The Sun.
London, England, 1842-02-07 00:00:00

.NORNING SUN

THUEPONPRTIIIVEATE
tot7Tbiushsteloornneoaolff ababojdpeircentziinms framing.iao sn,aNt 'ANATOMY ACT.
clausett hheeLAfoonnradtotoihmi
euy
enAqi_vneeti
asy;b:i)te.h, d
nthe
omission of a Provisionary clause for the ejuitable dis-
the public schools, should be enabled to monopolise the
dead pauper bodies by means of their local parochial in-
fluence, and thereby to destroy the private schools—
in other words—by the monopoly of bodies to monopo,
lise the pupils.
It is indisputable, that the Anatomy Act has been
worked for the benefit of a few individuals, to the injury
of the pupils in their future practice, and to the detri
merit of the public. Medical men require the confidence
of the public, and that can only be attained by pursuing
3.. r•
a steady course of honourable action, and sympathetic
towardss tahNoiseng st
feeling towards all grades of society—but above all tj
reason to
ttoheeyommpulan
stiporefyievnant
want of
poorer classes clases h
feel-
ings which are in honourable association with human
nature.
As dissection is the key to medical and surgical
science, we have given considerable attention to the
working of the Anatomy Act, the beneficial operations of
its enactments are vastly im.portant to the profession. u
The administration of this law is under the control of
the Secretary of State for the Home Department. The
Home-office has the appointment of the inspectors, -s
whose duty it should be to attend to and aid the avowed a
intentions of the Act. The law specifies that not fewer
than three inspectors shall be appointed. We find, in
opposition to it, that Dr. Somerville is the only inspec-
tor
for England and Scotland. The Act provides that
each inspector shall receive 100/. per annum salary, and
reasonable expenses for office : in contradiction to this
clause, Dr. Somerville has been receiving above 800/. per
annum.

Dr. Somerville has, under his appointment, two un-
dertakers to bury dissected bodies. The charge made
by the undertakers to the Teachers of Anatomy, for in-
terment of each subject, varies from 21. 10s. to 4/. ss.—a
price that would have enabled them to provide for a
decent funeral, and given general satisfaction to the
parish authorities who supplied the subjects. Instead of
the cash of the Professors of Anatomy being well ex-
pended, we find that the Marylebone parish is now in a
state of agitation in consequence of havingdiscovered
that some hundreds of dissected bodies have been buried,
contrary to law, in the Globe Fields burying-ground,
which is unconsecrated ; and that the Church of Eng-
land burial-service is stated to have been read over them
by the undertaker's man.
An inquiry is now instituted at the Home-office into
Dr. Somerville's conduct. It appears that all the bodies,
fifty-four in number, made over for dissection from Mary-
lebone Workhouse since 1832 (the commencement of the
working of the Anatomy Act) have been sent to the
London University College. These were all cheap bodies,
the teachers at the school having been charged only
2s. 6d. for each of, them. Why, we demand, this pre-
ference in favour of that Warburtonian monopoly?
Afterwards they were permitted to be removed to the
same institution at no cost at all ; but the burial of two
subjects not having been accounted for, the Board of
Guardians indignantly stopped the supply altogether.
It turns out that eight bodies have been clandestinely
taken from the said workhouse to the University Col-
lege, excepting one, Eliza Stevens, which is stated to
have been removed by the undertaker, Dix, to Kenner-
ton-street School, and the undertaker's charge was fifty
shillings. If the body had been dissected at the Univer-
sity College, the teachers there had the option of return-
ing it, as they have done heretofore, to the Marylebone
workhouse, where the expenses for burial would have •
been defrayed out of the parish returns—consequently'
would have cost them nothing.
The pupils, be it remembered, have been in the habit
of paying at the rate of fifteen shillings a limb, the por-
tions of the trunk bearing a corresponding price, or
from four to five pounds per subject. Where has the
money gone ? Has it contributed to fill the coffers of
the London University College, or some private pocket?
We thought the Anatomy Bill was professedly instituted
• to stop burking and the traffic in human flesh.
We ask, moreover, where have they been in the habit
of burying the bodies prior to taking them to Globe-
fields burying-ground, which they commenced doing
when Mr. Warburton was commissioned to hold this
pretended and infamously conducted private inquiry into
the administration of the Anatomy Act in 1840 ?
Since that periotl the undertakers have buried two
hundred and fifty-four in that place, at six shillings •
each, and one hundred odd at seven shillings and• six-
pence—a space, the extent of Which is about, we should
suppose, sixty feet by thirty. The removals may also
cost the undertaker about six shillings per body on an
average (three or four being often removed together),
which would make the sum total expense to the underta-
kers to be twelve or from that to fourteen shillings per
subject. The minimum charge for the bodies to teachers
(excepting to those of the University) is two pounds ten
shillings ; a short time ago it was two guineas. The
Maximum, as we have already stated, is four pounds five
shillings, allowing a profit of above 400 per cent. It is .7
calculated that 600 bodies are dissected during each ana-
tomical session in the metropolis. We may, therefore,
reckon that this trade must afford not a very small in-
come to some party or parties.
Since the commencement of the administration of this
Act, 'we have often had occasion to witnessn'the non-equi-
table distribution of bodies. The Anatomy Act has been
unceasingly exercised as a tool to favour some schools to
the prejudice of others.
We are certain that many teachers of anatomy have
cause to regret the arbitrary powers exercised by Dr.
Somerville in the distribution of subjects. It is the int:
cumbent duty of the profession to address the Home-
office upon the matter.
"We understand this private commission is now closed, ,
Dr. Somerville's Counsel having wound up his defence
before the Commissioners."—Medical Record, February.