The document discusses the functions and operations of a hospital mortuary service. It begins by explaining that the mortuary plays an important role in preserving deceased bodies so that pathologists can investigate causes of death. It then outlines the key functions of the mortuary, such as preserving bodies until relatives claim them and facilitating medico-legal autopsies. The document also provides details on planning parameters, equipment needs, staffing requirements, and procedures for receiving bodies and performing medico-legal autopsies.

1. Mortuary service in Hospital.
Submited by
Sayantika Banerjee
Assistant Professor(Hospital Management)
KSMS

2. Introduction
• Mortuary is an importat integral part of every hospital as it deals with
the preservation of the dead body so that the forensic clinicians &
pathologists may investigate the cause of death and make scientific
investigation.
• Bodies may be viewed and identified by relatives and
friends(unidentified body) and bodies may be kept until burial can be
arranged.
• In general mortuary complex consists of post mortem room and
preservation room and for dead body before disposal arrangememt
are made and ancillary area.
• The term Mortuary or morgue is usually not mentioned in front of
patient in the hospital
• Instead “Rose Cottage "is used in British hospital to enable discussion
in front of patients, relatives, and visitors in front of them.

3. Function of Mortuary Service
• To preserve the dead body till the formalities of
handing over of deceased is completed.
• To keep the dead body(unclaimed body)till the relative
claim and take away for final disposal.usually
unclaimed bodies are kept for72 hours.
• To Carry out medico legal postmortem work
• To impart teaching programs for undergraduates and
post graduates
The types of dead body preserved in the mortuary can be
classified as:
1)Non medico legal: i) Identified. ii)unknown
2)Medico legal: i) Identified. ii) unknown

4. Planning Parameter of Mortuary
• Location: The location should be in obscure place,in separate building to
where the dead bodies can transported unobstructively.It should be easily
accessible from the wards, Emergency ,Icu,and Ot and Pathology
department.
• Space Requirement: Depends upon the size and type of hospital and the
workload. Committee on Plan project has recommended an area of 6-8
sq/ft as a general guideline.
• Storage chamber: i) 2storage chamber- 50-100 bedded hospital.
ii)3storage Chamber- 200bedded hospital.
• Temperature for storage chamber: 2 types of temperature storage.
• i) Negative temperature Storage: (-15/-25DC)for unclaimed body/cause
of death not identified.
• ii) Positive temperature storage:(+2/+4) for the bodies which are to be
disposed quickly and with no medico legal Preservation .

5. Equipments
• Cold Chamber.
• Autopsy Table
• Table, Chair, Stools, File cabinets, Lockers.
• Computer with Printer.
• Sterilizer.
• Instrument Cabinets.
• Portable Xray Machine
• Spectrophotometer.
• Fume Chamber.
• Weighing Machine.
• Chromatography Machine.
• Scissors,Forceps.etc

6. Staffing
The requirement of staff in mortuary in place to place and depends
on the type of work undertaken.
Medical council of India(MCI) laid down the following Staffing Pattern.
For Initial 100 Autopsies/year.
• Speacialist:2
• Post Mortem technician:1
• Post Mortem assistant:1
• Clerk:1,Peon:1,Moruge attendence:4
For every additional Autopsies/year.
• Speacialist:1
• Post Mortem assistant:1,Technician:1,Moruge Attendence:1.

7. Reception And Waiting Area
• It is the place where the body is received and
documents are verified and checked.
• It should be very associability and approachable.
• Trolley Area: A trolly bay is required to keep the
trolly fro transportation of Dead body, it should
be near by the reception.
• Waiting Area: A waiting room of 12-15m is
recommended for the access to visitors and
relatives.
• It should be pleasantly furnished with provision
of WC and drinking water.

8. Medico Legal Autopsy
• Autopsy means- Auto- Self,Opis-view
Autopsy literally means to see for one self.It is non
medico legal.
Post _mortem Examination:-is a medicolegal
aytopsy(necropsy)
Necropsy means:Necros_ Dead, opis-View.
Post-Mortem means: Post-After ,Mortem-Death
• So a medico legal autopsy means an autopsy that is
performed by qualified and registered Medical officer
specifically to meet with certain requirements of Law.

9. Medico Legal Autopsy
Precautions for medico legal autopsy or Post Mortem.
• Notes
• Permission or Authorization
• Identification
• Visit to scence of crime
• History of the case
• Examintion
• Verification of injuries noted by the police
• List of articles
Whenever a body is sent for autopsy it is always accompanied by a
a)Dead body Challan
b) An inquest report
In case of deaths from accidents and cases dying in hospitals
c)The accident register.
d) Hospital case records are also sent.

10. What is Dead body Challan?
• Dead body Challan is a requisition submitted by the
investigation police officer to a medical man while handing
over the body for performing an autopsy. It contains:-
• Name, Sex, Age,
• Religion of the deceased.
• Suspected case of Death.
• Purpose for which the body sent for post mortem
examination.
• Place from where body has come.
• The identification marks.
• Time of dispatch.
• Details of articles and clothing’s.

11. Objectives Of Medico legal
Autopsy
• To determine /find out the identity of a person.
• To determine the cause of Death, whether
natural or unnatural, if unnatural whether
suicide, homicide or accidental.
If homicide whether any trace of evidence has
been left by the accused on the victim
• To the determine the time since death
• In case of newly born infants to determine the
question of live birth and viability of the child.