The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-05-01
CREMATION.
Arguments in Its Favor by A.
w. LightbOurn.
The Evil Effects of Earth Burial-Rev. Mr.
Treats New Mausoleum" - Other
Methods of Sepulture.

A. Willis Lightbourn lectured last night at
Pioneer Hall on the subject Of Coronation" /"
Quite large number OF people, considering the
nature OF theaddress, were present. MIR. Light
Dourn mas hne appearance, clear enuncia-
tion and Is very entertaining speaker.
He began by saying that the natural reluctance
to dwell upon thoughts connected with the dead
mas led 10 an extreme, and in some cases unfor-
tunate, conservatism In the matter OF funerals
and the incidents OF burial. ave continue" he
said. to surround the last rites OF the dead with
gloomy and repulsiye details, which serve only
to heighten the sorrow Of The living. Besides,
there Is considerable danger to the community
In the present method of burial.'
The presence OF a burying ground within the
limits OF city or other aggregation OF dwellings
Is menace TO the health OF the people living in
Its vicinity. The recent discovery of tile origin
OF the most fatal diseases which attack man in
micro-organlsms has done much to explain the
people see this danger. 4
DARwIN's EXPERIMENTS.
Darwin's experiments, by which he established
that the fertile upper layer OF superficial soil ac-
qulred its character by passing through the di-
gestlye tract of earth-worms, also explained how
the disease germs buried with the bodies of the
dead are Drought TO the surface and set free TO
spread disease and death around the community.
IL makes no difference how deep the body is
9ulled, III time The earth worms will release the
disease germs.
For years the practice of earth burial has been
condemned, yet the people continue to bury
their dead In grayeyards. This persistence In an
evil practice Is the result OF sentiment. The de-
sire 10 @ be buried In holy ground-Ihe sacred acre
about the door OF the church-was fosiercd by
superstition until 1t became so fixed that nothing
but necessity could change II.
THE NEW MAUsoLEUM.
Some other method than burial must be
adopted. ReY. Charles Treat in the Sanltaran
advocates the "new mausoeum" movement, as
he calls 1t. But embalming has too much that Is
repellant In 1t 10 be accepted generally. 1t is
not pleasant 10 think OF having our embalmed
bodies put to commercial or even scientific uses
Ia future ages. This new mausoleum movement
advocates desiccation-the preserving OF the
BODY by drying all moisture from it.
This Is proposed TO be accomplished by passing
over the body stream of dry air, the moisture
from the body being then carried into furnace
and all disease germs destroyed But the plan
diners from cremation only in preserving the
semblanee OF the living body, and multiplica-
ton of bodies would in time become a serious
consideration and their disposal would prove
very difficult problem.
GAINING GROUND SLOWLY.
Cremation has gained ground slowly against
the conservatism regarding burial; but It has
gained ground. and may he regarded as the best
solution OF the difficulty yet offered 1t is a
subject that is attracting just now much atten-
tlon-not new one, however, for the Greeks
and Romans practiced cremation 1000 years
ago. Since its resurrection about twenty years
ago II has been favored aud fostered by the lead
Ing scientists OF the world, and has been adopted
by number OF European nations. It'll gaining
ground fapldiy IN this country.
1t Is easily understood why cremation has not
been universally adopted. 1t does violence
to ancient custom and established superstition.
II man, however animated by pious reverence
Tor the dead, could peer into the grave of bis
loved one, aud watch the hideOus and revolving
process OF decay and putrefaction, lie would
never again speak Of the common custom of
sepulture as the one prompted by love and
affection.
PosTERITY MUST BE SAVED.
In 1874 Sir Henry Thompson published the
following sentence: 80 No dead 10
placed in the soil without polutlng the earth the
air and the water above ana about it," The
London cholera of 1854 is now believed TO have
been caused by The upturning Of the earth where
victims OF the same terrible disease were buried
In 1865.
BY this terrible process OF reproduction In the
system OF the living, we perpetuatlng
diseases that would otherwise become extinct.
IL Is not right that we should force on the inno-
cent and healthy of future generations this state
oil aHalrs. Let us save posterity from these los
terlng pesthOles which are constantly becoming
more threatening by virtue Of rapidly increas-
ing population.
In view of all these circumstances, 1t is to be
earnestly hoped that the San Francisco Gre
nation Society may be successful In its efforts TO
erect thoroughly equipped crematorium In this
city.