298 CREMATION AS A SANITARY MEASURE. 



where without disturbing some of the remains. During 

 the Revolution this burial ground became so offensive 

 that the Hessian soldiers covered the ground with a layer 

 of earth 2 or 3 feet deep. During the epidemic, so of- 

 fensive was this church-yard, and so virulent was the 

 disease in its vicinity, that active measures were called 

 for, and Dr. Roosa covered the ground with 52 casks of 

 quick lime during the night of September 22d, and a few 

 days later it was found necessary to treat St. Paul's 

 church-yard and the vaults of the North Dutch church 

 in the same way. The same writer gives us a report 

 of a battalion of militia stationed next to the Potter's 

 Field, which was attacked with dysentery and fever, 

 and although several died before their camp was 

 changed, all survivors rapidly recovered as soon as more 

 healthy quarters were found. This Potter's Field was 

 soon after closed and is the present Washington Square. 

 Can any one estimate how many men, women and chil- 

 dren have since fallen its victims ? Cemeteries do not 

 always need to be disturbed to be dangerous, for besides 

 the epidemics they have been known to cause, how many 

 cases of low fevers, ulcerated sore throats, dysentery, 

 etc., occur among the dwellers in their vicinity ? 



The air becomes vitiated and the springs and wells 

 contaminated. Have any of you read a description of 

 Haworth Parsonage, the home of Charlotte Bronte and 

 her gifted sisters? It stood surrounded on three sides 

 by the parish church-yard and Graskell, in his life of 

 Charlotte Bronte, says : " The great old church-yard lies 

 above all the houses and it is terrible to think how the 

 very water springs of the pumps must he poisoned." 

 Charlotte tells in her letters that so often was she affected 

 with fevers, sore throat, sick headaches, nausea and de- 

 pressed spirits, that she, time and time again, left home 

 on account of illness and returned with improved health 

 only to have her old troubles reappear. In 1852 her own 



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