Jon,
The tombstone bases you've found 2 feet under the surface, could have sunken
to that depth as the grave collapsed. Typically, at least here in
California, the earth over the oldest graves have collapsed in upon the
remains as the coffins have decayed and deteriorated. If the tombstone was
placed over the head of the grave pit and not on the unturned soil adjacent,
there is only one thing that can occur when the coffin collapses - the
tombstone and base sink with it.
It was, however, almost a standard custom to dig a grave as deep as
possible. The recommended depth, according to health and hygiene books I
have from the 19th century, was six feet. No grave was to be dug closer
than 12 inches to an existing grave. This was premised upon the concern
about health hazards. It was especially true in the case of contagious
diseases which, back then I suppose, they didn't know whether the disease
could be contracted from contact with the interred deceased.
I've probed graves that had only 4" from the top of the coffin to the
surface of the ground. I've also probed graves where there was over 30
inches to the surface. You are absolutely correct. The areas where the
ground was easier to dig, they dug a decently deep grave. Where it was more
difficult, they simply couldn't dig any deeper.. Frozen ground, I'm sure,
was another problem.
In California, we now must dig the graves at least 48 inches in depth and
there must be 18 inches of earth covering the vault or coffin.
Sue Silver
----- Original Message -----
From: "jon andrews" <sianoil(a)hotmail.com>
To: <INPCRP-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Monday, October 28, 2002 6:24 PM
Subject: Re: [INPCRP] Arsenic in cemeteries.
Ernie:
I agree with you, but one thing you said bothers me. The part about 6 feet
deep. This is the same answer we got from Indy about digging in a
cemetery.
Their words were, If you're not digging 6 feet deep, then you
have nothing
to worry about. Well, not all burials, if any, are 6 feet deep. Depending
on
how old, where they were buried, time of year, how hard the ground
was,
all
made a difference on how deep. Also, you have to take into account,
erosion.
Of course, you know all of this.
I know the man who dig the graves at Atkinson Chapel Cemetery in Pike
County. He works for me and digs graves on the side. In fact, I have on
occasion helped him finish a grave, so we can get back to work. He uses a
32" wooden door to shore up the sides. Total depth to the bottom of the
graves at most is 5 feet. Most graves in that cemetery don't have 18" of
cover over a vault on the low side. That may not be right, but the old
addage of being 6' under is myth and we're talking to the bottom of the
grave. On top of that, I have witnessed some tombstone bases being dugout
2'
deep. Not disagreeing, just making a point. So.....
Jon Andrews
>From: Ernie & Connie Lasley <elasley(a)sigecom.net>
>Reply-To: INPCRP-L(a)rootsweb.com
>To: INPCRP-L(a)rootsweb.com
>Subject: Re: [INPCRP] Arsenic in cemeteries.
>Date: Thu, 28 Nov 2002 17:58:24 -0600
>
>Hello All,
>
>I found a few paragraphs from a year ago back in the archives, it seems
>like the most danger would be tainted wells near cemeteries. Since we
>don't dig six feet deep while re-setting stones, "breathing arsnic-laced
>dust" is in all probability not very likely. One thread also points out
>that "it's just conjecture at this point." But it is something that we
all
>should be aware of while working in cemeteries. Below are three
paragraphs
>from the archives:
>
>----- Original Message -----
>I am the person (Andrea D. MacDonald "Andi" ) who recently mentioned this
>online. It was an issue about a year ago and someone sent me a photocopy
of
>an article. The article relates that arsenic airborne in dirt
when
digging
>in cemeteries is the most hazardous way to "consume"
it. I have spoken
with
>a doctor and with a Government Safety and Health Expert and both
have
told
>me that no studies have been done--that it's just conjecture
at this
point.
>I personally had a concern because arsenic is a heavy metal and
about a
>year ago I started suffering from numbness of the skin just below the
knee
>and then the big toe, same leg, started having tingling
sensations
>(numbness). The doctor said that only one thing he knew of could cause
>isolated numbness like that--normally the numbness is in the entire
>extremity, not just surface skin in a patch--and that was heavy metal
>poisoning. They did a several day urine collection to diagnose any heavy
>metal poisoning and ruled out arsenic. I was relieved. But, it is always
>with me that arsenic is a danger, as are other chemicals, and we should
be
>cautious when around them. The Safety and Health Expert took a
sample of
>the dirt from the cemetery he was involved with for the government and
they
>found the heavy metals well within the range of safe levels
(there is
>always a trace of metals of some sort). -------------- Andrea D.
MacDonald
>"Andi"
>
>----- Original Message -----
>Arsenic was used as a major embalming agent, devised during the Civil War
>and continued until about 1910. While the remains may decompose, Arsenic
>never degrades. In the heavy metals group, Arsenic will "travel" in the
>ground. Arsenic tainted wells within a 1/4 mile of historic cemeteries in
>the mid-West have been found and documented. The Arsenic stays in the
>ground, travels into the ground water and Arsenic kills. You can ingest
it
>by skin contact, through breathing Arsenic-laced dust and by
drinking
>Arsenic-tainted water. ]
>
>From the time of the Civil War until about 1910 (at least that year in
>California), the morticians used anywhere from 3 ounces to 12 pounds of
>arsenic to embalm with. It was the best preservative method devised to
keep
>the soldiers corpses in condition to be shipped home for burial
during
the
>war. The use continued and now, it seems, at least in the
mid-west, wells
>near old cemeteries are being found to have been contaminated by the
>arsenic. While eventually the human remains did decompose, arsenic is a
>heavy metal and does not degrade. It does "move" through the earth with
>erosion and does get into ground water. -------------- Sue Silver CA
>
>I would react to this in two ways. First, I would not drink well water
>from near a cemetery, and second, If I were working on a cemetery where
>severe erosion may have exposed the lower levels of soil I may consider
>having the soil tested.
>
>Ernie
>
>
>==== INPCRP Mailing List ====
>Cemetery: (n) A marble orchard not to be taken for granite.
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