New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-06

friend or relative seems to many Ike mutt
lation. But 70 me there IL something
repusive In the slow and oathsome processes OF putrc
faction through which tho body that is placed In tho
ground must necessarily pass before 1t be entirely de-
composed The great majority OF people. however hold
the opposite view, owing largely force OF habit Had
we. like the Turks aud Romans been always accustomed
to Burning the dead, we would no doubt think that earth
burial any other form OF internent was repngnang
and !oath.oine many consider to be-"
"Opponemis OF cremation claim that 1t would increase
the crime OF POISONING sinee an evidence OF murder in
hat way Is destroy ed. Is this not true ~
Incneraion would certainly obiiterate all traces OF
vegetable pUisOns, but nOnv0latile mineral p0is0ns
would remain in the ashes and could DC there detrcted
But how few deaths OF all which occur are due TO pos-
oning Tue crime Is not common one aud IL would
be very easy TO have law passed requrng an autopsy
10 oG ned 91IoIe CREMATION IN al cases where ere
This would cad To more carefulness and prompness In
the ny gene arguments which have been sed in 10
half Of cremation scarcely be considered valid.
around grayeyards extent contaminated by
tue nraes which result from decomposition 1t has not
been demonstrated that there is any exhalatiou of
poisonous gases from the graves OF wemanaged enc
teres, at least not sufficient to prove drleerous
health of people wing IN the neghbornood. The or.
binary IL six feet deep and that amount OF earth
Will render nnocuons tue oneisye organic vapors
which are producei Dy decayIng human body. Is
sparsey settled regions there can be pressing demand
sanitary grounds, but the popula-
zion increases he necessity VIII DO felt
Its employment III times or violent plaques or
far more sanative than huryng the dead in shallow
graves has been frequently done. Long interment
proven when the victims OF the great London
plague were dug up some years ago.
In response to an inquiry as TO how the medical pro-
fesson look upon cremation Dr. FOrdyce Barker said:
:" cannot say how cremation IS generally regarded by
the profession for the that medical opinion
subject has not yet crystazcd The matter has SO
far considered OF sufficient importance TO justi
fy much thought and comparatively little attention hiss
yet been gwen it. But there have been and are ardent
advocates OF tho process among medical men, The late
DIR. Goss, OF Philadelphia, who stood at
the head OF his profession. was vigorous exponent OF
this method or burial, and left orders that his body
aha ha iuptua pd
DR.. Carey OF Buffalo, wos also a strong crnnatousf.
E1rope Another physician, Dr. f. J. Birninghan OF
this city, has written very ably ln ayor or cremation put
I am not aware that action Of an kind has
taken the subject by any medical body ASSEM-
blage think. however that the Idea is gaining ground
both IN this country and la England listened 10 very
interesting debate the in Parliament year
ago April Sir Lyon Payfalr Deputy Speaker OF the
measures adoption and f. seemed to hat the adj
yoestes OF the practice had the best of the debate
sir william Harcourt opposed the Question, but his
speech against hearess and induced one TO thnh
that he really was In favor OF cremation; Ine vote
increased since the time OF the rse discussion Of
movement in England is led by SIR william Thompson.
the founder OF the London Cremation Society. and
cremation any than there Is here. recalled the
case a man in Wales who undertook to cremate his
complained Of him. But the magistrate before whom he
was brought held that as there was no law Oh the
books directing In what particular way the dead
should disposed Of the act of the prisoner not
illegal and he was accordingly DISCHARGED.
''Do you think cremation is a necessity as yetp
:" 1t does not seem TO me that 1t is. look upon ts
adoption at present ana ior some year; TO Goe e ss
Onstrated that cemeteries aud buryinggrounds are
9hs S S with nesoas .
plenty 90 a1 qd fDe ye Sq" but Of there
will be "A time when the disposal OF the dead by ohef
with tho great cities such New-York Paris and Lon.
don. When that time does arrive. cremation viii doubt
take the place OF our present system Of nterment
There is more immediate use for IT, however.
I'm times of pestienee such as tho yellow,
be much and safer to burn the victims of tnese
diseases than TO bury them can see no reason WI
should he used at such times Ihe obstacles In the
way Of its adoption now are purely sentimental ones
OF poisoning. since 1t destroys all evidence
Of the crime was brought up IN the PtrIlamenary de-
In the matter Of holding Sntopsies. In brief.
cremation as but the pioneer movement OF the mUre
scientific burial system OF the uture Buti may 10
My or a hundred years before IL Will De generauy
Ts clergy a. a rule DO not approve the cremation
movement several Of The most prominent clergymen
Of TINS city and Brooklyn called upon By Rib Nc
All Of them declined talk upon IT, few. however.
expressed their views. Among these was the Rev.
crcmatiouI Why simply this, that any fellow wants
be sizzled and tried out let him. " al means bat
don't want TO ne burned either IN TINS word or the
next No. prefer the ol-fashoned mode OF burial and
thiuk there Is plenty OF LAM yet TO spare Tor eraye-
yards. ldont take much stock nthe hygieie arguments
that have been advanced In behalf OF the system,
do j think that IL Is destined 10 take
the place or Illumination There is however one reform
in connection with disposal OF the deaf thit
should Ike see become law. | want 10 see 10 en-
acted that the body Of every criminal hanged be given
the medical colleges Tor dissection. IN this
the cause Of science would be greatly
aided and advanced. Bur | fail wherein
crematorums are demand Of sanitary
any other branch OF science a present.
The Rev DR.. Howard Crosby sad - opposed 10
cremation bat IL Is merely from an aesthetic point OF
view With it takes this position: Whether desire
The boais friends ana relatives 10 be burned
or buried in the ground as has been dOue by
~ Christian people for genfr tons. prefer the
tier but think that Il is purely matter OF taste
not consider that IL comes unter any religious head,
bu is something that must be decided by ourselves"
How do you regard it from hygenc point Of vewl'
asked
II think that we would be worse of than are now,
because the arising from the burning Of the bodies
would De thrown the and b. breathed IN by
people aud would be- a great deal more hurtful than
burving the dead six feet under ground"
The advocates OF cremation claim that the gases
are rendered inn ocuou-," suggested.
THAT may he possible was the reply "but they can
only be changed. ana 40 as hurtfu IN one form
another sun. there IL ony one point that oppose 1t
on ana that purely and wholly the ground Of Ter
sonal feeling and taste"