Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-06-03
THE GAZETTE.
BURIAL BETTER THAN CREMATION.
WEpNEsDAYEVENING JUNEa.

BURIAL BETTER THAN CREMATION.
DIR, P. II. Holland British medical inspec
tor writes in opposition to cremation, to Lon
dom Journal. lie says: Ii the advocates tor
cremation confined their efforts to trying to
persuade those who prefer it to adopt the prac,
tice of cremation for one should DOT Thick It
worth while to oppose them, being well asSur-
ed that SO few would follow that advice that
little practical Inconvenience would result;
thought, contrary to all reasonable eXpeca-
too, the practice should become common, or
even frequent, some very troublesome precau-
ton would have to be taken TO guard against
the destruction of evidence of guilt or, what Is
as important, Of Innocence, in cases OF suspect
ed murder, especially ny poison Some OF the
advocates of cremation, huwcce, not content
with asserting that the dead might be burned
without creating any nuisance, which DO not
doubt is possible, provided great care be taken
and no cost spared, also assert what Is quite un-
true, that by no amount Unreasonable care can
the practice OF burial be continued without
great risk or injury and the certainty of dan
ger; and one OF them has even yentured to ad-
duce, as proof, that we-sluated and Well
managed cemeteries are or most become public
nuisances, because, tOrsooth, oVercrowded bur,
ial grounds were so when closely surrounded
by dwellings, and in which the remains OF the
dead were constantly being disturbed before de-
cay was completed. AS we'll might it be con-
tended that because dung heap IN close
court is dangerous aud disgusting nuisance,
therefore cultivated garden, rendered fertile
by the same sort Of manure, must necessarily
be source of danger to all near 1t. Many OF
the recently established cemeteries are IN effect
ornamental gardens, much used as tavorlte re.
sorts for air and exercise by large numbers OF
persons who have no easy access to other such
places, and it is simply incredible that they
would be so used If they were, as has been
rashly asserted, offensive and dlsagreeable. 1t
is of course essential to safety that the situation
for cemeteries should be well chosen, and that
they should be very carefully managed, but to
assert, as has bsen asserted, that when so sit
uated and so managed they are causes OF rea-
souDg appreheHsions to all residing near them
is too absurd to be believed by any one but an
enthusiastic advocate of cremation obliged to
use bad arguments, being short OF good ones.
AS to the alleged economy of the proposed
change, the answer is very simple. The cost
Of raising to white heat a chamber seven feet
long and FIVE feet in diameter, 10 which it is
stated a corpse may be reduced to ashes 10 an
hour, must be much more than for digging a
grave, and as In most places cemeteries have
rarely already provided, which must be paid tor
whether used or not, the cost Of the grave It
self can but rarely be saved; but even if all
cost of burial itself could be avoided, the ex-
pense of funerals would be but little reduced,
unless, indeed, the people at large could De per
suaded to forego all costly ceremony IN the dis
posal of the dead