The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-23
BURNING 7nE noDrrs or THE DEAD.
The Scientific Made OF CremntIon aud Con-
structioni OF the Crenatory.

iFfnm NE L"a'toH StaatrrnRNrp'f
In burning 'body'tho products or com
bustiVn which escape hy the chimney curry
witt tlicm, besides tho gases arising from tho
p"rrct decomposition OF the body. n certain
quantity ot organic particles not entirely burnt.
whlci mhk" thGir presence known by that
peculiur burnt odor which.wc perceive when u
elnnd Of sqoko in II sufficiently concentrated
state falls to the ground. This organic volitil-
iz.'d ulnttPr, which lserrcognized hy lis peculiar
9dor. ~ considered 10y sanltarians to be per
trctly inuOcuous, anil IN fact. 1t is clear that
molecules which have been subject to certain
trmpcratuTe cannot possibly contain pcstrn-
band. ii Is argued that the said olor Is ly no
means agreeable. anil, moreover. gives the
painful impression that some Particles of the
body have escaped from the crgnatorium
without bcin2 ucriccily oNidizcd aud without
OrlnE transformed into those. VHpors which mix
with the atmosphere. The Thought OF an
escape OF impcrIccty decOmposed cadaycrous
molecules hHs the same mental effect as though
during the cremation n pnrt of the ashes OF the
body had disappeared AMI brpn lost. when. ~
matter Ot trrling. we recognize the need OF pre-
serving them in their integrity.
II was necessary. therefore. To find some mode
OF suppressing that odor in order that its
presence SHOULD not cause annoyance or pain.
Tho remedy was not dinleult TO discover. In the
interior OF the chimney Il grazing u pinccd Over
wllch Is kept burning sufficient quantity OF
coke. The products ofcombustOn, tnun. which
escape from the chamber In a highly heated
condition passing through the coke become
entirely purified. aud the organic matters which
nhd resisted mo ilrst combustion su'cump to
the second; AT the boundaries between the
furnace and the crcmatory chamber 1t has al
ways been found necessary To eruct wall.
Separating completely the one part from the
other II IL necessary. In short. that the furnace
should bc closed. rOOmy chnmbcr and. on tho
other hand that tho crennaiory should he placed
outside the same and perfectly free. II is neces-
snry that nothing should intervene to disturb
the calm which roigns within the crematory
while the rite OF cremation ~ proceeding,
As the products of combustion have to cnvol-
ope the corpse from head H. foot. so the COM
muniCatiOn between the cremntory chamuer
aud the chimney Tor the vent of the smoke is
necessarily opened IN the chamber ITSELF at the
end opposite 70 that which communicates with
the furnace. IL was found much better to open
such "A communicates in the bottom OF the cre-
matOry chamber rather than IN the ceiling be-
cause, in tho hitter cnsc. the products Of COM
bustion drawn upward are for the most part
condensed in that empty space where the body
does not lle. whereas. in the former case drawn
downward they powerfully com passed the body
whose destruction II was thor mission to effect
This smoke conduit. which opens upon the
bottom Of the crematory chamber at one Of its
rNtrclnttirs, desccndS To certain distance ard
then dividing intotwo. penetrates into the lateral
walls of the crematOrium. within which the two
branches wind Tor short distance horizontally
toward the furnace. They then incline upward
and ascend within the walls OF the cremntory
chamber until. on each side, they enter the wall
oi the ceiling. where they meet aud again form
ono conduit which leads straight 10 the chin
ncy. into which u opens between the PRINCIPAL
furnace below and that In the chimney. Tuis
arrangement has been devised So as to main
tain within the crcmatory quietncss SO undis-
turhcd that is desired. the service Tor the dead
might IT, said over IL without any inconvenience
and 30 transi forming II into an altar.
II Will hardly be needtul To- explain what Is to
be done TO introduce the body into the crema-
tory chamber and to extract the ashes from IT,
or to describe the necessary apparatus and the
forms which have To be followed in order To-
carry out those two very important operations
without any Inconvenience. To solve the diff
hculties belonging to this part OF the subject
an ingenious truck. invented 10y Prof. Celeste
Cericetti for the service OF the first crcmato-
rum erected in the cemetery Of Milnn-which
is known under the name of its two inventors
POLL and Cericetti-is Of much assistance. Ii
IL a small car Of iron. the feet Of which are car
ried 10y four free rollers 10y when 1t can be-
moved with the greatest facility In any direc-
ton. When the body has been brought 10 the
mouth OF the crematory IL is placed upon u
grating which il situated on the top OF the ash
plate. and the whole is then slid into the oroma-
tory chamber The small coke furnace placed
IN the chimney is supposed 10 have been lit for
some little time
This il now the time 10 light the fire In tho
creamatory chamber also and the flames and
the glowing gas which develop themselves from
this are drawn up by tile ch iuiney and penetrate
like torrent into the nues. encompassing
the corpse in every part. and being thrown
back ugnin from the walls Of the chamber itself
complete the duty OF dissolving IL. separating
the volatile parts. which pass away up the
the fixed parts. which. perfectly purified, re-
main on the grating and fall into the ash plate.
When tue operation IL finished. which can ba
asccriained 10y shifting the lid OF a small Hper-
urc lott Tor the express purpose in the door
NJ sign OF flame be visible the cremation Ii