The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1843-12-05
Miscellaneous,
London Church Yards,

We recently read some sage calculations Of the Nil
eritc literat showing that the earth would be
ed in every inch with population sereral miles deer
if the Millennium shoud be postponed to the period
usually assigned. But never did we dream there
was so much foundation for such argument, till
read an article in the Westminster Review upon
interment in English cities. The Reviewer well re-
marks, that while we shudder the studied cruelty
of the ancient tyrants, who were accustomed to des
patch criminals by binding the doomed wretch to a
corpse, leaving the living to perish from the eShaIa-
tons Of the dead the same mode of determination
still exists and ourishes to an infinitely greater ex-
tent, only in modified form; The eGiuria of The ciiy
church CARDS performing the office of the chained
body. In most of tie countries of Europe, inter-
ment in towns has long since been interdicted; while
in England, the numbers which are continually
dying in the crowded cities, are only half buried in
the centre of population.
y few scientific men having impressed Parliament
with the necessity of nquirng into the effect
ing the health Of towns and cities, committee was
appointed, which commenced the investigation by Ia
king evidence upon the burial system as a predoml-
mating evil. Some Of the facts brought to light were
follows:
The undertaken or sexton, of the Baptist church in
Bunhil Fields, London, stated that the plan on which
the grave dug and opened was in accordance
with that generally observed throughout London; the
opening, public grave thirty feet deep the first
corpse inferred is succeeded by another and then by
another still, up to sixteen eighteen; and that no
might be lost, all the vacant space between the
coffin boards are filled up with the smaller collins of
children. When the grave is crammed full as
can be, that the uppermost coffin is within two feet
ofthe surface, is banked up, covered, ard that
piece Of ground is considered occupied. one af-
ternoon he had alone buried twenty persons in
this way.
Sometimes this grave death hole is left open for
fortnight covered only with loose planks, till it
is full 1t is then covered with earth, to be opened
again at the end ola year, when the dead are to be
disturbed, in order to give place to occupants
The heat and stencil accumulated in these deep
graves such, that old grave diggers often
drawn up overpowered by the effiuva.
Interment is also practiced under churches. In
one instance, the cellar below the chapel was used
as burying ground, the corpses having no covering
but the collins, and nothing separating the living
gregaton above from the dead below, but the thin
boards between, which often had openings, owingt
the shrinking. The depth of the cellar was six feet;
and twelve thousand bodies had been buried there
When it got too full, some removed TO make
room for others; the remains were all shovelied to-
geiher, and the collins used for fire wood, by the
washerwoman, under the copper. The smell in the
chapel above nolerable, and insects and flies by
hundreds, flew about the house and in the faces of
the congregation, which proceeded from the dead
bodies beneath.
The irreverence with which dead bodies treat
ed by the grave diggers, is horrible. One witness
testified that he had seen a grave digger take
spade, and chop the head from the body, that he
might succeed in taking it from the grave! This is
done at the nstsaton of the propretors of the yard
before the body is deeomposed, in order keep room
in the buryng ground, and make profit from the