Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1857-04-09
For the Delaware Republican
SCENES IN THE LIFE
MEDICAL STUDENT.
BY sHAz.

All whittier now are fed
Ihose dreams of greatness unsold homes
VI happiness those longings after fame 7
those restless cares : those busy bustling days2
All now are VANISHED 7-THoNsoN.
- Such was my thoughts as contemplated the
heless corpse ofa youth, lying on the dissector,s
taple, on an evening in the month OF Novem
Der, IS. Yes where are now thy fond hone
aud youthful anticipations2 Those ambitious
aspirations which moved the springs of thv
opening existence2 Lost in the cold embrac',
oil death. Where now are the expectations of,
coating mother-indulgent father, and loyin,,
feiatlvesi All swallowed UP by the unpitvin,t
t NJ mus II is with man. He enters upon
ne win all the anticipations of future great.
ness-honors pleasures; but, alasl in Tho
neisht Of his hopes, the cold arrow Of death
mes from the bow with unerrng aim. and in ono
snort moment all is lost.
ana thou old wrinked, loathing mass of cor
fhptlon, where are thy vanitiesi Where the
Desuty that was once thy idel-thy yery god !
"leIe those sparkling eyes that many time
anu OFT nave, with studied modesty. been
cast on earth, to affect a coyness that tbom
thou asf pds f6yseif for having a g'p pos
sessed Swept from thee by the icy hand of
death, and thy mortal self which once might
have awakened the envy of many. placed herr
Inc object Of giddy jest and rude remark. And
thou Whose sinewey arms and hardened hands,
Despeak life of toil-didst thou too feel ought
OF pleasure, or wish to prolong the period of
an existence, which to thee possessed no bol.
llday Why do ask was no not mortal 7
ana being mortal, should he be wiser than his
race Man is but man in every sphere of lifi, =.
effected by the same passions alarmed by the
same fearsi subject to all sc the ills that flesh
10 heir to-" Then is it strange that he sbould
have craved still to live and toll and sweat. M.
though life had been to him one constant scene
OF suffering and sorrow, still would man hold
lase 10 II, rainier imam seek rest and ease beyond
me grave, OF which he nothing certain knows.
Snch, repeat, were the thoughts which arose
in my mind, as l stood alone amidst the moni-
derlng dead in the dissecting room, waiting
the coming Of my fellow-laborers in the HaIG
OF science. was not long left to contemnio
ton. Soon tho class assembled, and ON their
footsteps came the Demonstration, TO explai,
the mighty mechanism of the mass of matter
when me mind lnhabits-the brain. With the
arrival OF my companions departed those rr
Elections, and although u moment before. my
thoughts were Of a sOmbre cast not a yestige
OF IL now remained such is the iickIeness of
the human mind. VI
Why, Chaz," exclaimed Curtis Richly. &c Won
look as grave as parson-I hope none OF those
good ioiks have been revealing to you the mys
ferries of the future"
"No, Curtis, not exactly; and vet they fur-
nish one with much.iood for reflection. ),
"That is exactly as you take me ), ranlio1
Curtis hlchy' "For instance" taking IN an
arm OF one OF the subjects which had been
partly dissected, scan you tell me what povn
motion to this limb in life Here are tho nns.
cles, nerves, blood vessels and bones, the same
as before DEATH nothing visible have departed,
yet the limb is inanimate.''
"True; but the vital principle has nassau
away" said |, that secret solnething which,
many have endeavored to explain, without nav.
ing the least conception Of what il really ia ),
"IDat's the question, as Shakespeare saws. -
remarked Tom johnson. "Now what il tbis
vital principle 70 ''-''
"Ihat can lnot answer, as the immottll win
would say" observed John Wilberforce. sc and
question whether the wise ones at tbe Irni,,ar
sity can give better reply"
We'll as no one knows why, ignorance IA
fashionable, and as am man Of fashion
VIII not strive to know said Tom johnson
seating himself on stool near the fire,
Tome Tom, none of that now," exclaimed
gurus kichy, " so get up and come here and
help me to hold this modest females head
until Mr.. Scalpel removes her head dress',
"Plague on you, there's enough to deyour
her without me, and am not in a holding I'm
NOR to-night," replied Tom johnson. g And |
let me tell you further,
"lf you were mon, as men you are in show, |
You would not use gentle lady So"
Gentle enough in all conscience" said |
Washington Simpson, =" and very quiet to boot |
for she has said never word but smile altbo; |
they treat her with so very little ceremony. d,
With such occasional remarks as these tho
demonstration Of the brain was completed and
after washing, a ceremony not easily DISPENSED
with after such work-the party seated them
selves near the stove, and sending for a Ditcbpr
of punch, RECALLED themselves until its arrivaI
with the fumes of the I" Virginia weed ),
" Now, since find it is too late for an oro
ming visit, and too early to go home, 1 pronosa
that We act as committee of the whole. and
invite Mr. Scalpel to favorus with tale, What
say you, gentlemen, is it in accordance with
your wishes i' enquired Tom johnson.
|" Decidedly''-'' it is'-fde so''-ts yes 10,
US have the story" responded all, and each
drew his stool nearer to that Of
his neighbor.
" Since, gentlemen, il is your pleasure that
should entertain you with the recital OF some
Incident that may have once had life, and not
1t this moment being able to recall any that
nay have bearing decidedly upon the subject
,f your studies, will relate to you circum-
'tance of which was an eye witness, and one
which, at the time of its occurrence, made
. deep impression, and even now, remains un-
iefaced upon the tablet of my memory" OBJ
'eryed Mr.. Scalpel. "The tale, II may be
permitted to so Designate it, is one OF humble