Every head of a public institution, city or county undertaker, or state, county, or city officer having charge or control of remains to be interred at public expense shall use due diligence to notify the relatives of the decedent. In the absence of any known relative of the decedent desiring to direct the disposition of the remains in a manner other than provided in this chapter, and upon written request of the state department that these notices are required for a definite period specified in the request, that officer shall notify the state department immediately after the lapse of twenty-four hours after death, stating, whenever possible, the name, age, sex, and cause of death of the decedent.