Mexico weekly ledger., 1907-11-21
FAVORS CREMATION

DR.. w. W. McFarlane, OF Mexico,
read the following interesting paper
on cremation before the Linton Dis
trict Medical Society at Its last meet
ing In this city:
The subject OF cremation, although
a subject Of the greatest Importance
has received but little attention from
physicians and s~anitarians. There
exists among the people at large q
great opposition to this most sanitary
measure. and even many physicians,
who ought to know better, oppose this
method OF disposing Of the dead. The
question Of how TO dispose of the dead
with the least danger to the living has
occupied the mind OF sanitarians for
three centuries. A reform 10 the dis
position OF dead bodies is beyond ques-
tion. and / contend that cremation,
for many reasons Is greatly superior to
any and all Others. There are ALSO
lutely no objections to cremation ex-
cept such reasons rs are purely senti-
mental. As bodies buried In the
earth are destroyed by slow comhus-
tion requiring years, what objection
could possibly arise 10 cremation
which does the same thing In one
hour.
Thirty years ago Sir Henry Thomp-
son said, mo dead body Is ever placed
In the soil without p~olluting the earth
the air and the water above and
around it." This assertion has been
confirmed by scientific men through
out the civilized world. Professional
grave diggers seldom live to old age.
Foul eminations from decomposlng
bodies are often fated when breathed
In aeoncentrated state, and when de-
luted In the atmosphere produce low
forms OF fever often fatal. 1t is q
well known fact that germs causing
the death OF men and animals do sur
yiye for years after burial. In the
case IF death from some contagious or
Infectious disease the opening OF al
vault or the exhumiDg OF q body for
transportation or even the blowing OF
an cid graveyard may revive a severe
epidemic causing the death Of possib
hundreds, that would never have oc-
cured had the bodies been cremated.
Fire is the only absolutely sure dIsin-
fectant. During the last twenty five
or thirty years many books and papers
on the subject OF cremation have been
written In America and Europe, and
the present method OF disposing Of
the dead, especially In cities and
populated counties las been
,Undemned almost without exception
and In its place cremation has been
recommended as perfectly safe, ration
II and unobjectional, q practice which
would destroy tie cause Of diseases
md promote the public health. The
Term theory OF disease Is now accept
ID BY the scientific world. These
IerI1s possess q wonderful vitality.
oasteur gives US an example, "a sheep
shich bad died Of charbou wa buried
the depth Of twenty feet In the
In . field which was not used
or pasture for ten or twelve years.
this length Of time healthy
heep we're pastured In this field and
DON began TO die Of charbou.
This proves the vitality OF disease
erms and the ptonaine OF decomposl.t
ION. We e that the ordinary mode
I burial presents q double danger,
mt COMMUNICATING the earth, air and
Iater By the products Of decomposl :
ION, and second the reproduction Of
Dptagious and Infections diseases By
erms that were buried with the body.
ut three objections are offered toll !
'emation, sentimental. u~tilitarian and
Sentiment is not 40 argu-
Ient 50 We will pass that by the ques-
on Of ecomOny Is TO he considered ln
age" The sums expend- (
! 10 the United States annually as \
neral expenses exceed the value Of
| gold and silver taken from our 4
ines. A decent burial cost not less :
500, and many families are i'm
'verisned BY the excession cost of In
rment incurred Thought false pride
be cost Of q funeral Is an absolute
TO the family and the state I am
Id that the whole cost OF crematingl
body In st. Louis is ass, at MIlan,
ally less than $500. Another Rrest(
onomy would be that Of valuable :
I'd nov used for cemeteries 100000 v
rsCns die In the city Of London D,
cry year. Il requires more than for Ar
acres to bury London,s dead annu- pi
y l can not Sc what the religious m
estion has TO do with cremation. fr
has nothing TO do with SAM. alb
. reforms such Is sewerage drain be
and plumbing. IN
| cannot SCI why cremation should =.
called = bsrbarous custom or . relic to
pseznism. Both methods eere cs
.nsla.a ~. a. . -