The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-15
THE NEED OF BETTER MoRoUE.
The Bellevue Dead House Inadequate, Of
fenslve, and DnnEeronn to Health.


Tho recent surprisingly cool weather de-
layed serious discussion in the Board o.
Charities and Correction regarding the con.
dillon OF the MorRue. Every summer during
the past i've or six years this question has
arisen in the Board. and each time 1t has re.
ceived earnest attention, without, however
being brought any nearer settlement 1t if
generally admitted that the present arrange
ments for the keeping OF the city's unidenti.
fled dead are altogether Inadequate. Under
the present system the MorGue is a very disa-
Rreeablo place for the average citizen to stray
into, and is n source OF ANNOYANCE and danger
to health TO some OF the persons compelled 10
pass much OF their limo in Its vicinity. Three
years ago the MorGue was in even worse con-
dItion. for It was then situated wholly within
the hospital grounds OF Bellevue, and tho &C
commodations were altogether insufficient.
Bodies had to DO disposed OF wherever there
was any spnce, and great deal Of confusion
was tho result. The situation finally became
SO intolerable that tho Commissioners OF Char
tiles and Correction remodeled and added TO
the structure. making 1t what 1t now is.
The Morgue still occupies a corner OF the
Bellevue Hospital grounds at the foot Of East
Twenty-sixth street. 1t is built OF sheet iron,
floored with asphalt and contains two small
ofllces for the records, room for the bodies, u
small ante room for their examination, and an
autopsy room. The bodies are all kept in cof-
iln-shaped. implanted Pine boxes. Usually the
covers OF these arc unlastened, 30 that visitors
may readily see tho bodies. The room in
which they are kept, although large, is some
times not large enough 1t Is not unusual TO
see rows of boxes piled up three high. These
boxes are kept on tables. SO that they can be
more conveniently got at The means of VEN
tt1t, N.tH-
lows and doors, and as the house IS
built out on the water, there Is constant
change Of mir; nevertheless the atmosphole IS
There Is scarcely II day that does not BRING
score OF citizens to the Morsue. Most OF the
visitors are women, anu MANY OF them are In
deicnte health. 1t has not infrequently hap
pene6 that they have been overcome by the
odors ofthe place. and have had TO pe carried
year the census Of the Morgue Is ut its highest
point and the condition Of the air is at It's
topmost mark. Keeper Whites assistant. 90
Fogarty; died last year from consumption 81 t on
Of the MorEu cav Warden FalIon Won't go into
the place. aud Capt. Donovan looks upon his
occasional compulsory visits as one OF the
In the Training School for Nurses are seriously
disturbed by their proximity TO the hlorgue.
The Deputy Coroners, who havo to visit the
dead house frequently. and who sometimes
have to perform autopsies there are oqtspoken
in their condemnation. The Commissioners
and n the eI Board Of Medical Advisers prSctiSay
comedies with them. Tho blame is made to
mate and Apportion1nent, which has steadily
refused to grant q sufficient sum to the Board
Of Charities and Correction to erect MorGue
When the reporter visited the. MorGue re-
Gently there were TWENTY-FIVE bodies there.
speaking. belonged in n Morgue. They were
the only unidentified bodies In the lot. The
others were bodies OF charity patients from the
n "
to Potter's Field. while others were being held
at the request Of frends T who had promised i to
little tiles Specimen rs that looked doil-iEe and an;
aoSr and was the door esdne
to the water on the north. The fetid air
poured out upon the hospital lawn on oue
and the doctors from the tennis grounds. and
compelling the young women In the Training
door the air escaped out over the water. Offend
ing the passengers on passing steamboats, and
the crews OF the pretty steam yachts that IND
an anchorage O short distance out beyond the
Commissioner Sheehy said to the reporter:
Morgue e and fully admit that at present the
arrangements are very bad; have suggested
plans for changes which think P vii XII ameiorah,e
only proper way to keep bodies In this weather
Is by the use OF ice. suggested that vault be
The collins should be on rollers so that they
could be easily showed in and out put, on the outer
OF tho body inside. If visitor thinks the de-
scription answers that OF the body Tor which
he is searching, then the coffin can be rolled
Should be an improved refrigerator with ar.
Commissioner simmons who has been on
the Board for great many years. said that a
dq the TG%H Of 9o Gard 81
mate and ApDortionment: He said; e." We
have long been DESTROYS OF building Morgue
Into the water and further from the buildings
on the grounds. We want to put up o Morgue
te9 cost at
been unable to secure it. 1t is absolutely
essential, in order to secure good results; that
se paretad. The bodies of the unidentified
dead must be kept in q separate building.
e eve % day now but in very hot Weather H
1t takes only about two hours for decomposi-
tion to set In. In order to keen bodies it will
be necessary either to freeze or embalm each |
one Otherwise In q very short time they be-
come unrecoRnizable As soon as We can get
When VIII they cut down our estimate OF absolutely
necessary repairs to $4,000 you can see that |
We are not in position to talk about expen-
-Four years ago the Commissioners talked |
Iavorably Of a resolution to build Il Morgue |
sionera Sheehy and Simmons. 1t was under
stood that the resolution would be passed as
aid on n the he table with that understanding and
d is there vet. A similar resolution introduced |
before tho Medical Board of Bellevue met with |
4 similar fate
Deputy Coroner Jenkins denounced the pres
snt Morgue, and said it was q disgrace to tho |
,ity. Iced air. no said. should be Introduced |
~ once. In Paris tho methods OF keeping the |
1odies are far advanced beyond ours. Each |
body is placed In box with a little glass win
low in II revealing tho face. The clothes arc |
.emoYed and placed on the box. while sheet |
s wrapped around tho body The box is placed |
UPRIGHT so that the head is on level with that |
II the visitor Iced air circulates through tho |
DOM. and little stream Of iced water flows |
,ver the body. starting at the top OF the head.
Il 1t Is necessary for purposes OF Identification |
lone.