CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1899-03-09
TO PLATE THE DEAD.
Scientists Propose to Covsr corpses
with Metals. 2


Among the topics constantly agitat-
ing social and sanitary experts are
th4 difficulties of urban sepuiture. The
largest cities no longer tolerate burial
cefaeteries within their limits. The ex-
pe4se and trouble that this. prohibition
intplves have given rise TO the alterna-
tive ideas Of incineration and other
similar methods for the disposition OF
ths dead. omany details of the pres
emit way of conducting funerals have
beeh developed by the progressive
slSTit of the times that 1t is no wonder
thAt in this peculiar field also. there
shnpld be an application Of scientific
el<1nents. - s74-
Evidences found by delivers into the
exfant relics of the past of the pro-
fiency the ancients attained in the
process of emoalming have encouraged
modern attempts at the preservation
of the dead. Some of these are mere
temporary expedients TO keep the body
for brief time before burial. Others
attempt to make the preservation per-
manent. A qualified success in this di-
recfion has led to the assertion that
the lost art of embalming has been
rediscovered.
This is the age Of electrical wonders.
The area of human affairs into which
the mysterious current does not run
and revolutionize existing conditions is
practically unknown. The domain of
the -great majority" is its latest field
of Operation.
A scientist of most advanced cleo
frical ideas. who recently returned from
Europe. is the advocate of an appiica-
tion of electrical methods for the pres
ervasion of the dead. He holds that
his Experiments prove it not only en-
tireiy practical, but the genuine end of
the age system of permanent embalm-
ing. He has been laborious student
Of. .Egyptology, and is familiar with all
the discoveries made in the disinte-
grffing of the mummies from their an
ciert coverings.
Uaring q stay In Rome he visited the
der the church of that order, in the
Piazza de Cappuccini. Here the vaults
contain tombs with earth from Jefu-
salem. When new interments are to be
mA4e the bones longest undisturbed
I'M these vaults are taken out From
&heG< the most ghastly decorations for
fha walls and roofs have been fash
ioi- While looking at the crumbiing
Ee5nins of the 1000 departed monks
IL np aRainst the wall il occurred to
hi6m that If bodies were only treated
TO- the electrical process by which they
could BE- ipcased in a metallic surface
they would thus be preserved intact
and lifelike for all time.
Experiments followed. which the sci
enlist regards as highly satisfactory.
To those unfamiliar with the process
of siectroiy ping 1t may be said that to
have thin film of metal deposited on
the entire surface IL Is first covered with
plumba go-more familiar to unscien-
;ific ken in stove polish Then with an
acid bath and the electric current the
transfer is effected.
Ordinary metallic platings of table
ware and other articles Of familiar use
arr common enough. but experiments
had 20 show that the idea was also ap-
piicable to. other substances. Meats
and vegetable fibers were so treated 10
his satisfaction. and then he advanced
TO ais emDaiming theory.
In this the body is prepared for the
ordinary cmhaiming. The riscera are
removed and the preservative liquid is
injected into the veins 4 coaling of
metal applied by the electro-plating
process then hermeticall. ineases the
vAoie frame and il is preserved intact
forever. sss-s r~~Nr~se r1f
In this outer shell gold. silver, copper
or nickel could be used TO suit the
purse and fancy of those having the en-
'saimment done. With Il collins and
raske,s could be done away with. A
man could perpetuate himself in endur-
ing brass or more precious metals.
The Charles Surfaces of the future
who have to raise money on their own
flesh and blood" could transmit 10 the
Sir divers securities that had intrinsic
as well as artistic yaiues.-Chicago
Journal.
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