Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-01-07

oisease rom . decaying cadaver. Al
observation Of MIGUEL 10 recordes
which has likewise bearing upon thi.
point. He found that the air Of tn,
Partisan cemeteries Was only slightly
richer in bacteria than the air at th,
observatory of Montsouris,. while tn.
air OF the city Of Paris contained thes.
organisms in q vastly greater proper.
tion.
Similar results have been obtained
when the water from wells in or nea,
cemeteries has been examined. Such
wells asa rule. furnish water of equal
or greater purity to that obtained from
places inhabited BY human beings and
where the soil is more or less polluted.
There is abundant negative testimo-
ny, likewise. in the demonstrable ab-
sencs Of any especial tendency to dis.
ease in persons who constantly con.
sumesuch drinking water. Apaper By
DR.. ]. F. A. Adams. published in the
Mass. State Board of Health Report
Tor 1873. gives strong testimony to
this view. The facts recorded BY Dr..
Adams can hardly fail to convince any
unprejudiced reader of the very in
tangible nature Of the evidence relied
upon BY those who offer cremation a.
rational substitute for inhumstiou
on sanitary grounds.
The advocates of incineration fur
ther claim that certain infectious dis.
eases, such as cholera, typhoid fever,
measles, smallpox. scarlet fever, and
diphtheria may be communicated
through the air, water. or soil pollu-
ted by the corpses Of those dead with
Tie diseases mentioned. This claim
mas been so persistently made that it
will probably cauas some surprise
"nen state that no trustworthy OBJ
servations are on record which would
afford safe basis for such q conclu-
sion. The many opportunities for in
lection by this channel which have
been furnished by destructive cpl
denies OF yellow fever, smallpox.
cholera, diphtheria and tyrhus fever
have hitherto remained unimproved
by the respective diseases. Most of
the observations quoted as evidence
BY writers prove the dangers of burial
during epidemics. lack accuracy and
hence cannot be relied upon. The
same authors neglect wholly the strong
negative testimony which the epidem-
les of yellow fever in Savannah in
1876, and of Memphis and New Or
leans in 1878 and 1879 furnished
against the danger of cemetery burial
in times Of epidemic. ! am prepared
to maintain that the greatest violence
Of the disease in the above epidsmics
was not manifested in the vicinity of
the cemeteries. Of the smallpox ep-
idemic in this city in 1888. the same
could be asserted.
1t is further claimed by its advo-
Gates that cremation would be an eco-
nomical measure if substituted for
burial. This claim is an absurd one
for the cost of burial or an incinera-
tion 10 what those who conduct it
choose to make it. !. venture to say
that the cost Of the services within
the crematorium at Lancaster or at
Brooklyn will be fully as great As the
expense Of frst.class funeral within
the gates of Greenmount or Baltimore
cemeteries. The cost of reaching the
cemetery is an incidental item and
cannot properly be included in the
total.
The third advantage claimed for
cremation likewise falls to the ground
when examined in the light Of expert
ence. During times of the epidemic
prevalence Of disease, it 10 said. the
bodies Of the dead can be more rapid
ly and effsctuslly disposed Of BY burn
ing than by burial. A brief calcula-
tion will at once show the fallacy oi
this. In an epidemic of cholera the
the number of deaths daily might
very greatly exceed the ordinary daily
death-rate. II must be evident that
the crematory plant" sufficient for
ordinary uses would be totally made.
quate during an epidemic. The aver
age number Of deaths daily in thii
city during the past year was frac
ton under %. Under the best con
disions at present attainable. probably
ut least four cremation furnaces woulc
be necessary to properly dispose o
these. But suppose an epidemic o
cholera or yellow fever, and = rise il
the death rate of one hundred or NOR,
day, would it be possible to rsduc'
TO ashes oil these bodies With the ar
rangements for ordinary (may / b
permitted to say "svery dsy) uses