New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-05-03
The Cremation Movement.
From the Manufacturer and Builder for A.

From the Manufacturer and Builder for Aprilf
One of the wealthiest persons in New
York, after reading our suggestion in TIE
Manufacturer and Builder that the most
useful thing to be done with dead bodies
of men and animals, is to make gas Of them
and use the remainder for fertilizing pur-
poses, given in our last November number,
has made the following cOdicil to tesla
ment drawn up long ago, and bequeathing
all the profits to public useful purposes.
The codicil reads thus:
"Not wishing that my body, after death,
shall add to she injury produced by poison
Ous eff1uvia diffused from cemeteries among
their surroundings, l direct that the un-
avoidable dissolution of my remains into
gaseous and earthly matters shall be has
tened by cremation, instead of being re-
tarded by burial, thus utilizing its material
directly for the vegetable kingdom, to which
we all must once furnish food, and at the
same time guarding myself against the aw-
full possibility Of resurrection in closed
and buried coffin. The ancients, in burn.
ing the bodies of their dead, supposed that
the sO-caIled soul or spirit assembled to
heaven with the flames. Chemistry has
taught us in our century that something
more real ascends, namely, different gases,
especially divers carbon compounds, which
may at once be utilized, and that the re-
udiuihs ASHES NAY 10 Acpt separate ana
prevented from being mixed with those
of the fuel by the details prescribed in
this will, namely: direct that my remains,
after manifesting the only sure sign of
death, greenish discOlOratiOn of the alb.
domen, may be submitted to an autopsy by
some professors of the medical department
of the University of New York, if they
think that it may be useful for the progress
Of science. My remains shall then be in
jected with petroleum, cresilic alcohol or
its disinfecting equivalents, be laid in me-
tallic (iron) coffin, as small as practicable,
and burial service held at my residence,
presided over by the Rev. DR.. -, or
-, or any other enlightened clergyman
Immediately after the close of said service,
the hearse, conveying the coffin with nv re-
mains, shall proceed to the Manhattan Gas.
works, where the lid shall be removed, and
with due solemnity be placed in one of
the retorts, and the same closed for the
space of three or four hours, the usual
heat applied, SO that all the moisture
and gaseous Ingredients may be driven
of, partially condensed, passed through
the purifiers, while the nitrogenized
compounds will be collected as ammonia as
usual, and the hydrocarbons add their
share to the duty of illuminating the city.
The retOrt shall then be opened so az to
admit air to the heated matt r. in order to
burn as much as possible of the carbonic
acid escaping. If any respectable party or
expresses desire to preserve
my ashes. they shall be placed in an urn, or
other substantial vessel, and delivered to
the same. If no such desire is expressed,
direct that my ashes shall be delivered to
the Central Park commissioners, to be used
as fertilizing material ON one of the flower
beds near the music-stand, in the Central
Park. The president, vlce-president and
of the New York Liberal Club
are herewith appointed as executors to see
that this part OF my will be duly fulfilled,