Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-28
CONSIGNED 10 THE OCEAN.
A Custom that Adds to the TerrOrs OF
Death on ShlpbORrd.
From t1s Nee0 YORK. .Slar.

From the Neao York Star,
"This throwing overheard OF steamship
passengers who die at sea is barbarous
inhuman and wholly unnecessary Gus
TOM" warmly remarked a veteran EN-
balmer yesterday to a reporter.
''What would you have the steamship
men do?'
81 have pondered long on the subject
To preface, l will show you wherein the
steamship companies fail 10 secure Ger
tain class of passengers. People who are
Ill might like to take q sea voyage, but
the knowledge that If they die on the pas.
sage their remains Will feed the fishes hOr-
rifles and deters them. And often when
they are willing TO take the risk their rel
atives and friends will not allow them TO
do so. Few indeed ought to be willing to
permit their invalid loved ones to make a
sea voyage with the dread horror of a
watery grave ever before their eyes.
Many invalids do take voyages, but most
of them Gre accompanied by their physi-
can or trusted friend, who will see that
in case Of death the body of their charge
will be taken to land and given Chris
tlan sepulchre. But i argue that those
who cannot afford the consOling presence
Of these companions will not venture 20
sea. Hence, as / said, the companies lose
heavily"
"What remedy would you suggestP'
ga simple one. Let every steamer
carry embalming instruments and fluid,
and announce that the remains OF all who
die at sea will be carried to port. Every
ships surgeon ought TO have sufficient
knowledge Of embalming. and that opera
ton, wnen required, ought 20 be portion
Of his duties. Deaths from malignant OF
contagious diseases are rare. and in those
Ill afa alf II. r,fn l.o
justified in cOnslgning the remains 10 the
deep. But my arraignment Of the compa-
MES is based more upon some very Outra-
geous cases that have heard Of, such as
throwing the remains Of consumptiyes
overheard, when often within a day or
twO's sail OF port. or course, sailors are
proverbially superstitious, and will often
mutiny n a corpse rs kept on board for
even a short period, But on our big
steamers any such emeute could he easily
Quelled. Speaking Of the inhumanity Of
burying body when almost within sight
Of land calls to mind the case Of mother
and her only daughter. The young lady
was taken III in Europe, but despite her
condition determined % return 10 her
home In this city. When within two
days sail OF this port the invalid died,
and the next day, although the highlands
OF the Neyersink were in sight, her body
was cast overheard. The grief ofthe poor
mother nearly made her Insane. Indig-
nant friends urged her 70 sue the compR-
ny, and this / believe she has done. ex-
pect TO visit every steamship Office and
explain my ideas, and II possible place
my apparatus and nuid aboard OF every
steamer. or course / desire 20 supply
them with the outfit; but that - only a
secondary consideration. The first point
In favor ofhumanity is 10 induce the steam
ship people 10 adopt the benehcent ar
rangement. Then the terrors 20 invalids
Of sea voyage would be removed, aud,
confident OF a decent lnterment on land,
they would no longer hesitate 10 travel In
search Of health"