A mortuary must be provided in the grounds or near all cemeteries that are in active operation, but in addition to these, others ought to be erected in central positions of the town, so that bodies can be easily conveyed there, not only with a view to meet the objections mentioned in the opening of this chapter, but also to avoid the unseemly practice at present so largely in vogue of taking any cases of sudden death, suicide, accidental drowning, violence or accident, &c., that may occur, to the nearest public house, there to await identification and the coroner’s inquest.[246] It has been computed that for every 50,000 of the population of any town, a mortuary should be provided. In Frankfort mortuaries have been for some years in existence; they are simple buildings, with a separate room for each corpse, intended not only to prevent bodies from being kept in private houses, but also to lessen the chance of any person being buried alive. The following is a plan of one of these institutions: [Illustration: PLAN OF A GERMAN LEICHENHAUS OR DEAD-HOUSE.] To prevent the chance of burying any person alive, each corpse as it is placed in its little dead-house has a ring placed upon its finger; this ring is attached to a string which is in communication with a bell which hangs in the attendant’s room, who is there night and day, a window communicates with each dead-house, so that on the alarm being given he is at once ready to render assistance. In Paris, as is well known, all bodies that are found are placed in the “Morgue” behind “Notre Dame,” where they are publicly exhibited, thus assisting identification, although the exposure of bodies in this manner is not very attractive. In preparing designs for a group of buildings such as are set forth in the first on the list which I have given, the following requirements should be considered: _The Mortuary Chapel_ should be of such dimensions as are suitable for the requirements of the district, bearing in mind that if an epidemic of a fatal character was to unfortunately break out, it could either provide accommodation for the extra strain upon it or be capable of being easily extended. It should be designed so as to combine the characteristics of a chapel with the most perfect sanitary arrangements.[247] The walls should be of stone and are better lined with cement or glazed tiles, and everything should be kept as flush as possible so as to avoid projections on which dust could accumulate, the whole being easily and readily cleansed and disinfected. The floor may be of asphalte or other impervious material, and be well drained, great care being of course taken to exclude rats.