St. Landry democrat., 1888-04-07
: CREMATlNG The DEAD.
What Has Been Done in 9his Direction
Since the First Incarceration.

what Has Been Done in s'his Direction
! Since the First Incineration.
The first cremation of a human body,
effected in closed receptacle, with
the object of carrying off or destroying
offensive products, with the exception
of the Dresden example (when the
body of an En- glish lady was cremated
in Siemens apparatus). took place in
Milan, in January, 1876. and was fol-
lowed by another in April the agent
adopted being gas. The next occur
ing there, in March. 1887, was accom-
plished in like manner, but by employ
ing ordinary fuel. It was in Milan,
also, in September following that the
first cremation was performed by the
improved furnace of Gorini. In the
preceding year, 1876, the Cremation
Society of Milan had been established,
under the presidency of DR. PM, and
it soon became popular and infuen-
tial During that year a handsome
building was erected with the view of
using gas as the agent; but 1t
was subsequently enlarged-namelJ,
in 1880-to make room for Gorirai
furnaces. These were soon In opera
| ton, and since that date many bodies
have been burned every year. the num-
Der up to the 31st of December, 1886.
being 1853. Similar buildings on a
smaller scale have been constructed
and largely employed elsewhere-for
example, at Lodi, Cremona, Brescia
Padua, Varese. and more lately at
Rome, in the Campo Varano cemetery.
This was first used in April, 1888, since
which date 1873 cremations have been
performed ul to the 31st of December.
1886. The Number of all cremations
occurring in other towns, including
Milan and Rome, up to the same date
is 202, making 1877 for Italy alone. In
Germany the only place at which the
practice has been regularly followed
is Gotha. A building was constructed
here, under permission of the govern
ment, the first cremation taking place
in January, 1879 It has been largely
employed since, the number of crema-
tions amounting to 473 up to the 31st
of October, 1887. Cremation societies,
ONE of them with numerous menu
bers and displaying much activity,
have been recently established in
other countries; in Denmark (where
the first cremation in Gorini appara.
tus took place in 1856, in Belgium.
Switzerland, Holland, Sweden and
Norway. and in various parts of the
United States, where also cremation
has been employed few times. In
Australia Hon. j. NJ Greed, WE'LL
known physician in Sydney. has
warmly advocated the practice, which
has numerous supporters there. He
moved the second reading Of q bill to
establish and regulate cremation in
the House of Assembly. June, 1886. in
an able speech pointing out the dan
gerous proximity of neighboring ceme-
teries to their rapidly developing city,
| referring to q we'll thus poisoned which
had caused an outbreak OF typhoid,
and citing similar facts arising under
like conditions in the suburbs OF New
| York and other American cities. The
act was approved by the legislative
| council, but failed to pass the
| House Of Assembly. In Paris.
projects for performing cremation
have for. some time beenB discussed.
and crematory Of considera BILE
size has at length been constructed
under the direction OF the municipal
council 1t is situated at Pere-la-
Chaise, and, although unfinished.
was successfully employed on the 22d
Of October last for the bodies OF two
men who died by smallpox.
The Woking crematory was used
for the first time ON the Goth of March,
1885. two other cremations following
| in the course of the year. During 1886
10 bodies were burned-5 male and 5
l.female- of them that of Brah-
| min. During 1887, up to the S0th of
November, 10 more bodies have been
burned, only being that Of fe-
male. The complete incineration is
accomplished without escape of smoke
or other offensive product, and with
extreme ease and rapidly. The
| ashes, which weigh about 5 pounds,
are placed at the disposal OF the
| friends, and are removed. Or, IL de-
sired. they may be restored to the
soil, being now perfectly inocuous. If
that mode OF dealing with them is
| preferred. Sir Henry Thomson. in
NineteenA Century.