Morgue, mortuary, autopsy and burials of the deceased

The terms morgue and autopsy have different meanings in the medical community. The word "morgue" comes from French and means "to look solemnly, defy death," and was first used to refer to the inside of a prison to store prisoners for future identification. In fifteenth-century Paris, the term was used to describe the morgue, where unknown corpses were stored and labeled as "John Doe" - a common misconception.

Today, a local hospital has an autopsy room and morgue. Before that, autopsies were conducted in the back of funeral homes. CCCO is the only accredited facility in Connecticut for this service. However, the state's Department of Labor and OSHA standards have not been met by the current facilities. As a result, the morgue has failed an accreditation audit in June 2019. The future of this medical service is uncertain.

The Autopsy and Morgue Service at Yale New Haven Hospital provides postmortem storage and transportation services for research and education. The facility is open 24 hours a day and can complete the autopsy within one or two days, depending on the type of patient and consent provided by the family. The staff at the morgue works closely with the family to help them make final arrangements. The goal of an autopsy is to minimize delays in the funeral process, not to complicate it.

For those who are in need of an autopsy, a visit to a morgue is a reassuring experience. Moreover, most morgues use state-of-the-art X-ray and finger-printing facilities, which can help determine the cause of death. This facility also serves as a training center for forensic scientists and law enforcement. Located in the state capital of Chicago, the Morgue Bureau opened its doors in 1955. The facility began as a small, non-technical facility, but today it is a world-renowned, state-of-the-art forensic morgue.

While most infectious agents do not survive long in the human body, workers involved in autopsies and mortuaries are still at risk of contracting infections and disease. Fortunately, most of the infectious agents do not live long in the body after death, which makes the job of the medical examiners easier. Despite the risks of exposure and cross-contamination, the procedure is performed with the right procedures and equipment. A morgue should have the proper protection for workers.

For a morgue in Michigan, customization of the postmortem cart was necessary for the chief medical examiner. Instead of moving bodies for X-rays, he could place a specially designed fiberglass top on each movable cart. The result was a much lighter, less-fussy way to perform autopscopy. Further, the gray surface of the recirculating autopsy table was easier to clean, and it's also perfect for photography.