Chapter 291: Bodies for Scientific Study

It shall be the duty of the county commissioners of any county, the mayor and aldermen of any city, the overseers of the poor of any town, the warden of the state prison and the keeper of any jail in the state, upon previous request in writing by any physician or surgeon of this state (preference being given to instructors in medical schools established by law), to notify such physician or surgeon whenever the body of any person dying in their county, city, town, or in the state prison or a jail, required to be buried at the public expense, comes into their possession, charge or control, and to give permission to such physician or surgeon to take such body to be by him used within the state for the advancement of anatomical and medical science.

Every person before receiving any such body shall give to the officers surrendering it a sufficient bond that it shall be used only in the state for the promotion of science, and in such manner as not to outrage or annoy the public; and that after the use allowed by law the remains shall be decently buried.

No such notice need be given, nor shall any such body be surrendered, if any person or persons shall claim it within 36 hours after death, and take it away and bury it without expense to the town or county otherwise liable for the same; nor shall such notice be given or the body be delivered if such deceased person was a stranger or traveler who died suddenly, in which case the body shall be buried, unless it shall clearly appear that said stranger or traveler was a professional tramp going from place to place subsisting upon charity, in which case said body shall be disposed of in accordance with RSA 291:1; nor shall such notice be given or the body be delivered if such deceased person has served in the army or navy of the United States, and has been actually called into service in time of war and discharged of a character outlined in RSA 21:50 from said service.

Any person, upon whom duties are imposed by the provisions of this chapter, who shall neglect, refuse or omit to perform the same as hereby required shall be guilty of a misdemeanor if a natural person, or guilty of a felony if any other person.