The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-23
TROUBLE ALL THEIR OWN
OLD AND YOUNG UNDERWRITERS w
DERGO AN "EXAM."
scene at the Denison House Yester-
day-One Wanted to Know Mean
ing Of Cafeteria"

One OF the large dining rooms of the
Denison House was converted into a school
room yesterday and the tables were COW
cred with ink bottles pens and paper. One
hundred and five men and six women were
busy writing there the better part of the
day. They were all undertakers but some
were young and others had gray in their
hair. They were taking the examination
prescribed by the Railway Baggagemens
Association 10 determine whether they are
competent TO prepare bodies dead of con-
tagious diseases for shipment Those I'M
dertakers unsuccessful in the examination
are barred out of the privilege OF shipping
bodies dead OF contagious diseases The eX-
animation yesterday held under the SUI
pervision OF the examining board of un-
dertakers appointed by the State Board of
Health, and the members Of the board kept
as watchful a lookout as any school teacher
on passing day" With the number exam
ined yesterday 21S have been tested i'm the
three examinations that have been held this
year
The members of the board said that they
had discovered but one this year in
which an undertaken had attempted to pass
the examination fraudulently. He copied
an answer from the paper of man sitting
near him. 1t happened that this answer and
all the others on the paper were wrong and
both men failed TO pass when the judgment
came. All the applicants bent closely to
their work yesterday and the room was
still. Many of the applicants were
"stumped on this question: What is the
most prolific source of typhoid fever?" and
the reason was that many did not know
what the word prolific meant. After the
meaning was explained the question was
comparatively easy for them.
Here is a question" said one young un-
dertaker TO a member Of the board as he
stood before him scratching his head, that
l believe could answer If 1 knew its mean
ing; Are all bacteria dangerous 10 health?'
l don't. know what that word bacteria
means"
We'll" said the member of the board,
IF told you that the question would be
easy"
Several of the applicants for certificates
became somewhat ruffed when the members
of the board refused TO answer questions
that would lead TO an easier untangling OF
the problems presented.
iii ask you another question" they said
in Il tone which indicated that they GER
tainly would not be affronted by asking an
other question and being refused Whereat
the members of the board only laughed
The examination was on the subjects of
anatomy embalming, sanitation ana disin-
lection, and in answer TO an inquiry as to
which of the subjects the undertakers found
IL most difficult TO elucidate one of the
members of the board said the older I'M
dertakers seemed TO know less about anat-
omy than the younger ones.
"A man who has been taking care of
bodies for twent y-five years" he said and
made his own collins when he began in the
business may be able TO embalm in a way
that is satisfactory enough In most cases.
but when IL comes to the science of en-
balming bodies dead OF contagious disease
in way that leaves them safe for shipment
the older undertaken finds that he is lack
ing and the young man just out OF school
is ahead of him. He may fail in this exami-
nation, but If he has "A son who succeeds
his business is no worse off, for his son
can do the work required under the new
rules. This examination is good thing
because it encourages the undertakers 10
study and advance in their business before