already awakening much interest among us1 as is evinced by a recent sermon of that eminent ,new ,york divine1 ,rev4 ,heber ,newton1 who spoke strongly in favor of the substitution of cremation for sepulture4 ,he said the mode of disposing of the dead human body was only a form1 and that mode was best which was best for the living4 ,in ,england1 only a few years ago1 a dignitary of the national church dared to assert that cremation endangered the belief in the life to come4 ,he knew1 or ought to have known1 that the same process of combustion is surely carried on1 whether in the ground or in the crematory1 and that if dissolution of the body imperiled the true doctrine of resurrection1 then that doctrine was long ago hopelessly lost4 ,these words from the lips of a famous ,american preacher are certainly proof that the antagonism of the clergy to cremation is waning4 ,there are other signs of approaching day4 ,i refer to the constant discussion of incineration in the columns of the daily press1 and to the fact that cremation was lately brought to the attention of the ,american ,medical ,association1 while it met at ,st4 ,louis1 ,mo41 on the #fth of ,may4 ,the report of a special committee1 appointed the year before1 was read by its chairman1 ,dr4 ,j4 ,m4 ,keller1 of ,arkansas4 ,the committee moved to amend the original resolution so as to read3-- ,resolved1 ,that cremation or incineration of the dead has become a sanitary necessity in populous cities1 and that the ,association advises its adoption4 ,the ,association adopted the amendment by a vote of #aei to #ajf4 ,cremation was also endorsed by the ,american ,public ,health ,association at its last meeting4 ,i rejoice at the thought that most writers on the momentous subject of incineration were medical men4 ,who1 indeed1 would be better qualified for such a task than the man who may daily witness the pernicious effect which the dead exercise over the living4 ,those who are friends of the reform should come out openly in its favor4 ,crematists who are on the fence1 or who1 perhaps1 hide back of it1 might just as well keep out of the combat between cremation and interment altogether2 we have no use for them4 ,if you believe in cremation1 candidly say so1 and tell your friends why you believe in it4 ,moral cowards do a just cause more harm than good4 ,those who have tried to propagate the idea of cremation in an underhand way have invariably failed2 the public must be brought face to face with the question3 cremation or burial8 ,to spread the reform in this country1 ,i hope to see1 before long1 the birth of an ,american cremation association1 to be composed of delegates from the various cremation societies of the ,united ,states4 ,there is already a sufficient number of societies for the formation of a vigorous organization of the kind1 that would undoubtedly aid greatly the progress of the reform4 ,this1 then1 finishes what ,i had to say about a hygienic reform that will be the leading one in the latter part of the nineteenth century4 ,there will be a long and warm controversy before the people will generally abandon a custom of such antiquity as earth-burial2 but cremation will supersede it in the end4 ,the present style of burial does not do any one any good4 ,on the contrary1 it destroys hundreds1 perhaps thousands1 of lives every year4 ,a good many deaths due to graveyard gases or water contamination by cemetery effluvia escape observation1 since the real cause of the decease is seldom suspected4 ,incineration1 however1 does nobody any harm1 and is in accord with the humane and progressive spirit of the age4 ,disadvantages it has none2 and with the many arguments in its favor1 it cannot fail to come out of the battle between torch and spade victorious in every respect4 ,moreover1 it has the generous support of the scientists1 physicians1 and sanitarians of the times1 which alone assures success4 ,i close this volume with a prediction which will soon be realized1 namely1 that cremation will make more progress in the ,united ,states than in any other country of the world4 ,indeed1 the progression will be so rapid that old ,europe will open its eyes wide in blank astonishment1 and wonder how it is possible4 ,when we ,americans once perceive the advantages and superiority of a reformation1 we do not hesitate long to adopt it2 and the time will come when incineration will be customary in the ,union1 and interment obsolete4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,transcriber',s ,,notes #a4 ,changed #8during' to #8during their' on p4 #age4 #b4 ,silently corrected typographical errors4 #c4 ,retained anachronistic and non-standard spellings as printed4 #d4 ,enclosed italics font in underscores4 #e4 ,subscripts are denoted by an underscore before a series of subscripted characters enclosed in curly braces1 e4g4 ,h#b,o4