The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-25
DISPOSAL OF BODIES
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT RENDERS Az
OPINION TO DIR. EDENHARTER.
u.aer Certain Conditions Must De-
liver Bodies on Application of a
Medical College.

DIR Edeuharter, superintendent of the
Central Hospital for the Insane, asked AT
torney-general Ketcham for an opinion as
to his duty in the disposal of the bodies OF
patients who die in the institution inc AT
torney-general says that the intent or the
law governing this matter Is rather TO pre-
vent such thing than to permit the sur
render of bodies for dissection. The opinion
sets forth the law and concludes with the
Latin phrase which indicates that If the
sllperintendent should deliver the body UNI
der the restrictions for purposes or scien-
tific investigation. he would think more
fayorably of him than if he did not. The
text of the opinion continues:
1.-The wishes of the deceased and the
rights Of the next of kin to the uttermost
generation seems to be religiously protected
by the act. The next of KIM as used in the
act, Section 56l5, includes the surviving nus
band or wife, father or mother, son OF
daughter, and any relative Withln the slAtH
degree of consanguinity. In order to eIeclu-
ally protect the rights of the parties the
act Section $685. provides that in the m
stitution a record shall be kept IN Wh-cH
there shall be entered, on the day of the
reception of the body, the name, sex ana
age of the person received, together VIII
the place of residence and birth; the name
band or wife, if any. and brothers and Sis
ters if any, and the date ana cause Q,
death if they died in the insu g,an sh han
be delivered to a medical college II sucn
record affords proof or probable reason TO
within the United States. except upon the
neglect or refusal of next of kin, AFTER que
burial of the body; but the body shall be
decently inferred subject to the lawiul
rights or claims of the next OF kin herein
before described This means. that IL there
is anybody within the United States within
the sixth degree of consanguinity there
shall be no delivery for dissection purposes
until search shall have been made for and
the next of kin found, and a notice served
upon them to ascertain whether 1t IS thesr
wish to take the body and pay for the
burial of it.
This is by no means all as condition
precedent for the delivery of the body of a
| person dying under your jurisdiction; They
| must have died in the hospital and their
bodies must have remained ~ unca ha i i3 ip
! addition to and not in substitution OF what
/ has been heretofore said.
| 1.-THE patient must have died without
| property so that otherwise he must De
| buried at the public expense. the pauent
| must have died without expressing WISH
| to be buried. If all of these requisites are
| satisfactorily fulfilled, then, in the event OF
| written application for the body pelne
| made by the faculty other proper au-
| thoritv of a duly incorporated and reputable
| medical college or Incorporated nedIcal as
sociation within the State, 1T would be your
| dutv 10 deliver the body, and in the event
| that two or more of such associations
should have made application TO you e tns
| delivery must he to the association mrs
| making the application. but the apnhcatlof
| must have been made before or within ter
| fHyS after the 1nternnetlt II the ocds u
| nernoittad to be in the ground for ten dav!
| the college can only get it by TUG process o
resurrection. At the time of delivering RI
| body il is made your duty to take receip
frorn the associa ton. describing carefully
the name. age and sex Of the deceased IN
| Mace date and cause of death, and thi
| receint ia TO he preserved and recorded in
hook which is required to be kept by yo
| for that purpose. to the end fsat. IN tn
| event the remains are demanded by an
rIative or friend even. the body must b
| returned if it is claimed within twentv
| FOUR honrs after YOU have delivered 1t owe
| To the medical collepe. IF. with all these re
| strictions YOU can find chance. in the IN
| terest of science. to deliver q body Tor d's
section PURPOSES baud equidem imvide
| mirror ma gis."