The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-03-30
Chapter 315.

Cnapuer $40.
Az ACT for the promotion of Medical Educa.
ton and the prevention of unauthorized
uses OF and traffic In Dead Human Bodies.
SECT. /. The professors of anatomy, the
professors OF surgery, and the 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 tor
the collection, distribution, and delivery OF
dead human bodies hereinafter described, to
and among such persons as under the provi-
ssions of this act are entitled thereto. The pro-
Sfessor of anatomy in the Medical School of
Maine shall call a meeting of said board for
organization at a time and place to be fixed by
him within thirty days after the passage of
this 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 the same are distributed, which min
utes and records shall be open ut all times to
the inspection of each member of said board,
the 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 of any and every aims
house, prison, morgue, hospital, or any other
public Institution having charge or control
over dead human bodies, provided the de-
ceased was at least fifteen years of age, are
hereby required to notify Immediately the
said board of distribution, or such person OF
persons as may from time to time be designat-
ed by said board, or its 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 or next of kin of
the deceased, and SHALL if the body is not
claimed, without fee or reward, forthwith de-
liver such body or bodies to said board, or its
duly authorized officer OF agent, and permit
and suffer the said board or its agents, or the
physicians and surgeons from time to time des-
ignated by 1t 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 no notice need be given and no such body
shall be delivered, If any person, satisfying
the authorities in charge of said body that he
or she is a member Of the family Of or next
of kin, or fraternal beneficiary Organizations
to which the deceased may belong, shall claim
the body for burial, but it shall be surrendered
to him or her for interment OF buried at public
expense and no notice shall be given and no
body delivered to said board or it's agents, II
such deceased person was o traveller and not a
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, so
delivered as aforesaid, and shall upon receiy-
decease distribute and deliver them to or
among the schools, physicians and surgeons
aforesaid in the following manner: Those
schools needing bodies for lectures and DEM
onstrations shall first be supplied as fast as
practicable, the number assigned to each to be
based upon the number of students in actual
to the board at such times as it 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. 4. The said board may employ car
yier or carriers for the conveyance of said
bodies, and the said bodies shall be well in
closed within suitable encasement, and care
fully deposited free from public observation.
Said carrier shall obtain receipts by name, or,
deceased n,
for each body delivered by him, which receipt
shall state the source from which said body
was received, and shall deposit said receipts
with the secretary of said board.
SECT. 3. No school, physician or surgeon
shall 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 a justice of a court of record in
and for the county in which such physician or
surgeon resides, or in which such school is sit
uated, which bond shall be in the penal sum of
one thousand dollars, conditioned that all such
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 ex-
amined annually in the 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
snail 1OrLnW1bn HE a new DOnQ as nere1nD6
fore provided; and whatsoever shall sell or
buy such body Or bodies, or in any way traffic
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 fine not exceeding two hundred dollars, or
to be imprisoned Tor q term not exceeding one
year.
SECT. 6. 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 all 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.
30. SECT. Z. 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
five hundred dollars for each offense.
SECT. g.. Sections two, three, four, five, six,
seven and eight of chapter thirteen. revised
statutes, are hereby repealed.
SECT, 8. This act shall take effect when ap-
proved. lApproved Mar. III
e. Chapter 316.
AN ACT to enforce the payment OF State and
County Taxes on Timber and Grass or re-