The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1910-03-23
CREMATION CROWS IN FAVOR
AS A METHOD OF DISPOSING OF
THE HUMAN BODY.
How the Soil Is Poisoned by Burial
in the Ground. History of
Modern Cremation.

Modern Cremation.
Although religious customs and
precedent are opposed to cremation
it is growing in favor. In the large
cities the matter of burial grounds il
becoming a serious question, and the
teeming millions and great indus
trial enterprises are throwing greedy
eyes upon the large territories given
over to cemeteries. Then, too, scien-
fists are pointing out that burial
grounds in close proximity to cities
are a menace to public health.
Nevertheless the sentiment against
cremation is strong. Those opposing
it regard cremation as a useless in
novation on one hand and on the
other an uncalled-for SCATTERING Of
all the ideals and tender memories
which civilized moderns are wont to
associate with their dead.
History of Modern Cremation.
Beginning with the 18th century,
from time to time, a human corpse
was burned The most famous in
stance is that of the noted English
poet, Shelley, who, living at the time
in Italy, was drowned during a storm
while sailing across the Gulf of STe-
Zia. His body was recovered and
burned by the still more famous
poet, Byron. More and more persons
of note declared for the reform, I'M
til, in 1874, the first crematOry was
established. This was in Dresden,
where also in 1876 the first crema-
ton congress met Of the &c states
composing the German empire Gre
nation is allowed in only seven; in
all the others it is forbidden by law,
even in Prussia and SaxOny. In the
United States there is no law to pre-
vent cremation. Japan is more pro-
gressive in this respect than the west
ern countries. Cremation, which had
fallen into disuse since the 18th cen
fury in Japan, has been revived and
is now practiced to the extent of 40
per cent.
Attention has been frequently
called by scientists to cemeteries as
a menace to public health. Instances
serving to prove their assertions have
not been wanting Trinity church
yard in New York became so often
sive in 1871 that a layer of earth two
feet thick had to be piled upon it.
In 1922, when yellow fever ragged
IN New York, so foul was the air
which spread from three graveyards
in one part of the town that the city
council caused lime to be spread over
the three of them.
How Soil Is Poisoned.
Scientists in technically describing
the dangers resulting from the burial
OF the human body in the ground say
that when this body ceases to live de-
composition sets in. That is, the
many compounds break up and re-
turn to their original elements. Dur
ing this process many dangerous poi
sons are generated-the so-called
ptomaines. The public hears of them
when persons are poisoned by eating
food in which decay has set in. They
form with especial ease in oysters
and fish. Hence, cases of natural
poisoning when such food is eaten.
If. these poisons come into existence
when care is exercised scientists point
out the grave dangers which threat
en- when cemeteries become over
crowded in large cities Some ex-
tremists claim that burial means poi
Soning the soil which furnishes us
with the food we eat and the water
we drink
The city of Brooklyn now extends
beyond Greenwood cemetery, and in
general the eastern half of New
York, beyond the East river, is full
Of graveyards. In the former town
ship of Newtown, now within the
boundaries of New York, there are
rs cemeteries. four of which are of
great size. The rate of mortality in
what was formerly New York is IS to
LOCO population; in Newton it is 80
TO 1000. And with the growth of
population in cities the population of
graveyards is also growing. More
and more land has to be assigned to
the dead, and, as those favoring ere
nation point out, more soil is pois-
aned for the living. 1t is claimed
that poisOns from decomposed bodies
rise ito the top of the ground, to be
eaten by cattle on grass, or to be
eaten by man on potatoes or celery
or cabbage; they float in the from of
germs through the air and flow with
the ever flowing subterranean water
to be drunk from wells or water
pipes by man and beast.
One way in which these bacteria
come to the surface is that they are
contained in the soil which the earth
worms are constantly bringing to the
top of the ground. That the surface
OF, the earth is constantly rising is
seen from the way in which stones
seem to sink into the ground. They
are really buried, not on soil laid
on them from above, but by soil
brought up from beneath, as may be
read in Darwin's fascinating book on
earthWOrms. Pasteur found that
over the spot where the carcass of a
COW that had died of malignant an
thrax had been buried two years be-
fore, the surface soil had maintained