The Port Gibson reveille. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 185?-1857, 1853-11-23
From he Knirk05ooker Maga=ine.
How They Make Doctors.

Y
citizens. the doctors. We may see, too some
other machinery, "fearfully and wonderfully
made; = deep arcana Of nature, hid from the
common eye. Don't be nervous about it :
Mystery is the first element Of horror things.
once seen in their true light. grow less often
sive, and at last, We learn to look with plea
sure on that we at first abhorred
IL Is large building Of red sandstone, of
a curious Romanesque style Of architecture.
Here we are, in the lower hall Two or three
bright rosy children are playing about, and
IN that large. cheerful room, busted in her
household cares, is the Janitor's wife. We
have the entree Of the edifice, and this little
pass-key in my hand will open every door.
Let Us 90 above.
Here is a fine, lofty hall On one side IS
the library, on the shelves Of which is piled
much musty lore; but medical books are
not the lightest Of literature, and should be
carefully opened. or we may see something
designed for the initiated only. On this side
IS lecture-roOm, in the form of an amphi-
theatre. the seats rise tier on tier, one above
another, and are occupied by students in all
manner Of negLige attitudes Down at the
bottom Of this great well-likc room, is 4 cir
cular enclosure. Behind this, and separated
from the lecture room by folding doors. is
the laboratory The janitor opens the doors,
and trundles out a large table, which runs
on a railroad, and fits nicely to the con-
cavity Of the circle. This table is covered
with spirit-lamps. receivers, air.pumps Flor
ence TASKS, retorts, and sundry variously-
colored bottles; aud the Professor, stepping
up 20 It, proceeds 70 discourse on the mystic
ries Of Chemistry. Before he commences,
however, he bows acknowledgment to the
hearty cheer which greets his entrance. Ii
is etiquette in a medical school to salute the
lecturer with stamping of feet and clapping
of hands, and silence would be as ominous
as a hiss.
Here. in the story above. is the museum
Ranged abOus the room in glass cases, are
manifold skulls. skeletons Of various sizes,
monsirOsities Of morbid anatomy. and there,
grinning hideOusly from its pedestal. is a
manikin a kind Of anatomical model, made
Of papier mache detested by students, and
bearing the same resemblance to the "real
thing that an old, worm-eaten herbarium
does to the fresh and fragrant flower
~ y
anatomisal theatre, and is, though smaller,
constructed like tho room below. Two or
three brains lie on plates on the table, and the
Professor is dscoursing very learnedly. What
an unintelligible melange OF loDghy words.
Torcular hcraphili hippOcampus major ten
torium csrebelli. and other polysylla5les, roll
glbly from the teachers mouth Most of
the class are watching the dissection closely,
but there. in that FIRST seat is one with mouth
wide open, and despair written on his brow,
swallowing insanely every word but under
standing nothing Such man will make a
stupid physician
Now, come through this passage, aud up
fight Of stairs. On the door is written, De
1lortuiS nil niSt 6Onunz :" which some
scribbler has freely translated. "Of the dead
nothing Is left but the bones :" We enter a
long. lofty room, lighted from above, and
quite chilly; but little FIRE being allowed here.
WHY do YOU start back so hastily? These
specimens Of the defunct hOmO on these ta-
bles, are, to be sure. novel sight but these
young gentlemen in many-colored dressing-
gowns, and short pipes, seem to feel no unea-
siness. That quiet, goO1-natured looking gen.
tleman at the blackboard, is the demonstrator
Of anatomy. lie goes about from table 10
table, explaining tho relations Of organs, and
helping green students to repair the mischief
done by some unlucky cut Of the scalpel. lie
says in reply 10 our questions, that students
very rarely manifest any great repugnance to
the task Of dissection, and that only at the
outset Of their labor. The integuments once
removed, and they have before them a prob
lem to solec; a congeries Of bones. blood-ves-
sells, muscles and nerves, TO be unraveled
their relations to each other 10 be ascertained,
and their shape, size, and other tangible prop
er.ies to be acquired And the study Of this
problem, like that Of a Chinese puzzle, be-
comes very fascinating. Students come early,
and 20 late; the Interruptions Of meals are a
bore, and they sit quietly at their work occa-
sionally humming a snatch from an opera or
cracking a joke with a neighbor.
We ask an imper.inent question, but which
the demonstraior answers very readily
Where do we get our subjects +! Oh, at a
distance We have no legal sources Of sup
ply. or at least, very insufficient ones. So
we get them as we can, always taking great
pains 20 avoid any outrage Of public sentiment
ana generdlly eNauingf ialhct lhdu NlVla0ihE
the law. All these subjects before you, were
procured in a-manner which ought to be le-
gal If it were. nobody's feelings would be
outraged, no surviving friends would be Of
Tended They ought to give US the law we
petition for every winter but there are al
ways Mohawk Dutchmen, and anti-renters,
ignorant Van Schoonhovens and Vanderspie-
gels enough. in the Legislature, to defeat the
bill. This is very unfair. The law for NAL
practice Furnishes the surgeon severely for any
disaster resulting from want Of skill; or, in
other words, from want Of anatomical knowl-
edge and at the same time we are punishable
by fine, and disgraceful Imprisonment, for ta-
king the only means in our power 60 acquire
that knowledge And frequent ruinous aud
unjust suits for malpractice have made this
50 evident to surgeons. that it is sometimes
difficult to procure surgical attendanae. /
have known a man to lie for many hours with
broken thigh, before a surgeon could be
found to assume the legal risk Of reducing
il. At the same time, no man is 50 poor or
DEGRADED. but that he can readily procure the