Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-02-02
MORGuE.
The Care of ths UnknOwn Dead
System Parsued at the New York
MOrgue-What Becomes of Unfdem.
titled Bodies.

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The Care of the UnknOwn Dead
System Parsued at h New York
MOPgue-What Becomes of Unidem.
tined Bodies
Memphis badly needs q morgue, where
the unknown dead found in the river
and other places could be displayed so
that every facility may be afforded to
identify a missing relative or friend.
Paris, France, has had morgues since
the seventeenth century. Nes York
has had a norge since 1866, and it is
conducted in the following manner:
AS soon as a body is taken to the NOR
que q full account Of how it was dis.
covered, at what time aud place, and all
the particulars regarding the appearance
of the body and its surroundings, every
portion of the clothing and the peculiari.
ties noticed, is carefully placed upon the
record book In all cases where the
death evidently has been caused by vio-
lence or the u is not known, notice
Is sent 10 the c~oroners Office, and in case
a crime has been committed the facts are
laid before the police. The main room
is arranged to enable those en~deaVoring
to identity a corpse to do so with as little
discomfort and annoyance as possible.
After the body has been laid upon a
marble slab, the head ia propped uu
and the features made to appear as
natural as possible. In the colder
months a body can be preserved for a
long time, if necessary, without material
changes from decomposition. In the
hot weather this is more difficult, and a
series Of jets has been 30 arranged that
water from q tank can be constantly
showered over those portions Of
the body that are most susceptible to
changes. Although visitors cannot
touch the bodies, as the portion of the
Dom whore they lie is surrounded by a
plate-glass screen, they can closely scru.
tinizs every part of the remains, and
easily distinguish any peculiar mark.
The clothing is hung in another apart.
ment, the articles being carefully ticket
ed With q number corresponding 10 that
attached to the body. This clothing is
preserved agar unless sooner identified,
aud then, if it is not ct for any use, it Is
destroyed. The ornaments and valus.
BILE articles found upon the dead are also
carefully preserved, and If no claimant
appears, they are turned over to the city,
When it is no longer proper 10 keep the
bodies exposed they are sent to Hsrt's
Island and inferred. A careful record
is kept of the exact place and the mum.
Der At the head Of each grave, that if the
clothing or ether property should be
identified OF a future time, the body can
be removed if desired to another burial
ground. Photographs also are taken of
ell the bodies that are received, and thus
the history Of the dead person can be
obtained, even if many years should
elapse between the finding Of the body
and the time Of identification.
The photographs that are taken of the
dead when brought 10 the morgue are
roughly arranged in q Ease at the right
OF the main entrance from Twenty-s sixth
street. la the great majority OF cases
excellent likenesses have been secured,
and this has proved a greater help to the
Identification Of persons than any other
The greater part OF the suicides by
drowning have been by foreigners. In
many cases the dead persons bad made
few friends In this city. Their sudden
disappearance was noticed and com.
mented upon, but there was nobody who
had suticientiDterest in the missing per.
sons to make inquiries. In such cases
the body is buried in Potter's Field, and
only the records Of the morgue furnish a
clew to the missing person. In some
few cases, after a lapse Of several
years, relatives have come to this
city to obtain facts concerning the dis
appearance, and the fact and date of
death have been arrived at by the iden.
LITIGATION Of a photograph taken long
before, when the body was brought to
the morgue. The fate of q clergyman
who died suddenly in this city, and
whose body was taken To the morgue,
was cleared up and the body restored to
bis family several months after his
death through the recognition Of a slip
Of paper. preserved with au old pocket
book that had been found upon his per.
son. Several persons have also been
identified many months after burial by
peculiar marks that had been carefully
recorded on the books OF the morgue.
Every scrap of paper and oil other arti-
Giles that might give the desired clews
are systematically preserved, so that
they can be referred to at any time.