Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-10
THE UNKNOWN DEAD.
Distribution of Bodies to Medical COL
leges to BE Made Soon.
THIRTY COLLECTED IN THE YEAR.
How the Anatomical Society Saves the City
From Expense.
ALL DONE FOR THE GOOD OF SCIENCE

The Anatomical Society is about to make
the annual division of the unclaimed dead
which have accumulated during the sum-
mer months, to the three medical colleges
of the State. The law which was passed in
1884 provides that all unclaimed bodies,
coming from any source, shall be given
over to the University Of Pennsylvania
Medical Department, Jefferson Medical
College and the Western Pennsylvania
Medical College In equal numbers for the
advancement Of science. The anatomical
societies have doctor representing them
10 each district who sees that all the un-
claimed dead are taken to the institutions
where they have means of preserving the
bodies by a piekliug process
common carrier is employed by the
society for the removal of the bodies from
the public institutions. In this city the
Department of Public Charities telephone
the carrier, who is Henry Meyers, when a
death occurs and the body is unclaimed for
48 hours. He Immediately comes with a
coffin and hearse and removes the body to
the West Pennsylvania Medical College.
The physicians then inject a solution of
in large vat. provided for the purpose,
filled with saturate solution of brine. 1t is
kept there until the opening of the colleges
in the fall, when reports are received as to
how many bodies they have on hand.
How the Bodies Are shipped.
If it is necessary to ship any Of the bodies
another injection is made with mixture of
arsenite of soda, plaster of paris, earmine
and water. This material hardens in the
veins and makes the body as desirable for
dissecting and lecturing purposes as If 1t
had life. All the veins, arteries and mus
cles are we'll filled, and can be as readily
distinguished as in life A distribution is
then made SO that each college will have an
equal number. The Eastern colleges usually
collect more than the West Pennsylvania,
but frequently, when the death rate is high
at the Poor Farm, the college here has to
ship bodies East, The average number of
bodies on hand in Pittsburg at the begin
ming of the fall is 80
The Anatomical Society and the law
relating to the disposition of unclaimed
dead is q great saving to the city, said
Chief Elliot, of the Department of Public
Charities. Before their advent the city
had to go to the expense of burying all the
unclaimed dead, and can tell you it was no
small amount. Now, all we have to do is to
telephone to the societies carrier and he
comes and takes the body away without any
further expense to US, but to the great
benefit of science. Some of the property
which we sold some months ago to the
Carnegie Company was the Poor Farm grave
yard. or course the Carnegies wished to
build upon it and we were bound to remove
the bodies that were buried there. 1t was
no small or pleasant undertaking, as there
were over /, 400 bodies lying in the cemetery.
The Carnegies furnished the labor and dis
lnfectants, thus saving the city considerable
money.
Great Danger From Poisoning.
"We needed larg force of men as they
could work only three hours at a time. 1t |
was a horrible piece of work. All the |
workers had to wear rubber gloves and |
boots and then be careful not to get poi |
soned. Carloads of disinfectants were used, |
and even then it was most pleasant place |
10 be away from. We do not require any |
now and an event of the kind |
will never again take place"
Dr. Thomas McCann says: "We pay |
from $40 to SIS for dead bodies and treat |
hem with as much respect as possible. 1t |
Is absolutely necessary to have bodies to |
operate upon in the colleges and before
his law was passed body snatching was a |
frequent occurrence. There is no more
night prowling about the graveyards by |
medical students, and body snatching is al |
most unknown. We receive most of our
bodies from the poor farms, jails and peni-
and always remove them in clean
,ofins. defraying all expenses attending
heir removal"
A great many of the hospitals bury all
heir unclaimed dead. Superintendent
Jowen, of the West Penn, said: "We found
hat the expense of the burial of unclaimed
persons was but small item, so we have
,een doing it for years There was time
vhen we gave bodies to the colleges. We
lad case where we sent man to an East
I'm college, and after three months his
riends came to get the body. We were
'laced in very peculiar position, as it was
impossible for us to produce it. 1t had
een used in the dissecting room. After
his we thought it advisable to take no
nore risks, and purchased plot of ground
q the Allegheny Cemetery, where we inter
II Of our unclaimed dead"
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