New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-07-25
TIE DISPOSAL or THE DEAD.


The Sanitary Engineer, discussing " The care
and disposal of the dead" while not opposing
cremation. observes "The most urgent need
in our large cities is for small mortuaiy houses
located in or near the centres of the tenement
house and poorer population, 10 when
houses the body can be taken Immediately
after death and be properly cared 1or'
instead of being left in the bedroom
of the family" No doubt the provision
suggested would be an improvement, out such
a leiolm. however desirable, would encounter
the bitterest and most obstinate resistance nom
the Door themselves. 1t is hardly crediple
that they would voluntarily deposit their dcad
in the proposed mortuary houses, ana any at
tempt to make such deposition compulsory would
arouse strong feeling and not impossDly LEAD
TO serious trouble. OF course all THIS opposl-
t;on would be irrational and foolish, but 1t must
be remembered that ignorant people always nave
strong prejudices, and that poor people always
cherish much sentiment which is apt TO appear
ab.ud to those whose gifts have been greater
These considerations, however, must be taken
into account in dealing with question when
involves 50 much feeling as the disposal Oh the
dead All reforms in the living OF the poor
have been uphill work because of the Suspicion,
jealousy and force of old habit i'll the way.
In this case the sentiment touched upon is one
of the most powerful in human nature, and 1t
is therefore hard matter to handle. There can
nevertheless, be no doubt that the health OF the
public is often endangered by the modes prac-
ti>ed in disposing of the dead, and that the con-
dition of the poor is made worse than 1t need
he by the extravagant expenditure upon funerals
which a vicious custom demands. strange
story was told recently of local undertaken
who declared he had been boycottcd by his
trade because he undertook to conduct funerals
cheaply He refused to charge $500 Tor
coffin which only costs $l5 or $40, and this'
he said, was regarded rs treason to the business.
Whether the story IS true or not we cannot
say, but it is certain that the funerals OF the
DOOR, though by no means costly AS they were
twenty years ago are arranged on most extra
VACANT scale STILL If the general adoption OF
crematories could be guaranteed to do away with
all this senseless and costly parade, it would be
good public policy to forward the change !;
but at present there seems no certainty that the
change would involve this reform
The sentiment which prefers the discomfort
and danger of keeping the dead in small and
close living rooms until the funeral may be
depended upon To oppose crenmt0lles as strongly
As mortuaiy houses No scientific reasoning can
he expected from tenement houses, and In the
majority of cases no reasoning of any kind can
be looked for when the shadow OF death Is
heavy upon the poor. An educational process
alone and gradual and quite probably tedious
one. can reconcile them to the reforms which
society will no doubt be compelled to Introduce
in the end 1t would perhaps matter compar-
atiyelv little whether the dead were buried or
crematcd if their disposal could be made SAM
tuily safe and economical. 1t may be sad
that the love of costly funerals indicates re-
spect for the dead, but the truth Is that what
prompts the desire, in nine cases out OF ten'
j. the vanity of the living, and therefore the
abuse is not entitled to be treated with any
special tenderness. The time Is distant, III all
probability, when cremation will be generally
rcsorted to, but when the great cities overflow
with population in the future it may become
necessary for tho public safety Meantime
there is work enough for sanitaIians III clearing
the ground for improvement by attacking
the preiudices and habits which stand III The way
Of almost every change for the better