At 11:23 15/01/03 -0500, you wrote:
>Stephen,
>
>Well, I guess the burning question I have for someone in the mortuary trade
>is what kind of historical records, catalogues, and old correspondence is
>maintained by the industry? Are there books going back to the 19th century
>that we should be using for reference when casket remains are discovered?
>
>Ron May
>Legacy 106, Inc.
Hi Ron,
If I take Northern Ireland and the UK as an example for records.
All Mortuaries have registers that record all bodies admitted, their names
and which ward they came from, or if they were (BID or DOA) brought in dead
or dead on arrival etc. The address that they lived at along with age or
date of birth.
If the body was for post mortem? coroners or medical? The name of
pathologist and the undertaker, dates of admission and release.
Some mortuaries record the size of body in relation to having a coffin
made, and in some public mortiaries I have noticed further information
recorded on admission such as GSW = gun shot wound, hanging, sudden death,etc
The property thats with the body even down to recording the rings that are
still on situ.
These registers for reords are kept from day dot, my own goes back from the
day the Hospital was built in the early 1960s, autopsy records are kept the
same as should be with all Hospitals.
Coffin factories would have similar records as in types of coffins made and
how many delivered to which funeral director. By analysing this type of
information you could find the average death rate and age by the month, the
more popular type of coffin and size etc.
Also looking into the history files you would be able to see which funeral
homes were in buisness then and still trading along with the others that
sold out or died out so to speak.
Other records that are available such as the embalming chemicals and the
firms that make these! Dodge are a large concern here in the the UK and
come from the United States. If I remember right they have a museum showing
all the things you would like see within the trade?
There are a number of books that one can buy for example The Priniciples
and practice of Embalming, by Frederick and Strub. This book talks about
the reason and purpose of embalming, the history of embalming, dating from
ancient time through to Egyption and Roman period. From Medieval up to
moderen and how it was carried out.
Customs from different times and peoples are also discussed, so you can get
a better undrstanding of what was happening when next time you come accross
a grave and those who are buried.
Another book to look at is called Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice
by Robert G. Mayer who is a licensed Embalmer from Pittsburgh USA.
The Dodge company was formed in USA in 1893, other companies such as Frigid
fluids and Royal Bond aswell as Champion are all from USA, so these
companies should be able to help you with some answers.
Catalogues are available from all these firms showing types of fluids and
instruments etc.
Grave yards both public and those belonging to various churches would have
registers giving details of burials, name of deceased and date of burial,
name of funeral director doing the funeral and which plot the deceased is
placed into.
We should not forget to look at the grave stones for some tells us more
about the person and what they did while in life plus the shape and design
and type of stone is also important while collecting data.
Hope this will help in answering some of your questions?
Best regards.
Step.
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