Smyrna times., 1886-03-17
AT THE NEW YORK noRGUE.

The morgue proper is a large brick
room with stone floor. It has no fur
niture of any description, save six
granite slabs, eight feet long each, raised
on four iron posts to height of four
feet These slabs are slightly inclined
toward the foot, and have a groove run
ming along the outer edges. About two
feet above the head of each slab spray
OF water from a hanging jet sprinkles
the entire slab. On these slabs the
remains of the unknown dead are placed,
and the spray of water is allowed to
sprinkle the body, running off in cutters
at the sides. The morgue is kept COOL
and the bodies are held for identifi-
cation as long as the weather will per-
NIT Next to the morgue proper is a
room of equal size with several smaller
slabs. This room is used for coroner's
lnquests, tor post-mOrtem examinations,
dissecting and embalming. Very many
Of the cases which come to Bellevue
hospital are in such an advanced stage
that the patient dies before a full un-
derstanding of the case has been gained.
Under these circumstances the coroner
orders an inquest to ascertain the cause
OF the death, and the hospital physi-
clans further examine to acquaint them
selves with the disease. The room is
frequently used by medical students
for dissecting, the subjects being fur
nIshed them from the dead-house, ac-
cording to the law of the state.
The second story of the morgue is
occupied by the Wood Anatomical
museum, where may be seen many
human curiOsities and monstrosities.
Every peculiar case that has come to
Bellevue for treatment has been pre-
served for the museum. Either in the
original OF casts of the original are
shown the steps of the development of
all the complicated diseases which have
undergone treatment there. Before the
bodies are removed to the dead-house
tn " are photographed and the negative
preserved for friends, should any ever
appear. There is a gallery of these
pictures numbering over six hundred.
1t is a CHASTITY collection The dull,
eXpressionless eyes and distorted feat
u"rs, the dishevelled hair and bruised
skin unite in producing q horrible eff
feet.
This system of photographing the un-
known dead is the invention of the pres
ent superintendent of Bellevue hospital
and has proved invaluable to friends
who, after the lapse of months, have
been able to recognize the likeness. In
addition to this the clothing is accurate
ly noted and peculiarities of dress or
person are carefully recorded in book
kept for that purpose. The clothing is
removed from each body and is kept
for three months together with what
ever was found upon the person of the
deceased. These bundles of clothes,
with perhaps ring or watch, have often
served to identify the owner long after
the remains have been buried.
The officers in charge of the morgue
are required to keep an accurate account
of the age, weight, color, sex, nation
ality and general description of every
body that comes to the morgue. The
data is kept in the morgue book. Here
can be seen a record of every unknown
person who has died in New York for
more than twenty-five years. The ut
most care is exercised in all details, and
the authorities in charge have had long
experience in their peculiar duties.
Friends looking for missing persons are
courteOusly received and assisted in
every way to identify the lost.