New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-05
CREMATION rs. CONTAGIOM

Ii was Sir Henry thompson WHOSE "riVlSe
first set on foot the movement for cremalloh
IN England and so in America. What he has
10 say, therefore, in the January Nineteenth
Century, about the progress of cremation Is
of spccial interest, for he has given much tune
and thought during the past fourteen years TO
furthering a sanitary reform which he deems
Of the highest Importance This opinion must
carry with il great weight, because OF MS
eminence in medicine.
The progress made has been mainly outside
CT England, for there the new idea encountered
n Enthusiastically stubborn British prejudice
which caused five years to be wasted, even
after crematory had been built, IN the effort
IN obtain iudicial decision that an Engllshman
has the legal right to have his body burned,
IL it is his desire, provided the process be
effected without nuisance to others Inns
mighty feat was not accomplished until 1884,
and since that time twenty-three incinerations
have been performed. Even now the adyo-
Gates of cremation are making UNSUCCESSFUL
efforts to secure legislation affirmatively legal
ling the practice. These facts show that ere
nation has made far greater progress IN tnls
corntry, where there is already considerable
number of crcmatories, than In Engand-a
difference easily to be accounted for by thei
onicl,e, Intelligence of the Americans and tho
greater readiness with which they accept new
| ideas. :,
Sir Henry Thompson takes pains to dispel
tbc idea that there is any expectation OF max
ing cremation compulsory All its advocates
seek is to gain proper facilities for those who
wish them, and to convince as many as possible
that burning is preferable to burial poth on
sentimental and sanitary grounds. for
| those who will not BIO convinced, there VIII
ALWAYS be earth. and to spare. for burial. but
tho figures he gives to show that, in large
number of cases. cremation seems POSITIVE
duty to the living, may almost be caiied
startling. It is a familiar argument that the
presence of dead bodies in the earth corrupts
water supplies, etc. But less is known than
sbould be of the proportion Of positive danger
in burial. where death has resulted from ny
motto discases-that Is, smallpox, measles
scarlet fever, diphtheria, whooping cough,
typhus. entcric fever, simple fever, diarrhoea,
dysentcry and cholera. Every body from
which life has been expelled by one of these
maladies becomes when placed in the earth,
\ factory of countless germs of disease. large
proportion Of which will inevitably come to
the surface. The number of deaths In England
and Wales from these causes during 1884 vas
10 per cent Of the whole, and in 1885 over
13 per cent. SO that while man is constantly
engaged in fierce struggle with disease, he
is at the same time sowing seed with lavish
hand for his own destruction. There is no
method but that Of burning by which these
germs can be surely destroyed
The only practical objection which the OPP
ponents Of cremation have been able to make,
! aside from the sentimental one, is that it
would destroy traces Of poisoning. and perhaps
stimulate that variety Of crime. Sir Henry
Thompson does not attempt to disparage this
objection, but thinks it can easily be met. In
.he first place, probably not one per cent Of
deaths are from uncertain causes, and of these
only very small proportion are likely to have
been caused by poison. Examinations, which
cremation wonld prevent, are very rare. Only
three cxhumations were ordered In one OF the
districts of England in which there were during
the same period 10000 inquests 1t would
seem strange to continue the burial system,
Nth all its scoliels, simply TO guard against
90 small a percentage OF danger as this But
there need be no more of this danger than now
and might easily, be less. The appointment
Of medical officer, rs among Continental
nations. without whose certificate no body could
be buried, would be better protection than
we have at present
The sentimental objection is not ono that can
be argued with. and must be left to individual
Judgment Gut it is question whether this
consideration is not much more powerful with
! H. Ill han with vofp petcops IN is n
common thing 10 meet young people Of both
sexes who seriously intend that their bodies
shall be burned. II this is trustworthy in
dicatlcn, the passage Of years will steadily