Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-06-18
At the New York Morgue.

Inc mOrgue proper Is large DrlcK room
with stone floor. It has no furniture Of
any description. save six granite slabs,
eight feet long each, raised on four iron
posts to a height Of four feet. These
slabs are slightly inclined toward the foot
and have groove running along the outer
edges. About two feet above the head of
each slab spray Of water from hanging
jet sprinkles the entire slab. On these
slabs the remains Of the unknown dead
are placed, and the spray of water is allow
ed to sprinkle the body. running off in
cutters at the sides. The NOR que is kept
cool, and the bodies are held for identifi-
cation as long as the weather wili permit.
Next to the morgue proper is room OF
equal size with several smaller slabs. This
room is used for coroner's inquests, for
post-mortem examinations. dissecting and
embalmlng. Very many of the cases
which come to Bellevue hospital are in
such an advanced stage that the patient
dies before full understanding of the
case has been gained. Under these cir
| cumstances the coroner orders an inquest
to ascertain the cause Of the death, and
| the hospital physicians further examine
to acquaint themselves with the disease.
The room is frequently used by medical
students for dissectlng, the subjects
being furnished them from the dead
house, according to the law Of the State.
The second story of the morgue is oc-
| cupled by the Wood Anatomical Museum
where may be seen many human curiosi-
ties and montrosities. Every peculiar
case that has come to Bellevue for treat
/ ment has been preserved for the museum.
Either in the original or casts Of the orig
inal are shown the steps of the develop
ment of all the complicated diseases which
have undergone treatment there. Before
| the bodies are removed to the dead-house
| they are photographed and the negative
| preserved for friends, should any ever ap-
| pear. There is gallery of these pictures
numbering over six hundred. 1t is q
| CHASTITY collection. The dull, expression
less eyes and distorted featuses, the dis
hevelled hair and bruised skin unite in
producing horrible effect.
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 accurately noted and
peculiarities of dress or person are care
fully recorded in book kept for chat pur-
pose. The clothing is removed from each
body and is kept for three months, togeth.
or with whatever was found upon the
person of the deceased. These bundles OF
clothes, with perhaps a ring or watch,
have often served to identify the owner
long sfter the remains haYee s hee2 buried.
The officers in charge of the morgae
are required to keep an accurate account
of the age, weight, color, sex, nationality
and general description of everybody that
come 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 utmost care is exercised in
all details, and the authorities in charge
have long experience in their peculiar
duties, Friends looking for missing per-
sons are cautiously received and assisted
in every way to identify the lost.