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5 Interesting Facts About Cremation

5 Interesting Facts About CremationOnly a quarter century ago, cremation was still looked upon as a taboo subject, and shouldn’t be considered when making a determination on a loved one’s final resting place. At that time, approximately only 17 percent of those families opted for this process.

A full generation later, that opinion continues to change dramatically with each passing year. In the past few years, the facts show that this option is selected by nearly half of the families involved and continues to grow each year.

This method has surged in popularity, so listed below are five items that will shed a new light on some aspects of the process:

Not So Child-Like

Children for ages have created a short game out of the classic nursery rhyme, “Ring Around the Rosy.” However, its origins stem from the aftermath of the dreaded Black Plague, which devastated Europe during the 14th Century. The early lines of the rhyme deal with the infection and supposed ways to ward off contracting it. However, the last line (“Ashes, ashes, we all fall down”) are related to the massive cremations that took place in the midst of this tragedy.

Keystone Beginnings

It wasn’t until 1876 that the first official crematory was built in the United States, by Dr. Julius LeMoyne in Washington, Pennsylvania. Just three years earlier, the first chamber had been created in Italy, although Romans had long before stored remains during the days of their Empire. It would be another eight years before the next crematory would open, this one also being built in Pennsylvania at Lancaster.

Important Removals

Prior to the start of any activity, any Pacemakers or implants in the deceased need to be removed. That’s because the Pacemakers have lithium batteries inside of them, which explode under intense heat and could cause major damage to the chamber. With regard to implants, not removing them before the process will result in the implants sticking to what’s known as the cremains.

Heat, Not Flames

Many people assume that this process focuses on flames engulfing the casket or container. However, the modern version focuses on the intense heat within the chamber, which reaches up to 2,000 degrees. This results in the ashes or cremains, though any remaining bone fragments are pressed into a fine powder.

Not Everything Burns

During this process, the body will be converted into ashes, but many items inside a body may not. These include gold teeth fillings, metal plates, screws or prostheses, and in some cases, surgical scissors. Before the ashes are removed, these items are collected by using an electromagnet, and are later disposed in the proper manner.

Lone Star Cremation is aware of these facts and many more, and has the experience to make sure that each cremation they handle is performed with the utmost sensitivity and respect for the deceased. So if a need arises in the future, Lone Star Cremation is ready to assist.

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