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short of actual examination of graves, that under the present conditions the desire on the part of the
community is not orten attained. In fact there seems little doubt that so-called earth burial is often
little else than a form of entombment.
(28.) Now the splitting up or decomposition of organic matter, in whatever form, is dependent
upon the action of micro-organisms, which for the effectual fulfilment of their work need the aid of a
sufficiency of air, a certain amount of moisture, and an appropriate degree of temperature. Interference
with one or more of these conditions will result in retardation or alteration in the ordinary process of
decomposition. Entire absence of air would prevent the oxidation needed in the breaking up of the
complex organic matter into simpler compounds, and of these into their ultimate constituent elements,
while excess of air, as by exposing the body to a continuous current of air, by promoting desiccation
dries up the tissues and checks decomposition. The human body contains a large amount of water—
in an average body weighing 154 pounds the proportion is about 96 pounds—and if desiccation be
avoided this would probably be sufficient for the process of decay, but under ordinary
circumstances the presence of moisture to a certain degree appears to favour
decomposition. Excess of moisture, as for instance total submersion in water or
burying in a soil constantly damp or waterlogged on the other hand interferes with
decomposition and brings about a change of the soft parts of the body into adipocere, a compound
of considerable permanency, consisting of a fatty acid in combination usually with ammonium. The
temperature most favourable for inducing decomposition appears to be between 63°—70° F. A high
degree of temperature tends to cause mummification, while a very low one practically stops any changes
taking place in the corpse.
(29.) The facts which are now about to be set out will show that under existing methods the body
is buried in a manner which interferes with the most favourable combination of the agencies needed for
its proper decomposition, and that it is possible, if alterations were made in regard to this method of
disposal of the dead, to improve to a considerable extent the conditions under which it is placed.
(30.) The causes which, under the present methods, lessen the value of burial in the earth will, for
convenience, be considered under the three following headings. It must be borne in mind, however,
that in practice these three causes, each of which by itself has influence upon the process of decay of
the body, act together and it would be difficult to say as regards the result in any special case, to
what extent one cause had had effect rather than another. It would appear, however, that taking
them in order of importance as regards the influence which they play in interfering with the natural
process of decomposition they may be considered as follows—
(i) The depth at which bodies are buried.
(ii) The character of the coffins in general use.
(iii) The character of the soil of ground available for burial.
(31.) (i) The depth at which bodies are buried.—In the first place it is necessary to point out that
under the regulations no body must be buried within less than 4 feet from the surface in the case of
an adult, or within less than 3 feet in the case of a child under 12 years of age.
(32.) So far as private graves—that is, graves which have been purchased for the burial of members
of one family—are concerned, it appears that the depth to which they are dug is less than it used to
be in former years. A depth between 9 and 12 feet is usually now required. In the case of graves
for common interments, however, considerably greater depths are dug, from 12 to 18 feet being not an
uncommon practice, and in one or two cases the graves are 20 or 25 feet deep.
(33.) The influence exerted by the depth at which a body is buried appears to have considerable
effect on the process of decay. Experiments bearing on this point have been carried out
with the bodies of animals by Sir Seymour Haden,, and the following quotation taken from a letter
which appeared in the Times in 1897, describes the results which he has obtained by buiying bodies
at superficial depths—
(34.) "For eleven years— since 1886 in fact—I have been burying in the grounds attached to this
"house animals of every kind and size—calves, swine, cats, dogs, geese &c.—with the object of
"ascertaining not only the depth at which interment may be safely made, but the time at which
"complete resolution of the buried body may with certainty be looked for. Beginning with a depth
"of 4 feet—the depth prescribed by the Local Government Board—for instance, I have found that a
"period of something more than four years (depending mainly on the size of the animal buried) was
"necessary for complete resolution, and, speaking roundly, that for every foot of depth below the
"surface a year or thereabouts was necessary ; for a depth of 3 feet three years ; of 2 feet two years ;
"and of 1 foot one year ; in a word, that resolution was rapid in proportion as the grave was shallow
"and the soil porous.
(35.)"Nor is this all. For the last two years I have not been burying the body at all, but—simply
"laying it on the ground and covering it in every direction with a single foot of earth—have
"found that at the end of a year every trace of animal tissue had disappeared, the bones alone being
"left.
(36.) "Any one disposed to make a pilgrimage to this place may see one or more of these surface
"parallelograms a foot thick in every direction, and, if a year have elapsed since the interment, remove
"if he will, and break up the whole of it. He will find, as I have said, nothing but the bones, which
"as an integral part of the earth's substance of course remain ; and moreover, that the whole process
"has been effected without the slightest appreciable effect either on the small portion of soil employed
"or on the purity of the earth beneath or on the sweetness and freshness of the air around."
(37.) Dr. Vivian Poore has also had similar results indicating that the more superficially a
body be buried the more rapidly and thoroughly is decay found to have taken place after a given
period.
(38.) These results are what might be expected if consideration be given to the factors needful for
the decomposition of organic matter, and more especially to conditions of temperature and the presence