The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-22
BODIES FOR DISSECTION. :
Result of Letters Sent Out by Coroner
in Indiana.

INDIANAPOLIS. Dec. 22-Harry D. Tute-
wiler, coroner-elect Of Marion county.
believes the coming legislature VIII
make it mandatory upon the superln-
tendents of state institutions and coun-
ty asylums and county authorities to
furnish the bodies of dead paupers and
those who die without friends to Claim
their remains to the medical colleges OF
Indiana for scientific purposes. Such
law would compel county undertakers TO
ship such bodies to an authorized rep
resentative of medical colleges, while at
present it is optional with the under
taker.
After Mr. Tutewiler was elected cor
oner of Marion county in November he
conferred with physicians of the various
medical colleges and laid before them
plan to secure bodies for dissecting pur-
poses. He suggested that bodies of
paupers and the bodies of the friendless
who die at institutions be shipped to
Indianapolis TO a commission COMPOSED
of representatives of the various medl-
cal colleges and allow the commission
to prorate the bodies according to the
number of students, as is done in Penn
sylvania, illinois and several other
states. This plan met the approval Of
the medical college representatives and
Mr. Tutewiler sent letters to zoe under
takers throughout the state authorizing
them to ship such bodies TO this CITY
Dispatches from Te-re HaOte indicate
that a wrong conception of tie plan has
]
In Lafayette arrangements that are sat
isfactory have been made.
There are received from all sources
| in Marion county only about 90 or 80
bodies a year for the medical colleges, "
said Mr.. Tutewiler. L mean only that
number are secured by legitimate
means. There are six medical COLLEGES
| in Indianapolis out of the seven in the
state The colleges in this city can use
from SO to 100 BODIES a year-in fact, they
need that many for scientific purposes.
| The colleges haven't heretofore been
able to get material for dissecting pur-
poses from outside of Marion county for
several reasons, County authorities con-
! tract for the burial of the pauper dead.
There is no commission provided for by
law TO receive and distribute bodies,
each college having to make its own in
dividual reuuisition.
THE colleges can't procure enough
bodies legally except under such plan
| as is proposed Bodies can't be shipped
except by licensed embalmers on ac-
count of the health laws. 1t has been
suggested that INSCRIPTIONS undertake
ers might ship other bodies to this city,
but this can't be done, as a shipping
permit can only be procured by apply
ing to the health officer, where record
| of the deceased is kept.
This is the only possible solution of
the problem that confronts medical col
leges- Undertakes who have unclaim-
ed bodies and pauper dead can ship
| them mere IOr OlSSectlHS purposes. liz
| undertakes will be paid for their SER
vices by the medical colleges, and the
counties and state will be saved the ex-
pense of paying the burial expenses.
The coroner would send a legal requisi-
ton signed by the commission of dem
onstrators to the undertaken.
1T would be better to use the un-
claimed and pauper dead in the interest
| of science than to have our graves de-
| filed According to the last report over
400 paupers were buried at the expense
of the various counties. Probably % per
cent of that number were children. and
half of the rest. although Daupers, had
some friends who claimed the bodies.
The others could have been sent to the
medical colleges. The colleges will not
close for lack of material Wouldn't It
be better to have such bodies used than
to continue the conditions that now eX-
ist?''