The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1873-05-29
IDAHO WORLD.
GcHEmrc6L INFORMATION.

5E01 4 CHEMICAL 1NcREMAT1oN. s
r LATEST ENGLISH REFORM, WHICH PROPOSES ~
ABOLISH BuR1ALs.
The latest sensational reform started
in ENGLAND is in the shape of PROPOSE
ton Is submit the bodies of the dead to
+hA action of chemicals that will dlssl-
pate or destroy them, and gathering
the ashes into urns, and deposit them
in inches built in the churches, or in
memorial vaults erected for the purpose
Rev. Charles vosey, an eminent clergy
man, comes out strongly in favor OF this
new plan. In q letter to the lnder, un-
der date of March l4th, he uses the
following arguments bearing on the
subject
From my past experience Of human
kind | feel convinced that it is much
more difficult to, effect o; change in the
social customs than IN their ethics In
every country the births, marriages and
deaths are attended by certain social
rites which are more imperious than
any demands of conscience, and it would
be easier far, to relax or tighten the re-
straints of morality than to alter one
of these social ceremonies. | half ex-
pect then that for every one whom |
may have startled by my last letter,
there will be score to be Mortified by
what l am going to say in this.
i wish to reyolutionize eur funeral
rites. l want to abolish the burial of
the dead, and the wearing of mourning.
If the reader should lose his breath
here, let me pause for moment and
tell him that my object originates in
pure pity. l desire to relieve mankind
of a great and needless burden; to re-
move some ef the greatest aggrava-
tons to which we have foolishly sub
mitted, in times of our deepest grief,
and to institute customs which will be
an unspeakable relief to the poor. My
objections to the present system OF IN
torment with its distressing parapher-
MALTA of undertakerism are as follows:
The first and least important objec-
tion-is that IL is need}essE expensive
and an undoubted hardship on the poor.
Second, that it is sooner or later a great
SOURCE of injsry to theppubiic health.
Third, that our cemeteries occupy a
vast amount Of space which could be
more proftably filled. Fourth, and this
reckon to be the chief Of all other OBJ
jections, it is a needless and cruel ag-
gravation of our physical and mental
pain in bereavement, to- witness the
process Of 'ihterment. 2s---H~
There may be some persons whose
feelings are cnot narrowed by this
sight; but l can speak for myself and
for thousands Of persons with equally
sensitive nerves and strong magma
ton that it lis positive, torture to wit
ness the burial of very near and dear
relative. The outward form which we
baxe- loved and caressed we put in a
coffin, close fitting to the outline Of a
human body, "a coffin is in itself mel
ancholy object, quite apart from its as
sociates); and this gloomy case con-
tanning our beloved dead we follow to
the dark vault 5or deep grave, into
which it is lowered amid choking sobs
and a dead weight at our hearts. We
leave the loved object at the bottom of
a cold, dark pit, in which we picture to
ourselves, for months and years after
ward, the foul and revoltIng process
Of chemical decay, being positively
scourged by this revolving picture.
=, tits bad enough to lose our friends
and miss them day by day; but it is q
monstrous aggrayation of our physical
pain in losing, them, to be tortured by
such visions, such memories.
Now. what would propose is this:
AS soon as death is perfectly assured
after such an interval as would render
1H&asG bte hr . nedicaI mar q doubt
TIT @&kaGz 1fsed-the bpd yehould
bS AemsAy aS9hoyed. II should Be
placed in, some receptacle containing
those powerful agents known to chem
zeal science, which, would simply anni-
Hilate+the outward form, and practically
destroyit. There would necessarily be
some deposit, which one might call
"ashes" of the dead; and these might
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