180 
Mr. Pierre DE P. RIcKeErTTs read a paper giving the “ Re- 
sults of some Experiments upon Cremation,” lately conducted 
by him at the laboratory of the School of Mines of Columbia 
College. The public interest recently manifested upon this 
subject, and its possible, if not actual, importance, had led 
him to make these investigations. 
Mr. Ricketts described the muffles which he had used in 
his experiments, and exhibited the smaller one to the mem- 
bers. These were such as are ordinarily used in the Assay 
Laboratory for the scorification of gold and silver ores, and 
were simply inserted in the usual assay furnace. He had 
commenced with the body of a mouse, and had then succes- 
sively incinerated those of a rat, a cat, and a dog. (The 
ashes of these animals, beautifully white and clean, were ex- 
hibited in glass jars). The results obtained are set forth in 
the following table, together with the estimated proportion- 
ate results in the case of a human body weighing 150 Ibs. 
Weight Weight Time Estimated ash of 
of body. of ash. required. a human body. 
Mouse, 5-317 grms. = 29 grms. 20 min. 81 lbs. 
Rat, 18125 2° 5% Bbw» 66 SOc 4g“ 
Cat, 5-48 lbs. 3°6 OZ. 14 hours. eye 
Dog, 54: “620 lbs.2°3 oz. = 74“ Gon ft 
The last example, that of the dog, is probably the most re- 
liable; it was also much the most troublesome, since the body 
had to be cut in pieces, there being no muffle at hand large 
enough to contain it whole. These experiments show what may 
be done by means of proper furnaces. There were no odors or 
unpleasant accompaniments of any kind, all the gases passing 
off by the tall chimney. Were cremation to come into use, 
suitable furnaces should be erected at various points in or 
around the city, and the process could be carried on with 
perfect neatness and readiness, the only residuum being a 
clean white ash. Crematibn would have many advantages 
over interment, in a sanitary point of view; but popular feel- 
ing will doubtless long oppose its adoption, although with 
little real ground. If the idea of consuming our friends’ re- 
mains in a furnace, is unpleasant and painful, that of their 
slow decay in the ground is certainly no less so; while so far 
