The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1899-11-22
TRANSIT PERMIT

or Board of Embalmers Adopt.
ed by Board of Health.
The State Board of Health at its
recent meeting in Parkersburg, APP
proved and adopted the joint tran
sit permit, which was adopted by
the State Board of Embalmers at
its session in Martinsburg recently.
This action of the Boards adopt
ing a joint transit permit for the use
of du1y qualified licensed em60lne-
ers, only, permits those embalm
ers who have proven them
selves duly qualified to prop
erly disenfect and prepare a
body for shipment by pass
ing the Boards examination and
securing their license to ship bod
les dead of any disease. There are
now 81 Observation-Disclosures practi-
ding in this State. There are be-
sides the licensed embalmers 127
that have been granted their GER
tificate for registration, they COM
ing in under SEQ. 5, of the law,
which seems to admit as an embal-
er every person who has ever laid
"A wet cloth on the face of corpse,
while amongst them there are no
doubt many fully competent en-
balmers. Still they cannot be re-
cognized in the shipment of dead
bodies, as they have not proven
themselves duly qualified by taking
the Boards examination, and Sc
curing license.
The transportation companies
throughout the country are willing
to receive for transportation, bodies,
dead of certain specific diseases
which are now prohibited. provided
such bodies are prepared for ship
ment by embalmers known to be
skilled in the practice of disinfect-
ing the dead. Aud those who
practice the art of disinfecting and
preserving the dead, should be ex-
amined by competent judges be-
fore license is issued, regardless
of how long they have been on
gagged in embalming. If prosecu-
ton of physicians, in the interest
of the people and the public health
are intended to prevent the loss of
human life and the spread of CON
tagious and infectious diseases
through ignorance, is made le-
gal then the interest of
the public health should in like
manner be protected by prose-
cutting the ignorant or unprinoipled
for entering our homes and as
suming to prepare bodies for ship
ment or burial, when by so doing
they are likely to cause the spread
of disease or death.
It is clearly the duty and the
right of transportation companies
to refuse to accept body for trans
portation when not accompanied
by proper certificate. The ques-
ton is, can a proper certificate be
issued by an embalmer who has
not passed an examination or given
other evidence of his ability or the
slightest knowledge of sanitary
science?
The most trying hours of earthly
existence are the death and fina
separation from loved ones, when
medical skill has failed and every
means that wealth could buy OF
love suggest has been exhausted
when hope and life have fled; ther
what consolation it is to the be
reaved family to have some one
enter their home who is as worthy
of their confidence as the physi
clan, and who will perform the las
sad duties in manner that viii
admit of no criticism or regret, anC
who will give his personal atten
ton to every detail of the funeral
Those parties holding certificate
under SEQ. 5, are practically EN-
balmers created by an act of Leg
} islature, therefore they SHOULD
prove themselves competent by pre-
pairing themselves to take tn
J Boards examination and becom
duly qualified Licensed Embalm
: ers, with the full power of thei
profession, being enabled thereb
to prepare and ship any body tha
they may be called upon to etten
and in full compliance with Stat
Board of Health rules, and Th
American Association of Genera
Baggage Agents for the Transpol
tation of the dead. The joint trar
sit permit and shipping poster