Star.
London, England, 1828-08-28 00:00:00

iiiIIRSDAY AUGUST -t828.:

manner hereafter described, to one Of the dissecting,
schools. These are no private dissecting schools at
Paris, but two public ones ; that of the Ecole de he
Medicine, and that adjoining the Hopital de la Pitie
Theseate supplied exclusively from the different hos.
pitals and firm the institutions ftrmaintaining paupers.
the supply from certain of these establishmesus being
appropriated to one school, and that flour the remain-
ing establishments to the other.
The distribution of subjects to the two schools is con-
fided to a public officer, the Chef des travails Aosta-
snips's. He causes them to be conveyed from the hos-
pitals. at an early hour, in a covered carriage. so con-
structed as not to att, act notice, to a building at the
schools, set apart for that purpose. They are then dis-
tributed by the prosecteurs to the students; and, after
dissection, being again enveloped in cloth, are con-
veyed to the nearest place of interment.
The students at the Ecale de la Medicine consist of
young men who have distinguished themselves at a
public examination, though the person at the head of
the establishment is also allowed to admit pupils to dis-
sect. The school of la Pitie is open to students of all
nations, who, on entering themselves, may be supplied
with u many subjects as they require, at a price vary.
inteceording to the state in which the body is, from
three to twelve francs; priority of choice, however;
being given to the eleves interne' of ,the different hos-
pitals, and the subjects being delivered to them at a '
reduced price. English surgeons were here permitted
until lately, to engage private rooms for the purpose of
lecturing on Anatomy to the students of their own na-
tion, and to supei intend their labours in the dissecting
room. From the protection and facilities which have
thus been afforded to the study of Anatomy at Paris, it
bas become the resort t f -the medical students of all -na.
dons ; the practice of exhumation is wholly unknown,
and the feelings of the people appear not to.be violated.
It is the opinion of almost all the witnesses, that the
adoption in this country of a plan, :night- in most
respects to that which prevails in France, would afford
a simple and asitgilate temedy for the exiting evils.—
They recommend that the bodies of those who during
life have been maintained at the public chirge, and who
die in workhouses, hospitals, and other charitable insti-
tutions, should, if not claimed by next of kin within a
certain time after death, be given up, under proper 're-
gulations. to the anatomist; and some of the witnesses.
would Extend the same rule to the unclaimed bodies of
those who die in prisons, penitentiaries, and other places
of confinement. In the hospitals which supply sub-
jects to the Anatomical schools of France and Italy,
religious rites ate paid to the dead, before giving up the'
bodies for dis.ection. Li the plan proposed for this
country, most of the witnesses recommend that the per-
formance of religious rites should be deferred until after
dissection, and they are anxit us that the Anatoroks.
should be requis ed. under adequate securities, or a sys-
tern of effective superintendence, to cause to be adnsinis-
tered, at his own expense, to the bodies which he dis-
sects,-religious solemnities and the usual r itrs of burial.
- The plan proposed has this essential circum-tance to
recommend it-that provided it were carried in:o ef-
fect, it would yield a supply of subjects that, in Lan-
den at.least, mould be. adequate to the wants of the
`uto;stonsist. The number of anatomical students resort-
ing annually tiLdodon, , and the number of subjects
with which they ought-to be-supplied, have been already

Committee from 127 ot theinrishrs *este in Liam,
Wiatminater;.and Soistliwirk, or their immediate vici-
nity, that out of 3,744 persons who died in the work-
houses of these parishes in the year 1827, 3,103 were
buried at the parish expense; and that of thevil about
1,108 were rot attended to their graves by any rela-
tions. There are many parishes in and around London
from which, at the time of making this Report, returns
tad not been delivered -in but it may be inferred
from those -returns which have been procured, that the
supply to be obtained from this source alone, would be
many times greater than that now obtained by disinter-
ment; that when added to the supply to be derived
from those other sources which have been pointed out,
it would be more than commensurate to the wants of
the student, and consequently that the plan, if adopted,
as meeting the exigencies of the care, would eventually
be the means of suppressing the practice of exhumation.
If it be an object deeply interesting to the.feelings of
the community. that the remains of It tends and relations
should rest undisturbed, that object can only be effectqd
by Riving up tor dissection a certain portion of the
whole, in order tr preserve the remainder from distur-
bance. Exhumation is condemned as seizing its objects
indiscriminately ; as, in consequence, exciting appre-
hensions in the minds of the whole community, and as
outraging in the highest degree, when discovered, the
feelings cf relations. If selection .then be necessary.
what bodies ought to be selected but the bodies of tho e
who have either no known relations .whose feelings
would be outraged, or such only as, by not claiming
the body, would evince indifference on the subject of
dissection? It may be argued, perhaps, that the prin-
ciple of selection, according to the plan proposed. is
not just, as it svould.not affect, equally all classes of the
pubtic ; since the bodies to be chosen would necessarily
be those of the poor only. To this it may be replied—!
Ist, that even were the force of this objection to a cat-
rain degree admitted, yet that, to judge fairly of the
plan, its inconveniences must be compared with those
of the existing system.; which system, according to the
evidence adduced, is liable in a great measure to the
same objection, since the bodies eshurnated are princi-
piny those of the poor-2dly, that the evils of this,
or of any other plan to be proposed on this subject,
mnstbe judged of by the distress which it would occa-
sion to ttie feelings of surviving relstions; and the un-
fairness tri one or another class of the community, by
the degree of distress inflicted on one class rather than
another ; but where theie are no relations to iutf.r dis-
tress, there can be no inequality of suffering, and con-
sequently nesuufairness shown to. one class more than
another.

One or two of the witnesses, who appear to be either
favourable, or not opposed to. the principle of the plan,
speak with doubt of its success, as though it would be
found impracticable to reconcile the public to its intro-
duction ;,- and one, in particular, apprehends that reli-
gious feelings may impede its Adoption. An objection
tounded on religious feelings does not apply to the plan
in question only, but Would be equally valid, generally,
against all dissection whatsoever; and should lead those
wbourgv iti couistestly with •their own pincipleso td)
" .s

..

eodeatier to put does altogether the study a practical,
an atom

Thengh it may be true that the public are, to a cer-
tain degree, averse to dissection, yet it is satisfactory to
find freveril of the witne.ses adducing facts to prove:
chit those feelings of aversion are on thiclecline. They
state, that in those parish infirmaries where the bodies
of .those who die are examined, as the practice has be-
come ctiosmon, it hat been viewed with less jealousy;
that in those hospitals where a similar rule preveils.,
neither patients themselves are deterred from applying
for admission, nor their relatives on their behalf; that
the addition of public dissecting-rooms to hespitali has
not produced any diminution in the number of appli
c4tions for relief within the walls of those hospitals ;
and that, by reasoning with the friends of those vain die,
and by explaining to them how important it is to the
art of healing that examination should take place aft,o
death, they may usually be brought to convent to the
bodies of their friends being examined. Hence it is
ingefelir, that in involving the subject of dissection in
mystery, as has hitherto been the case, the public have
bees treated injudiciously ; that with proper precautions
and the light of public discussion to grade them,. they
say W Lodi vw perceive the importance of the study
generally, and the rerwonahlesiesa of the particular
measure now contemplated, and that when they come
in regard it as the means of suppressing exhumation,
they will receive it with favour, and finally acquiesce
in it.

The legislative measure which most of the witnesses
are desirous of, in order to enable them to carry the
plan into effect; is the repeal of any existing law, which -
would subject to penalties those who might be Con-
cerned in carrying the proposed plan into execution :
they wish for an enactment, permissive and not manda-
tory, declarin'g that it shall not be deemed illegal for
the governors orworkhouses, Sce. and for anatomists,
the former to dispose of, the latter to receive and to dis.
sect, the bodies of those dying in such workhouses, Ac.
such bodies not having been claimed, within a time to
be specified, by any immediate relations, and due pro-
vision being made ror the invariable performance of
funeral rites. Some few of witnesses, indeed, who
state that they wish 'for the success of the plan, contem-
plate any legislative interference whatever in this mat-
ter with apprehension ; but they do not appear to have
been aware how nearly the cases decided by the courts,
of Law, and already adverted to, would apply tis per-
sons engaged in executing the plan in question. In those
casts, the bodies for the ton-burying of ivhichtlit di.,
fendants were severally convicted, were those of a
pauper who died in a workhouse, and of a person who
had suffered death as a felon. If these cases apply, as
it appears they do, to persons engaged in giving up or in
receiving, for other purposes that'tor. burial, the bodies
of the inmates of wotkhouses or of prisons, such ini-
pediments to the success of the plan cannot lie re-
moved, as these witnessesthink they might be,. simply
by the fivourable interfetenre of the Executive Govern-
ment, however disposed to shove, indulgence to eh/pro
fession; but ao Act of the Legislature can alone pro.
vide a remedy:

Amongst the measures that hue been suggested for
lessening tht dislike of the publieto diksectro7r, is that of
repealing the clause of the Act of COG: IL which directs
that the bodies of murderers shall be' give.n up tc., be
aistomitrect..: It .Sppoarc from the ressis:4 al reaVid
before the- House, Matt as regards the direct open
of this clause, on the supply 'of subjects, the ;umbel
which it yields to the anatomist is so small in compari-
son of his total wants, that the iticonienienCe which he
would sustain from its repeal would he' Wholly unim-1
portant. As to its remote oparatiouodmOst the whole
of the witnesses examined before' the CoMmittee, and
of thote WhOse written communications will be found
in the Appendix, are of opinion, that the cl.ruse in'
question, by attaching to dissection the mark r f igno-
miny, increases the dislike of the public to anatomy,
and they therefore are desirous that the clause should
be repealed.

The Committee would be very unwilling to interfere
with any penal enactment which might have, or seem
to have, a tendency to prevent the commission of atro-
cious crimes; but as it may be reasonably doubted
whether the dread of dissection can be reckoned amongst
the obstacles to the perpetration of such ciinses, and as
it is manifest that the clause in que.,tion must ,create a
strong and mischievous prejudice against the practice
of anatomy, the Committee think themselves justified
in concluding, that more evil than good results from
its continuance.. • •

The Committee consider that they would imperfectly'
discharge their duties, if they did not state their convic-
tion of the importance to the public in'erests of the
subject of their inqUiries. As the members of the.pro-•
fession are well educated, so is thrit ability increased
to remove or alleviate" human suffering.-As the seitnce
of anatomy has improved, many 0 ver idiom ,foimerly
thought necessary have beeo 4together
.dispensed
mint of those retained have Inez modeled mote simol4
and many new ones have been peifoynied, to the.saving
of the lives of patients, which were formerly thought'
impossible. To neglect the practice of dissection, would
lead to the greatest aggravatiots of human misery; since
anatomy, if not learned by.that practice, must.be learned
by mangling thelivirig. Though ail.classes,are.deeply
interested in affording protectioo.to the study rf ana-
tomy, yet the poor and middle classecare the.most•to;
they will be the most benefited by promoting it, and
tie principal sufferers by discouragmg
..it.. The rich!,
when they require prOfessiottai
.asAstmce, can afford to
employ those who have acquiced,the reputation of pracl
rising successfully.. It is on the poor that,rhe inexpe-
rienced corumence their practice,, *end ix is to the poor
that the practice of the lowest Order. rf practitioners is
confined.. It is, therefore, fqr
.the interest,.ot the poor
especially,..that professional education should be ren.
dried cheap and of easy attainment; that. the lowest
order of practitioners (which is the most numerous),
and the students on their first entry into practice, may
be Rlph' well instructed in the ditties of their profession.
Such, on an attentive 'consideration of* the evidence
adducted, is the deliberate judgment' of- the Committee
on the matters submitted 4...sissail• and it now remain,
for the House to consider whether it will .not. be expe
dtettl:Xo:,iattoduee. in Ilse .couese of the ensuing *Wen,:
,tionsclagiolatiea mellow, which. may give.effect to the•
fic°l4oo4l4ioJuAgataimi is the present Report. 1
tital Yely, lest- • 7 - 7- • •• • •