The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-07
CREMATION IN ITALY.
The Burning OF the Body Of wealthy Milan
csc Merchant.

Frop me Cincinnati Gdseue.
The frat practicable experiment In Italy
Of cremation, and ono sanctioned ny the Guy
authorities, has recently taken place IN the pub
lie cemetery of Milan. 1t Ia true there have
been isolated Instances Of tho burning OF DEAD
b dies, "a for example that Of the young indian
Prince. who died some years ago IN flOrence,
and whose tomb, surmounted by his bust.
stands In the Gasoline gardens. Just outside the
city. But this was Ia the open air, and by means
OF wood, fuel too costly to become general,
nsiancee Of this Kind tx very different from hav-
ING building for the purpose In the public
rights VI the old mode Of burial. This event
created great sensation IN Milan, and the fol-
lowing ac cunt shows how import mt an event
1t was con idcrci
Ahcrt Keller. originally of Zurich, but for
many years n resident of Milan. died two years
ago. leaving a consider ,be fortune, acquired IA
a merchant OF silk In that city. ALWAYS warm
advocate Of cremation, he left clause IN his
viil EXPRESSING the desire that his BODY should
be burned. intrlistine Prof polli, an ardent pro-
nlOter of the new system. With the carving out
left 1000 fr ncs.
First Of all 1t was necessary to obtain the CON
sent II the city, and this. with the building OF a
liiile temple In the cemetery and other prepara-
lions, caused n considerable delay, and IL was
only two We r. from the time ot hs death that
the body, proylsorily embimed and placed In
vault, was taken from its resting place and re-
duced, according to the wish 81 the deceased, to
handful 81 ashes. The heirs had spared no
expense or pains In the preparations. and instead
OF lO,nO, spent GO,0O francs for the temple, not
counting the monument for the ashes which
cost 100000 more. TINS event had been looked
forward to with the gre latest interest by medical
| had been given. and. notwithstanding the
stormy weather, large concOurse was present
| The apparatus for cremation Il invented by Pro-
| fcssors POLL and Clericetti, an1 Is disposed In
such a manner that nothing calls to mind an In
dustral process, or tends to disturb the religious
solemnity of the occasion. Not tube, not
valve Is cen. The urn i In the form OF an ancient
| Roman sarcoph gus. The body IL introduced
| through side aperture. after which the urn Is
| closed and the process OF combustion begi ms.
The urn, externally; IL kept at = very low tenn
pernture, but small gla-e window In the side
| allows thu body within to he seen surrounded
| by the deyouriug tiamc-. The method OF COM
| bustion Is bV ordinary gas, made In "A special
sascaaoier. ana introduced into the urn by sub
| ter mean tubes. The body rests uuOn vcrita-
| BILE bed u hlmes, there being a grating formed
| 10y tubes from which issue about 800 jets Of Gas,
mixed with air. Other Jets are found IN the
upper part and are directed upon those parts
Of the body, such as the head, which present the
greatest resistence u the IRE. II IL scarcely
| necessary to add that there IL disagree Able
| odor whatever, and the whole spectacle, though
new and striking, had nothing I'm II repulsve or
| undigniiled. This apparatus has been presented
| to the CITY, so that those hereafter wishing to
make use Of II can do 80 at a comparatively
| small expense.
FIRST OF ali, the Protestant pastor (the deceased
! having been an EvanrelicaD prOnOur ced dis
| course to show that cremation not NJ all
| opposed 10 the teachings Of Christianity. After
him Ciericetti, one Of the inventors uf the APP
| paratuS, and Others spoke warmly In favor OF
| the new method. the process lasted an hour
| and hall, and consumed forty-two cubic metres
| Of gas.
Al present great efforts are being made In
| Milan to form society having cremation Tor its
Zurich, and hitcgdN over 400 have become mem
| bers. among whom large number OF ladies'.
| one lady who has lately died expressed the de-
sire In her Will to have her body burnt, and con-
| siderins the favorable result of the nrst EXPERT
ment. there Is no reason to think tnat the per-
| mission will Toe denied. This lady having been n
Roman Catholic, the event Is looked forward to
| with a certain kind OF curiosity TO see what at
| 'itude the Catholic CLERGY will assume in regard
tn