The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-16
THEY ADOPT A STANDARD
FUNERAL DIRECTORS PROVIDE FOR
THEIR OWN EXAMINATION.
Tired OF Waiting for the Legislature
TO Give Them "A Need
ed Law.

The State Association Of Funeral Directors
yesterday took an action voluntarily that it
has been for years trying to get the Legisla-
ture of the State to compel the undertakers
to take About one hundred of them came
here and throughout the day, in English's
Hotel. they were examined in embalming,
anatomy sanitation and disinfection. From
the time when the memory of man runneth
not to the contrary, the undertakers of In
diana have tried to have a bill passed re-
curing a state examination by a board IN
der control of the State Board of Health
Each session the measure has been killed.
and this new movement is the result Of
action taken by the Baggagemen's Associa-
ton at Denver in October. 1897. The rail-
roads agreed to transport bodies for those
undertakers who present certificates that
they have taken an examination which is
approved by the State Board of Heath, pro-
vided the body has been treated according
10 the rules prescribed by the baggagemen.
Many restrictions are removed from those
presenting certificates and undertakers with
them will be permitted TO ship bodies Of
those who have died of all diseases except
smallpox, Asatic cholera yellow fever, ty-
bodies have been treated according to the
rules Of the association. An affidavit to that
effect must be made by the undertaken ship
ping the body. There being no provision in
Indiana laws for board of examiners for
undertakers, the state association at the
meeting last May authorized the executive
committee to prepare for such an examina-
ton under its own auspices. The committee
prepared blank certificates and questions and
submitted them to the State Board OF
Health, which approved them: The exam
ination was then advertised for yesterday
and the executive committee .consututed IhS
board of examiners. The committee Included
j. H. McCully, Of Idaville; j. n. First, OF
Clinton; Robert Smith, of Evansville; =. q:
Davis, of Williamsburg, and j. II. Eetter, or
Peru.
1t is the expectation of the association to
eventually district the State and to provide
a permanent examining board. The ceruh-
Gates will be renewable at the end Of each
year by presenting them and making a new
registration. The next general examination
will not be held until the May meeting un-
less the demand for one becomes SO great
that the executive committee deems 1t adj
visable to call another Ten questions were
asked in each branch, and a general average
of 20 per cent had to be made to secure
certificate.
Mr.. First yesterday spoke Of the needs of
undertakers for proper legisla ton. Said he:
The coming Legislature will be asked to
recognize the board of examiners or to pro-
u,
and that will probably put the appointing
power in the hands of the Governor. l do
not know what we will be able to get from
the Legislature, for each year the legislators
nave seemed to think the legislation we ask
IS in the interest of the coffin trust or some
thing or that nature. There should be some
amendment to the laws regarding the re-
turns OF deaths made by physicians. JAS the
law now stands physician has five days in
which to make return, and in that time the
funeral of a person who had died of a con-
tagious disease might have been held and
might nave been largely attended, The sec
rotary of the County Board of Health may
know nothing of 1t, and may receive no re-
turn until after it is over and the disease has
spread Then, physicians do not report the
Slfa gT, lake my own county as an exam
million County Board of Health purports to
snow the total number of deaths in the
county for the year. The number he gives
is nearly exactly the same as funerals I had
IN the one town of Clinton in three months
ana yet his figures are supposed to give the
tire county. That is not his fault but it is
the fault of the physicians who do not make
returns or the deaths. The law Should be
such that an undertaken can bury nobody
until the physician attending has given a
certlncate as TO the cause of death and a
permit secured from the Board of Health
t;a - Olliy ny SOME such plan that the prac-
ucal work or our boards of health become
other than mere farce. The rules should
De De, rigid, and should be strictly enforced
sorroW1ng family that q funeral must be
private? He is right, of course but he has
no law to support him in his position, nor
IS ne an officer of the law. That is the
province of the Board of Health and the
laws should be so changed that the boards
can perform. such duties; This action to-
undertakers who do not take the examina-
ton: They will have the same shipping
privileges they had before. and the taking
or the examination is purely optional. Those
who receive certificates will have greater
privileges in shipping and that is all there
Is 10 IT. L do not think the undertakers will
ask for any legislation other than that this
board of examiners be legalized or another
one appointed, as our past experience with
legislatures has been such that we do not