The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-01-19
HALT CALLED
ON RUSH ACT
OF CORONER
City Hospital Orders Wait
of 48 Hours Before
EmbaIming.
AGREEMENT UNDER FIRE
UndertakerS ASSaiI Pact
Made With Association
by VehIing.

Hurried embalmings by the
Askin College Of Embalming, whose
activities have the support of Coro-
ner Fred w. Vehling, now under
criminal indictment, we're blocked
today by DR.. Charles w. Myers, SUI
perintendent of city hospital.
Myers issued an order which pre-
vents embalming of bodies of I'M
identified persons until forty-eight
hours have elapsed after receipt of
the bodies at the institution. This
Will apply in all cases, except where
relatives Of deceased persons give
permission for performance of the
embalming.
Members Of the city health board
are supporting Meyers in his stand
against the hurried embalmings.
Sets 48-heur Limit
AT recent meeting Of the
health board it was decided that no
embalming of bodies is to be done
on these premises within forty-eight
hours from the time the body is
placed in the morgue, except with
knowledge and consent of the rear
est relative" Myers order reads.
1T therefore, is requested that all
concerned will govern themselves
accordingly, and that no I'M
identified bodies will be embalmed
at this institution until a period of
forty-eight hours has elapsed"
In the meantime, insurgent men,
bers of the Indiana Funeral Di-
rectors' Association are preparing
to battle the agreement" of the
association with Vehling and c. G..
Askin, head of the Askin College
OF Embalming, which permits the
rush embalming.
Many undertakers said they
signed an agreement" as members
Of the association when it was Sub
mitted to them individually by Bert
S. Gadd, president, but the charge
sections relating to hurried en-
balming we're added later.
Time Held Too Short
The agreement" over which con-
tention f1ared in the associations
ranks provided immediate embalm-
ing of bodies of persons found dead
Where persons died or we're killed
in the presence of witnesses. the
agreement" provided two hours
should elapse before embalming
was performed.
City officials held in the case of
unidentified persons, newspapers
would not have opportunity to
broadcast information which might
lead to identification of victims.
II plan to seek cooperation of
newspapers in publishing descrip-
tions of the persons who die in this
institution" DR.. Myers said today.
Death strikes under peculiar cir
cumstances and many times there
are no way of Identification. Rela-
tives should have opportunity 20
learn of the death through the pa
pers or other channels.
Halls Old Practice
Under the two-hour rule, it was
pointed out, with knowledge of
death, relatives might not have OPP
portunity to decide on an under
taker and make other plans before
embalming took place
Myers order also will halt the
provision of the agreement that
students of the embalming school
or any one else will proceed with the
operation if city hospital records do
not state relatives have selected an
undertaken.
The agreement was signed shortly
before Vehling was indicted, and
later charged in an affidavit with
soliciting a bride in gas death
case.
Vehling's trial tentatively has
been set for Jan. 25