The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-05-06
THE FUNERAL DIRECTORS,
fapers on Embalming We're Read
and Discussed.
THE ANNUAL ELECTION OF OFFICERS.
MIR. sutherland of Corsicann Elected
Prcsidcnt-Snn Antonio the Next
Place of Meeting.

ors' association convened az $50 this morn
Ing, with President E. c. Smith in the
chair
Af'er dispo~ins Of the unfinished business
let over from yesterdays session Mr.
Sutherland of Corsicana read a paper on
the emSalmer's duty. which ELECTED much
favorable comment.
This was followed by President Smiths
annual address. In which he stated that the
object of This association Is not 10 regu-
late prices, or create methods by which
some one else could he kept out Of the
business. hut Is TO educate the members
and prepare them to i-tolEgcntly take
care Of those who de- ani to assist the
boards Of health. AMI thereby become an
instrument In stamping out contagious dis
eases. and protecting the lives and health
OF the communities in which We live, The
object of the association is strictly educa-
tional.
The standing committees reported, some
bills were allowed, and other routine bust
ness disposed oil
Secretary Cotton read an address on
Why Embalming is objected To- He
said in part:
Why Embalming is Objected To is an
Intricate question for certain solution
Were my duty so circumscroed that |
should be forced TO answer u one word.
would unhesitatingly speak that word
which has always retarded the advance
ment OF the world, which would stop the
wheels OF the car ~ progress, and blow
out the torch of reason OF every upward
movement. since the first fignt OF time
began; that word which has acted Us a pafl
bearer to the hopes OF many people; that
word which is the pick and shovel which
would dig the grave Of future develop
meuts that one Word--ignnrauCe,
The mass Of people have fairtly heard
If such a thing as emhalminc the dead,
and they condemn it withou, ascerlaining
the beautiful and sacred attachments there
with connected
That people will die is self-evdent
proposition, and there are but three gem
eral ways of disposing vi the bodies Of our
loved and lost 'on.s. is also admitted First
by the simple closing up Of the body In
earth or stone; second, burning OF the body
and the preservation az the cinders third
The cmhalniing of the body And the same
argument which would contend that the
simple closing up of the body in earth is
more humane or more beneficial would
contend that the o,d-fashinned srist mill
Is better than our high grade roller mills:
that the OK wagon Is better than the wheel
ing gems that decorate the streets Of our
cities and towns today II would con
tend that the sun baked dead OF the Indian
on top at his funeral pile is more sacred
than the science which laid Jacob away
Sce prepared the body OF Joseph for his
final cmbarkuent; those who object to
embalming forget the physical and sanitary
benefits. they forget that In the care of
the dead. sight should not be lost of the
living; they forget the practice and divine
sanction, being used by the ls-aelira and
that pioneer country, Egypt, in its height
and glory. praotced it altogether. so, on
this one objection of ignorance, the evil
is there. and the remedy is tor each aud
every one OF us TO be honest and honorable
in our treatment; for the handling OF hui
man body is the handling of Gods own
temple. and the ark Of the covenant.
One practice. think which dams the
stream and makes the waters murky, is
the theory that the embaiming process
must be conducted behind locked and
bolted doors To the unintiated THE very
fact that embalming is done in secrc,
brings all the troops OF suspicion and
fears OF muttlaton Of the body; they snap
eagerly the Anticipated idea that we mark
with reed nen on the left side beneath
the ribs and make a deep inciscion with A
rude knife to remove the vitals and lungs.
and by arother crooked instrument eN-
tract the brain through the nose: they
think we do this this with the gloatirg glce
Of Jack tho Ripper or a butcher dressing
the fatted calf; all because some in our
limo see III to practice an esoteric en-
halminC
Fer the sake of our profession we should
have an oye We should with disCre-
ton permit witnesses that our method is
neither hutchery nor Bloody; that We work
with a sense Of manhood. and do not mu-
ti!a,e the body; ii were foolish to deny
but there are novices In our ranks, whose
anatomical skill is limited and whose work
is rather bungleSomo and clumsy. These
should cndeaYor to Inform themselves. We
adi1it, also. that tho,c may be among us
some one who would not know an artery
from an acting pole or vein from Wis
Gus, and yet who propose to embllm a
body. II We're far better for that kind TO
never have a witness to their hutchery but
far better Still to take butchers cleavor
and search The shamhles for a victim. than
in the emhalmer's room With n scalpel. This
is an evil OF the business which, like the
poor, viii be with lis always We must
I've better equipped and prepared because OF
the existence Of such people. An incisou
an inch or am inch and = half in length.
made with dsvtorous hand, the inserting
OF a tube 10 not rovoting. and does not
mako the heart sick and faint to witness II.
II Is humane and We need fear no wit
Messing eyes"
\ letter was read from President Sharer
of the National association, who lives in
attend the meeting on account OF sickness
in hs Immediate family.
Mr. Mccormick NJ San Antonio read n
PAPER ON the art and Science Of Embalm-
Ing"
The report OF ox- Treasurer Cause Of Fort
Worth was read and referred to the finance
committee.
The following telegram was sent to the
legislature:
The Funeral Directors association, In
meeting assembled. respectfully petition
the house OF representatives TO pass with
out delay senate hin No. T2.'
This is a hill which requires embalm-
crs 20 undergo an examination and procure
a license.
Adjourned til ? p. m,
AFTERNOON SESSION.
At the afternoon session tho following
officers were elected, C. u. Sutherland OF
Corsleana president; j. 7. Burnett OF san
Antonio J Lindsay of Denison, l.. w.
Crouch OF Mckinney. II. r. Foster of Mar
lin. vice presidents: NJ. VI. Ratnes Of Mar
shall, treasurer; j. T. Coffin OF Weather
ford. secretary W. l.. HARDWOOD OF Gal
weston, lecturer and demonsirator; Tom
Hitter 81 Franklin delegate 10 the meeting
Ct the National Embalmers' association at