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fault, slating, that when an Irish person is buried, such immense
shoals of natives of the Emerald Isle follow, that they
trample down the graves and destroy all his arrangements.
Much has been written on the impropriety and unwholesomeness
of allowing interments within the precincts of large cities.
With proper precautions, however, the body of man may safely
he deposited anywhere in the earth without injury to the
living.
These precautions are to make the graves sufficiently deep
and not to disturb them when once covered in. In the churchyards
formerly, the bodies were often buried so near the surface
that decomposition went on very much as it would have done
in the atmosphere, and in hot weather, the earth over the coffin
was frequently raised by the evolution of the gases struggling
to make their way through the loose soil into air. The interments
were so numerous the half decomposed organic matter
was often thrown up to make way for fresh graves, exposing
sights disgusting and emitting foul effluvia. When the body
is deeply buried in the earth, the process of decomposition is
exceedingly different to what it is in the air. In damp ground
like that of Rotherhithe, the flesh is rapidly converted into a
sort of hard, soapy, homogeneous substance, called by the
chemists adipocere, and popularly grave-wax, which gets tough
and dry in process of time, and finally crumbles into a powder
resembling in appearance powdered plaster of Paris, or rather
French chalk. The bones break up more slowly by a different
action. The nails, teeth, and hair being the last parts to disappear.
In dry ground the same transformation takes place, only
a longer period is required.
In exercising surveillance over a burial ground, the depth of
the graves and the avoidance of disturbing those already filled
in ought to be particularly attended to.
The monthly mortality of April is under the average, only
thirty-four deaths having occurred. The deaths have decreased
every month since January. Scarlatina, hooping-cough, and
measles are still prevalent. Seven deaths from scarlatina, three
from hooping-cough, and two from measles having been
registered. Yours, respectfully,
May, 1858. W. MURDOCH.
TWENTY-NINTH REPORT.
Gentlemen,
An abundant supply of wholesome water and good drainage,
are two essential requisites to the healthfulness of any locality.