A supplementary report on the results of a special inquiry into the practice of interment in towns.

Chadwick

• Publisher: Science & Technology Publishing
• Year: 2025
• eBook ISBN: 9782528114322
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: British History

A Supplementary Report on the Results of a Special Inquiry into the Practice of Interment in Towns is a comprehensive and detailed governmental document originally published in the mid-19th century as part of the British public health movement. This report, authored by Edwin Chadwick and his colleagues, serves as an extension to earlier investigations into the sanitary conditions of urban burial practices. It meticulously examines the widespread custom of burying the dead within densely populated towns and cities, highlighting the significant public health risks associated with such practices, including the spread of disease, contamination of water supplies, and the general degradation of urban environments. Drawing on a wealth of evidence, including testimonies from medical professionals, local officials, and cemetery workers, the report presents a thorough analysis of the physical, social, and moral consequences of urban interment. It documents the overcrowding of churchyards, the improper management of burial grounds, and the distressing conditions faced by both the living and the dead in rapidly growing industrial cities. The report also explores the psychological and cultural impacts of burial practices on urban populations, emphasizing the need for reform and the establishment of new, sanitary cemeteries outside city limits. Rich in historical detail and supported by statistical data, case studies, and firsthand observations, A Supplementary Report on the Results of a Special Inquiry into the Practice of Interment in Towns played a pivotal role in shaping public health policy and urban planning in Victorian Britain. It contributed to the eventual passage of legislation regulating burials and the creation of garden cemeteries, which transformed the landscape of British cities and improved the health and well-being of their inhabitants. This document remains a vital resource for historians, public health professionals, and anyone interested in the intersection of urban development, social reform, and the management of death in the modern era.

Table of contents

• A SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT ON THE RESULTS OF A SPECIAL INQUIRY INTO THE PRACTICE OF INTERMENT IN TOWNS. MADE AT THE REQUEST OF HER MAJESTY’S PRINCIPAL SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT,
• CONTENTS.
• APPENDIX.
• INTERMENTS IN TOWNS.
• APPENDIX.
• TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES