The Somerset reporter., 1897-04-01
CHAPTER s1b.


Approved Mar. 20
Chapter 51B.
An ACT for tho promotion of Medical Educa.
ton and the prevention Of nnaq u6Sds
sgcT. /. The professors of anatomy, tho
professors of surgery, aud tho demonstrators
Of anatomy in the medical schools of this
state, which are now or may hereafter be-
come incorporated by act of the legislature,
shall be and are hereby constituted board for
the collection, distribution, and delivery OF
dead human bodies hereinafter described, to
snd among such persons as under the proyi-
sions OF this act are entitled thereto. The pro
lessor Of anatomy In tho Medical School of
Maine shall call n meeting OF said board Tor
organization at time and place TO be fixed by
him within thirty days after The passage of
ths act The said board shall have full power
to establish rules and regulations for Its gov
eminent, and TO appoint and remove officers,
and shall keep full and complete minutes OF Its
transactions, and record shall also be kept I'M
der Its direction OF all bodies received and
distributed by said board and OF the persons
TO whom tho same are distributed, which min
utes and records shall be open ut all times to
the inspection of each member OF said board,
she attorney general and the county attorney
OF any county within this state
SECT 2. All public officers, agents, and ser
wants of any and every county, city, town, ana
other municipality, and ofany and every aims
house, prison, morgue, hospital or any other
public institution having charge or control
over dead human bodies, provided tho de-
ceased was at least fifteen years or age, are
hereby required to notify Immediately the
said board of distribution, or such person or
persons as may from time to time be des1gnat-
ed by said board, or It's duly authorized officer
or agent, whenever any such body or bodies
come into his or their possession, charge, or
control, and shall Immediately notify any
known member of the family OF next OF kin OF
the deceased, and shall, II the body Is not
claimed, without fee or reward, forthwith de-
liver such body or bodies to said board, or Its
duly authorized Officer or agent, and permit
and suffer the said board or its agents, or the
physicians and surgeons from time to time des-
ignated by ii Or them, who comply with the
provisions of this act, TO take and remove any
and all such bodies to be used within this state
for the advancement of medical education;
but pc notice need be given and no such body
shall be delivered, II any person, satissfyinng
the authorities In charge Of said body That ne
or she Is a member OF the family of or next
of kin, or fraternal beneficiary organizations
10 which the deceased may belong, shall claim
the body for burial, but Ii shall be surrendered
to him or her for interment OF buried nj public
expense and no notice shall be given and no
body delivered to said board or its agents, II
such deceased person was traveller and not
vagabond, who died suddenly, or had been
resident Of said town or city ten or more years.
SECT 8. Said board or its duly authorized
agent may take and receive such bodies, 80
delivered as aforesaid, and shall upon receiv.
ing them after seven days from the date OF
decease distribute and deliver them to or
Aforesaid ii In ' the following manner Those
schools needing bodies for lectures and dem
constructions shall first be supplied a. fast as
practicable, the number assigned TO each to be
based upon the number OF students in actual
attendance, which number shall be returned
TO tho board at such times as 1t shall direct
The board of distribution may from time to
time designate physicians or surgeons who
shall receive said bodies, applications to be
considered in the order OF their receipt by
said board.
SECT. L. The said board may employ car
Fter or carriers for the conveyance OF said
bodies, and the said bodies shall be well In
closed within a suitable encasement, and care
fully deposited free from public observation.
Said carrier shall obtain receipts by name, or,
II tho deceased Ia unknown, by description,
for each body delivered by him, which receipt
shall stats the source from which said body
was received, and shall deposit said receipts
with the secretary of said board.
SECT. 5. No school, physician Or surgeon
shah be allowed or permitted to receive any
such body or bodies until bond shall be given
TO the state treasurer by such physician or sur
geon, or by and in behalf of such school, TO be
approved by justice OF court OF record In
and for the county in which such physician or
surgeon resides, or In which such school Is SIT
usted, which bond shall be In the penal sum of
one thousand dollars, conditioned that all such
bodies which the said physician or surgeon,
or the said school shall receive thereafter shall
be used only for the promotion Of medical ed
ucation within the state, and, when no longer
needed for such educational purposes, shall be
decently buried, which said bond shall be OK
amined annually In tho month OF December,
by the state treasurer, and he shall certify In
writing upon each bond in his possession, his
approval of the same, and in case any bond is
not SO approved by him he shall Immediately
notify the party giving the said bond, who
shall forthwith file a new bond as heretnbe-
fore provided; and whosoever shall sell or
buy such body or bodies or in any way trafffc
in the same, or shall transmit or convey, or
cause to procure to be transmitted or con-
veyed said body or bodies to any place outside
of this state shall be deemed guilty Of mis-
demeanor, and shall, on conviction, be liable
to fne not exceeding two hundred dollars, or
20 be imprisoned for a term not exceeding one
year.
SECT. g. Neither the state nor any county or
municipality, nor any officer, agent or servant
thereof, shall be at any expense by reason of
the delivery or distribution of any such body,
but oil the expenses thereof, and OF said board
of distribution, shall be paid by those receiv
ing the bodies, in such manner as shall be
specified by said board OF distribution.
SECr. 7. Any person having duties enjoined
upon him by the provisions of this act, who
shall neglect refuse, or omit to perform the
same as required by the provisions OF this
act shall, on conviction thereof, be liable to
fine OF not less than one hundred or more than
i've hundred dollars for each offense.
SECT. 8. Sections two, three, four, Ave, six,
seven and eight OF chapter thirteen, revised
statutes, are hereby repealed.
SECT. 8. This act shall take effect when ap-
proved. (Approved Mar 81