New-York tribune., 1874-05-18
RTRNING OR BURIAL.


MRS. swIssIEIM's REVIEW OF THE QUEsTIoN-THE
WELFARE OF TIE LIVING The FIRST CoNsID
ERAuON-BENEFITs THAT MIGHT RESULT FROM
CREMATION.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
SIR: In common probably with vast ma
jorty OF your readers l read with feeling akin TO
horror the proposition made by your correspondents TO
burn the bodies Of the dead and even the reason gven
the preservation Of the health OF the living, could not
take away the instructive rcpugnance. But time has
passed; I have carefully read the arguments Of the
opponents Of cremation, and have been slowly ana
forcbly impressed with their exact similarity to those
which every proposed step forward In the advance
of civilization, tnat conclude this movement must be
in that direction or that it, at least demands serious
consideration. When men turn and treat subject
they profess TO hold sacred with very light wit and very
low puns there is TO be something wrong. When
they meet scientific statements with unreasoning ap-
meals 10 religious convictions, there Is dark corner
which shuns light When facts and statistics are met
with n gufaw, the case calls for attention, and the
right is sure the side OF the facts and statistics
The argument in favor OF cremation IL, briefly, that
by burial we poison the air and water essential TO the
living To meet this it is proposed to place all cemete
ries at distance from cities but this does not reach the
case Grant once that body buried in the usual way,
exhaes noIious gases which reacn the surface anu
mngle with the atmosphere, that the deeayng matter
penetraes the earth and finds Its way into the streams
and the case is given up unless have absolute deserts
of not less Than 100 miles square. the center OF when
could be used for the purposes or sepuure' ohce MA
miasma with the air, and you have given IL the wings
of the wind 1t might be dispersed so as to become III
noxious in journey Of fifty miles, and II might not
Place poisonous substance in one OF the supteaesn
threads which feed springs and does any one know
how far IL Will travel and retain its deleterous proper
ties Have city populations right to poison the air
and the springs OF country places Grant the premises
Of the advocates OF cremation, and their con-
clusion Is inevitable; but are their premises
correct and would not cremation posion the
air much -more than burial that We would
haye little. any, cause for eongratulaon on create,
prrity OF wateri Nay, would not the gases 'hus
up into atmosphere return In rain TO poison @ tne
streams much IN OF buriaf Is not this re"iy
the only question: ...,,o,
OF doubt and whatever disposition OF the dead is most
consistent with welfare must be the right ana u
in which the chrysas shall be returned 10 .o
earth whence il came The opposition raised ny our
religious convictions about the resurrection wouiu % o1
as easily other Whatever the facts OF the resur
may be- is altogether passive God mas not not
bounds OF possibility that can thwart HIS plan;
He wants germ in the bodies He has given " he
out Of which to construct immortal habtatlOs LOT oua
immortal spirits He can take u as well OUT QI M inc n
buson OF forty minutes duration as In that OF ioIV
years. The decay in the grave Is but poaeteu
ing, and when we come 70 DIVES, Iur'e,,Ss ,n looS
at the though both modes were pre-, pre-,
| sented 10 our thought for the first ume the most
| rapid mode Of decomposition Ia the least repuislNe
With what revulson turn away from the idea OF to
change know To De taking place Ia the forms we nav
hidden from sight under vail OF grass and nOwers
Some Of the dreadful memories OF my HE hre VI
| dead bodies that unable 10 have Eemoved iiom
the presence OF the suffering ana the living! Sothhs
20 shocks us as one Of these clay tenements wheh w,
occupant has left IL 10 the dust OF the earth whence
laken and there good reasons founded on our
love respect for the dead why should not use any
OF natures agencies 10 hasten is transformation INTO
| the original elements. There Is an objection to the
RAPID decomposition which has weight, and TINS ls
the greater feeling of security IL would give To that class
OF murderers who use poison a weapon. This might
be avoided Dy requiring that all bodies should be sup
jccted to post mOrem EXAMINATIONS and some chemical
test ecde the fact and OF death whether we
bury the body, degree Of dissection should
| precedc such disposition of II. Ine supcrStitious
| dread with which guard the bodies OF thc
| dead from scientific Investigation II far from
crcditablc Ii fosters quackrry and demoralizes medl-
caI men. Those who Inust break the law, employ
ohers do so that they may gIin accurate kDo"ohge
VI H.. p.v.gssl.. as j.s! uIAsA AlLAA LuAa " LuIu