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Function of mortuary

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Here is a detailed answer on the functions of a mortuary, drawing from authoritative forensic medicine and surgery textbooks:

Functions of a Mortuary

A mortuary (or morgue) is a designated facility for the reception, storage, examination, and release of deceased persons. Its functions span medico-legal, clinical, forensic, and public health domains.

1. Reception and Labelling of Bodies

The body should be labelled as soon as it arrives in the mortuary. The body must be identified by the police constable who accompanies it and by relatives of the deceased. The names of those who identify the body must be recorded. In unidentified bodies, marks of identification, photographs, and fingerprints are taken.
  • The Essentials of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 36th ed., p. 111

2. Storage and Preservation

The mortuary provides refrigerated storage to slow decomposition and preserve bodies until examination or release. The facility must have:
  • Cold storage (refrigeration)
  • Good lighting
  • Proper drainage systems
  • Necessary equipment and trained manpower
Bodies may be held pending post-mortem examination, identification, legal clearance, or collection by family or funeral services.
  • P.C. Dikshit Textbook of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, p. 118

3. Medico-Legal Autopsy (Post-Mortem Examination)

The autopsy is the central function of a mortuary. It is conducted to:
  • Determine the cause of death (immediate, antecedent, underlying)
  • Determine the manner of death (natural, homicide, suicide, accident)
  • Estimate the time of death from post-mortem changes (rigor mortis, lividity, putrefaction)
  • Recover evidence - weapons, bullets, trace materials embedded in or on the body
  • Preserve viscera for chemical/toxicological analysis
  • Address special cases such as newborns (live-born vs. dead-born; cause of death)
The autopsy must be conducted in the mortuary (not in private rooms), authorized by police or a Magistrate, and ideally done in natural daylight since colour changes (e.g., jaundice, bruise stages, PM staining) cannot be reliably assessed under artificial light.
  • The Essentials of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 36th ed., pp. 111-112

4. Identification of the Deceased

A key function, especially in mass casualty events. Methods used include:
  • Primary identification: fingerprints, dental records (forensic odontology), DNA
  • Secondary identification: personal effects, clothing, witness recognition
  • Photography of unidentified bodies
  • Radiological examination when appropriate
In mass disasters (aircraft accidents, train crashes), a team approach is required - pathologist, police officer, forensic odontologist, and sometimes a radiologist - working together in the mortuary.
  • P.C. Dikshit Textbook of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, pp. 7825-7867

5. Disaster and Mass Casualty Management

In major disasters, the mortuary becomes a coordinating hub. An ideal mortuary in this setting includes:
  • An autopsy room
  • Refrigerated storage accommodation
  • An embalming and casketing area
  • A room for interviewing relatives and viewing bodies
  • A communication headquarters
Bodies may need to be dispersed to several smaller mortuaries or a designated temporary mortuary. The total body count must be carefully recorded, as fragmentation in severe accidents may mean recovered remains far exceed the actual number of deaths.
  • 22nd Edition Pye's Surgical Handicraft, p. 444-445
  • P.C. Dikshit Textbook of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology

6. Embalming and Body Preparation

The mortuary may provide embalming services - chemical preservation of the body - to:
  • Prepare the body for viewing by family
  • Enable long-distance transport
  • Delay decomposition when burial must be postponed

7. Toxicological and Histological Sample Collection

During autopsy, the mortuary facilitates collection of:
  • Blood, urine, bile, vitreous humor for toxicology (poisons, drugs, alcohol)
  • Tissue samples for histopathology
  • Stomach contents for chemical analysis
These samples are then sent to forensic science laboratories.

8. Documentation and Medico-Legal Record Keeping

The mortuary produces the post-mortem report, which is a legal document used in:
  • Criminal proceedings
  • Insurance claims
  • Inquest proceedings
  • Death registration and public health statistics

9. Public Health and Infectious Disease Control

The mortuary handles bodies safely, including those that may carry infectious diseases. Staff must follow health and safety protocols, use appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and adhere to local infection control policies to minimize cross-infection risk during radiography and examination.
  • Brogdon's Forensic Radiology

Summary Table

FunctionDetails
Reception & LabellingBody identified on arrival by police and next-of-kin
Storage/PreservationRefrigeration to retard decomposition
Post-Mortem ExaminationDetermine cause, manner, time of death
IdentificationFingerprints, dental, DNA, photography
Disaster ManagementCoordination of mass casualty investigation
EmbalmingBody preparation for viewing/transport
Sample CollectionToxicology, histology, chemical analysis
DocumentationMedico-legal post-mortem report
Public HealthSafe handling of infectious/hazardous remains
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