Tri-weekly phoenix. [volume] ([Columbia, S.C.]) 1865-1875, 1872-05-02
LBY COLUMBIA IS. c. THJRSDAY MORNING. NAY 1870

b1 y. A. SELB 7.
Down AMONG THE DEAp.-The New
York World, of the 21st, treats of a sub
Jeot, editorially, which is interesting to
all men and everywhere. The World
says: "How to dispose of the dead is o
question concerning which sanitarians
and sentimentalists are at swords points.
snd as population increasingly aggre-
gates at certain centres, the discussion
between the conflicting parties acquires
additional importance. The village
churoh-yard, distant from the habita-
tlons OF the living, with it's dozen or 80
OF hower-bearing graves, is q very differ
ent thing from the city cemetery, with
lts hundred masoned vaults, in each of
which are shelved the coffins of two or
three generations, and medical authori-
Ties are unanimous in insisting that tho
latter. at ali events. if not the former.
must be suppressed. But how? we
MUST have conseorated ground for Ohris.
tan burial, says the churchman. we
mnet show our reverence for the depart.
ed. adds the strict follower of the fifth
commandment. Every family of any
responsibility must have its family vault
chimes in the patrician. But YOU
mustn't put number cf dead bodies to-
gether to poison an entire neiehbor-
hood, retorts the sanitarian. 'Senti-
ment-begins blooming widow. Sui
phuretted hydrogen gas. interrupts the
doctor.
ut cannot be denied that our present
method Of interment is not only detri-
mental to health but wasteful, inasmuch
as it prevents the useful completion of
natures circle wherein decomposinp or.
ganic matter is utilized for the fertilizn-
tlon OF the soil and the maintenance of
new life. The system of incremation-
return to which is advocated by Prof.
Hammond-would be almost as wasteful,
because, although no particle of matter
ls really destroyed, and the vaporized
products OF combustion would ultimately
enter into new organic combinations, yet
large number of persons would proba-
bly lnslst upon carrying out the ancient
custom In all its details and preserving
their deceased relatives ashes (which
would contain important salts) in orna-
mental nrns, thus defrauding the vege-
table kingdom of it's rightful due.
"A plan satisfying oil the conditions of
the problem has been once before sug-
gested IN these columns, consisting in
the simple expedient of abolishing
ooHns. and declaring that all interments
should he made in arable soil-fxing by
law, of course, the maximum numb Or of
funerals to be allowed to III acre. In
this way MANS ordained return to dust
would be assured, and in luxuriant crops
the resurrection of the body would be
literally verified. The disnfecting pro-
perties of earth, which now are resisted
by the interposition of collins, would
then suffice to protect the public health.
fhens too. sentiment: as VOL as n sense
OF the eternal fitness of things, might
be consulted in the selection Of appro-
pirate garden-beds 10 commemorate
special traits OF character. Husband
and wife might repose together beneath
the roots OF prickly pear apt type of
their earthly union; the pastors sermons
might be recalled to the memory of his
flock by stately growth of the SOM
niferons poppy; the lawyer might
posthumously flourish in the barberry,
while his client might be typi!ied in
ragged robin; the boarding. house
keepers dryad would find n continual
abode in 'ash; and 30 on throughout O
wide botanical range of similitudes. Or
eepecial notifications of vegetation might
be induced by experimental horticul-
turists familiar with the mould of human
nature and of garden. not surprising the
liquor dealers of the West fear for their
profits while the novelty of the new law
lasts"
---&~-S--