CREMATION IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. In Great Britain the revival of the practice of cre mation was discussed as early as 1658, when Sir Thomas Browne published his Hydriotaphia, or Urn Burial. In 1S17 Dr. J. Jameson wrote a sketch on the Origin of Cremation. For many years during the early part of the century, Dr. Lord, Health Officer for Hempstead, continued to agitate the subject. but no practical results were achieved. In 1797 cremation was discussed by the French legislature under the Directory. But it was in Italy that the first practical steps were taken toward reilstablishing, the practice of cremation. From 1S52 on. the subject was agi tated in the various national scientific congresses and through their efforts the incineration of human dead was made legal by the introduction of a provision for that purpose in the National Sanitary Code. The process has since rapidly grown in favor in Italy, and, besides the private crematories, there are now municipally owned crematories in 'Rome, Milan, Florence, and Ven ice.
In Germany the subject was discussed at sci entific meetings almost as early as in 'Italy, but greater legal difficulties were encountered here than in Italy. In 1S74 the body of an English woman was reduced to ashes in a Siemens flu naee constructed at Dresden, and this was the first cremation scientifically performed; hut the Government of Saxony, after two incinerations, forbade the practice. Soon after, legal right to construct a crematory was secured in the neigh boring Duchy of Gotha, and for twelve years this was the only place in Germany where incinera tion could he practiced. During the closing dec ade cif the nineteenth century crematories were put in operation in Heidelberg, Hamburg, Jena, and Offenbach.
In France, after much agitation, a law was passed in 1587, legalizing the practice. Soon
after the city of Paris erected a crematory where cremation is compulsory for certain classes, in cluding all unclaimed hospital dead, On remains from dissecting tables, and dead bodies from streets and sewers. In England, Sir Henry Thompson is widely known as the leader of the present agitation in favor of cremation. In 1S74 he organized the 'Cremation Society of London,' whose object is to introduce "some rapid process of disposal which cannot offend the living and shall render the remains absolutely innocuous." Accordingly a crematory was erected at Woking. near London, and here the first incineration took place in Mauch, 1885. Since that date several other crematories have been put in operation. including those at Manchester and Glasgow. In 1900 the city of 111111 completed a crematory for general use, the first municipally owned crema to•y among English-speaking people. Its ar rangements will be found described later in this article.
The first place in the United States where the subject of cremation was systematically agitated was the city of New York, in 1873, but it was not until 1881 that a crematory was built. for the use of its population. In the meantime. a few cremations were made in private furnaces it Washington. Pa., and Salt Lake City. During the closing decade of the nineteenth century the movement grew rapidly in popularity. and the United States now ranks first in the number of optional annual ineinerations. At the close of this article arc appended tables showing the loca tion of crematories and annual number of incin erations for the whole country.