Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1829-12-29

any one To this we would answer, that
the execution of such proposal would be
impracticable to the greater part Of the
profession. The sons of persons in easy
circumstances may indeed command such
an advantage. They can cross the At
lantick, and come home rich with the sci
entifck treasures they have accumulated
in Europe. But three quarters of the
profession are not competent to the charge
Of long and expensive journey or voyage.
They must obtain what knowledge they
are able at home and if they are forbid
den tire means of acquiring sufficient &C
quaintance with the profession, then three
quarters of the community must suffer for
their ignorance
With all our Medical Schools, the
means of obtaining competent knowl-
edge of anatomy are comparatively mea-
ger. Some of our young men go abroad
to attend the foreign schools where every
opportunity is afforded for studying the
science to the greatest possible advantage.
But few, however. can afford this, and it
is disgrace to US that any are obliged to
seek for that instruction in strange land
that can be afforded at home: and the
greater proportion are therefore compelled
to make every effort in their power to
make up the deficiency in manner which
doubtless they regret, and which is brand
ed in the statute book as crime.
What, then, is the remedy proposed ?
We all shrink with horror at the violation
Of the grave. 1t is a feeling implanted
within us, and we cannot away with it.
We view the remains of friend with a
respect that would cause us to cover with
infamy any one who should dare to plum
der the grave of the Wondering elements
it contains-elements that were once liv-
ing. breathing, moving, like ourselves-a
form in which our fondest affections were
centered-a form that was once, and but
yesterday, full Of the moral, social, and
intellectual principle, and that returned in
full measure our kindest and warmest
greetings.
The Committee on this subject pro-
fess, and we doubt not possess, the same
feelings with ourselves.
We will conclude this long article by
extracting the method they propose of OBJ
tanning anatomical subjects, without doing
injury to the feelings of living, indi-
Ividual. 1t strikes us as the best sugges-
ton that has been made touching this
matter, and one which we think at some
future day will meet the views of the
community. Anatomy, it is plain, must be
thoroughly studied, or else the lives OF
very many who meet with bodily injury
must fall sacrifice to the ignorance OF
pretenders, or the inexperience of those
who would have gladly toiled day and
night and have consumed their best years
to become learned and apt in the noble
science -
Ia all our large towns, deaths are contin-
ually occurring among class of persons
whose connection with the sympathies of the
living is SO light, that there is no one pro-
Tossing to regret their departure, or willing
to show respect to their remains. The
number of persons of this description is
much greater than might be thought posi-
bic in such state of society as that we
live in. In the city of Boston there die an
nually not much less than hundred per-
sons who have no relation to mourn for
them. Of these large part consists of in
dividuals brought to a premature death by
vicious excuses. We have repeatedly
known of two or three such dying in one
day, from continued debauchery and ex-
cess persons sunk so long in disgusting
criminality and RIGHTEOUSNESS, that the earth
seems to be corrupted by their existence,
and relieved from burden by their depart
ure. Shall we leopard the best lives in the
community, from pretended respect to the
decaying remains of such as these /?
These insulated and unhappy beings
should receive from us during life, the re-
lief and protection their destitute circum-
stances require. But when their lives are
ended, and their bodies insensible to pain,
they are the proper subjects to be devoted
to the benefit of mankind. Not that their
bodies are to be SO used as a punishment,
because they are outcasts from society by
their crimes or misfortunes dissection is
not to be made part of the expiatory pen
atty OF crimes it is not to be regarded as
a punishment, but as an operation on the
dead for the benefit of the living; and on
this very account, those laws which permit
the Judge to annex dissection to the punish
ment of death, operate .injuriously to sci