BOILING DOWN THE DEAD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16981, 18 April 1917, Page 5

BOILING DOWN THE DEAD.

A GRUESOME OCCUPATION. Australian and N.Z. -Cable AssociationLONDON, April 17. (Received April 17, at 11.20 p.m.) The Independence Beige states that a Oernian offal recovery company, with a dividend-earnmg capital of £250,000 has been established at St. Vith, near the Belgian frontier, i n a thick forest. Train loads of naked corpses from, the west front arrive daily. The factory hands, wearing oilskins and masks, and armed with lonsr hooked- poles, push the corpses on to an endless chain which picks them up with big hooks. The chain carries tlie bodies to a compartment where they are disinfected, steamed, and dried. Finally they are automatically detached from the chain, and dropped into a great ca-uldron, where they are treated with steam while slowlv stirred by machinery. The process—which occupies eight honrs —results in the production of stearin e tallow. The oil of the latter is redistilled at a separate oil refinery. The refined oil is of a yellowish brown colour and is packed in small casks like petroleum. Portion of 2r l ? )y ' products ane sent io soa P makers _ The factory is thoroughly scientific, and is fitted with the latest appliances and electric machinery. It employs two chemists and 80 men, who are closely guarded and not allowed to leave the works.