Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-01-04
TWO REGISTRA.
TION DISTRICTS


The new Act to provide for immedi-
ate registration of all births and
deaths, which affects every commune
ty, at the Hospital for the Insane
where deaths ana removals are likely
to b. Of daily occurrence causes some
thing akin to revolution in methods.
4. Under the law formerly in force W.
/ II. Orth, Chief Clerk, held the posi-
tion Of Deputy Inspector under the
/ State Board of Health and was en-
powered to issue burial and removal
permits, which rendered it very con
! venient Whether under the new law
Ia registrar can be appointed whose
| jurisdiction shall begin and end with
an institution like the Hospital or
whether all business relating to burial
or removal permits viii have to be
| trans, IN the registrar whose
district embraces the Hospital is a
matter on which full information has
not been obtained.
In the first place let it be stated that
the Hospital for the Insane with its
population Of some 1900 persons is a
community in itself-indeed, it might
be added an afflicted community, in
which the death rate runs high.
Some inquiries were made along this
line yesterday when it was learned
that a death may occur. each day for
several days in succession, although it
was thought that one death "A week at
the Hospital might be a pretty fair
average for the year around. Conven-
fence, therefore, in such matters as
burial and removal permits count for
great deal
The above suggests some very inter
esting facts concerning the disposition
of the dead at the Hospital In gen
eral way of the half hundred or so
of unfortunates who each year end
their dreary aud troublous careers at
the Hospital for the Insane nearly all
are shipped away from the institution
to points designated by relatives, who
make themselves responsible for the
burial
In very many instances the relatives
are found only after a long and vigor-
Gus search carried on over a wide ter
rf+ Not ,,,,Fr,T,an+ly- ~
should be near and dear to the deceas-
ed endeavor to keep in the dark and
when run down resort to many sub
terfuges to avoid taking care of the
remains. \ rather common trick is
to permit the remains TO lie at the
Hospital until, as these people view
it, decomposition must have far ad-
vanced, when they think the body will
haTe--to be buricd on the Hospital !
ground. Such people deceive them |
selves very much; after a reasonable |
interval they are very emphatically in
formed by the Hospital authorities |
that unle,, the body is forthwith TAX
en- away, under the law it will be ship
r.. .,-,,. -, .r,. ,Ii.,a.tf,,,, +aI,1o
Such information generally has the
desired effect The relatives and
friends do thier duty in the premises
and the body is removed. The Hospit-
Il authorities are very persistent and
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