The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-30
NEW MoRoUE TO EXCEL PARIs's.
nut Not 20 Bo . show Place for the Morbid
To Have q Chapel


II 10 expected that within q short time work
will DO begun on tho new city morgue. The
specifications have not yet been made. but the
plans for the new building were submitted TO
The Commissioned Of Charities on Wednesday,
and Professionally approved by them. The
new morgue will DO built on piles Ia the East
River. at the foot Of twenty aixth street. The
exact position 10 not yet II WIN be
raised TO q considerable height above the river
90 40 to admit Of n free drauRht Of air under
meath.
The morgue viii, DO o one-story structure.
and will have attached a CHI pei and q museum.
vhere pathological specimens Will be preserved.
The morgus proper will consist Of a largo cir
cular room, surrounded with alcoves contain
ing shelves in which the bodies will be kept
The means by which the bodies will be pro
served has not yet been decided on. There are
several experts now at work on the problem.
Freezing In some form will DO adopted. pos
iibly the ammonia process, as less cumbersome
than layers of ice. The building iself will
be comparatively lofty. II will DO surmounted
by o dome. so arranged as to admit Of q free cur
rent of air passing through.
Gen. O'Beirne. who is the Commissioner of
Charities most interested In the subject, said
to q reporter the other day:
II am very anxious that this city should be
supplied with a proper morgue. | think that
we nay far too little attention to the housing
be as perfect as modern science can make IL,
but IL will not he q public show-Llace. When
first considering the question, | had tho Paris
MorRue in my mind. out. when 1t was suggest
Cd that the methods adopted in Paris are such
rs 10 encourage morbid tastes among the peo-
pie. ! CHANGED my mind We hope that the
New York MorRue will be, 60 far as useful
ness 10 concerned. vastly superior to that In
Paris. l cannot tell when It is likely to DO
much as possible. The present MorRue Ii very
imperfect in many ways."
There haze been many complaints made of
the physicians who hare 20 operate 10 the pree-
ent Mor9ue. The chief grievance In that IL 10
not supplied with running water, what 10 used
having to be brought in BUCKETS from o dis
lance. The other day Deputy Coroner O'Han-
Ion cut his finger when conducting o post-mor-
tenn examination. The case was one which
rendered an accident of the kind extremely
dangerous. but DIR. O'Hanlon had to wait for
water in order to wash his banda.
According to DR.. O'Haulon. the present
Morguo 10 not only danger. US to those who
have to work in 1t, but q menace to the public
At large. He says that owing I. the want Of o
supply CT running water and of o proper sys-
tenn Of sewerage the place cannot be properly
cleaned of unavoidable refuse. which 10 liable
TO tause an outbreak of typhoid fever. After
his accident DR.. O'Hanlon complained 70 Gen.
india rubber pipes DO laid until something bot
ter could DO devised. Tho reason the present
MLrkGe ID not properly supplied with running
water 10 that when IL was shifted from the old
site. which 10 now being occunied bv u pavilion
for the treatment OF contagious diseases. It was
found imposs. BILE 70 arrange the water pipes to
suit the now situation.