The evening times., 1899-07-17
CORONER ChRR'S REPORT
The Work of His Office Thoroughly
Reviewed.
He Advises the Erection of New
scribes How Ii Should BE Design
ed - Nearly 100 Per Cent De-
crease in Suicides During the Year.

Coroner W. P. Carr submitted 10 the
District Commissioners today his usual re-
port for the fiscal year ended June 80
last. The document details the work ac-
complished by the Office and the expenses
incurred last year. as well as the needs
Of the present year. The Coroner states
that several improvements were made last
year. placing the work upon a more salts
factory basis than ii had ever been before.
The morgue was remodeIed and ,cfur
nished with the appropriation of $1,000
made by Congress for the purpose, and the
building has been vastly improved both
in appearance and utility. The addition Of
five iceboxes has made it possible to keep
bodies for a reasonable length OF time
without offensive decomposition.
The morgue keeper was relieved during
the year of all duty except the care of that
institution. suitable wagon was also
purchased for the exclusive use of the
morgue, ard the former serious difficulty
relating to the removal of bodies was over
come. A Well equipped wagon and driver
are now always ready fer any emergency.
There is no longer any complaint from per-
SONS living near the morgue concerning
Objectionable odors and much less objec-
Iion on the part of friends and relatives 10
having the bodies sent there.
The Coroner however, lays great stress
upon the fact that, with all improvements
and added facilities, the present morgue is
far from being a suitable one for city as
large as Washington. While il answers
the purpose he says it compares very un-
favorably with buildings in other cities.
The recommendations of the Coroner in
this regard are the features of his annual
report. He says, in part, in this connec-
tion:
The need Of morgue is the first and
most important consideration under this head.
The present building Is situated In the rear OF
a police station, was originally a stable, and
is now adjoining a stable. We should have in
Washington in al large cities, a morgue
where the bodies of respectable and well-to-do
people may he carried, as frequently becomes
desirable or necessary, without shocking the sem
sibilities OF relatives, friends, the public
Judging from the steady increase OF cases that
come to the coroner. the building should
provide accommodations for at least twenty bod
les, and should have suitable rooms for holding
autOpsies and inquests. and for keeping the rec
ords of the Office. 1t should be attractive
structure, resembling chapel or small church,
and should contain room suitable Tor holding
funeral services. 1t should be surrounded 10y
neat plot, and conveniently located in decent
part OF the city
title to the river front. and is going TO i'm
prove that part of the city. | would suggest
that il is the most suitable place for the morguc
for several reasons, and that, in considering plans
Tor relnOdeiing the river front, the construction
Of a faorgue Nigh; be considered. An aDpropria-
1ion of SID.03O las been asked for by the
ncr every year for the building OF 4 morgue.
and, in my opinion, that amount OF money could
not be spsnt Tor better purpose. suitable
building may be constructed for a less sum,
but when the long g-desired and mnci-asked-ior
morgue does come, 1 hope to see a $4,000
building.
Detailing the work accomplished during
the past fiscal year, the Coroner states
states that the total number of deaths in
vestigated by him was 7Sl, or an increa e
of 143 over the preceding year. The in
crease is attributed in a very large meas
ure to the great care on the part of the
Heauth officer in referring all certificates
of death 10 the Coroner for investigation
where there has been the slightest chance
that death was due to any criminal cause.
The number OF suicides was only twenty
three, or a decrease of almost 100 per
cent. During the preceding year there
were fifty-three suicides. There were
nineteen homicides, or three less than
during the preceding year.
The report contains table showing the
causes of violent deaths, as follows:
Accidental injuries, Go; steam railway accl-
dents 2i; street railway accidents, :; burns, 81;
drowning, "a. gunshot, 4; electric shock, /. To-
tai. l57
Accidental poisoning by opium. G; gas. u:
wood alcohol, ,; plosphoros, /; ehloroIorIn, /;
Total, -
Suicides y gurshct, Il; drowning, 3; inhalins
gas, 3; cutting throat, J.; jumping, i; opium, 3;
carbolic acid, !. Total, %.
li0micidess - The total number OF violent
deaths was 2a The total number OF inquests
WAS 81 The number Of autopses criminal
cases Was 81. and in District cases, IS, making
total OF 20 There were l3I stin births. The
number OF bodies cared for in the moFcue was
l65. The total number OF natural deaths inYes-
tigated by the Office OF the Coroner was 429;
ease 4 apopleXy, %; alcoholism, s.; appendicit-
is. !; athercma, 3; anearism, j; bronchitis, .;
cancer. ,; cirrhosiS OF liver, ] congestion of
lungs, l. congenital debility. %; cerebral throm-
liois, 5: child bitth, !; cerebio-spinal mening-
lis, 1; dific;ilt delivery, ,; dIhcria, ); epilep
~, l. gasiritiS, 3 gasiro-enteii;ls, 81; heart dis
case, los heat stuoSe, G; lcterCs nCoEatorlm, /;
infantile commissions, IL; infuenza.2 malaria, 3;
ncphrits, %; Gbstruotions ni the bowels ]; pneu-
monia, 81; premature birth, 8; pertussis, /; pyo
salpinK, l. pleurisy, I; seaile debility, !; syphilis,
4; starvation, /; tu5al pregnancy, ]; tuberculosis,
%; typhoid fever, 6; unknown, i; vomiting III
pregnancy, ]; yellow fever ], and natural causes,
The Coroner concludss his report with
an estimate of current expenses for the
next fiscal year ending June 90, 1901, as
follows: Salary OF Coroner 81. 500; record
ing testimony, $500; Jurors fees, $40: au-
topsies. $3.50; livery. s24; ice. disinfectants,
and sundries for. morgue $l5o; photo
graphing unidentified bodies, $40; total,
$500.