Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1858-03-13


the smallest preparation for his cabinet, is
spider-likc. -
Connected with the mooted questions
concerning the stomach, were others which
1T is unnecessary for me to describe; but
they made itimperativc that the body to
be dsseotcd, should be that of male adult
somewhat aged. a-
The night arrived We were all in our
disseGting room. apparal. The body entire
~ nude and completely covered with cloth,
as is the custom, lay upon the table, and we
impaticutly awaited the Professors arrival
The conduct of students in the dssecting
room is not, as presume the most of. your
readers Know from the many able medical
sketches you have published, particularly
dignifcd. In fact, it is (in view of the
sad proofs of our wrctched hclplessncss and
mortality spread around,) frivolous, disgust
ing, and utterly at variance with the scene,
aud the Legitimate purposes of thc ASSEM-
blage Rude iests, profanity, the intcm-
perate use of ardent spirits, pipc-smokine,
etc, arc proctiscd and INDUCED in by all,
ornearly ali. On this night we were in the
widest spirits and when, soon after the
hour appointed the Professor entered, he
found us engaged in most animated Sc
rics OF laughs, at the spectacle of n lighted
cigar stuck between the lips Of half dis
sected negro. .e-. ~
The Professor appeared to be as joyful as
the students. lie rcgalod us with several
anecdotes more pointed than polite, but cal
culatcd to inspire the hcartiest mirth I
perceived that he was in his best mood -
There he was, perfect picture of the man
ofscience, unbending, for the moment, from
the dlgnites of his station, so as to insure
a feeling Of ease to those who had congrc.
gated to receive his instructions. And
ease, IN the presence Of the pcrccptor, let
me tell you, is very scrviceablc to pupil.
alt is astonishing," lie said; MS he pre-
pared himself for the business of the night,
''how soon we get to be familiar with the
relies of mortality. Habit is everything.
The first time | was introduced to the dis
secting room | was compelled to bite piece
of human flesh, that being considered,
among my companions. rite of initiation
that could not be described. Vowed men
tally that would never entersuch arcvolt-
ing place again; bat in three months was
the most reckless member of all the classes.
Nowl handle the dead as ifthey were balesof
cotton. Disease in every shapcI face without
fear Spcctacles of the most appalling char
acterpass by me, leaving no impression worth
mentioning. And this, gentlemen" said
he, raising his voice and approaching the
table whcreon lay the subject, t'this facul-
ty of ofconqucri7G.our wcaknessps is what
makes us valuable 10 physicians. Nerve!
that, young gentlemen, is our greatest aid
IN difficult practice. Learn to suppress cv
cry approach to ncrvousncss-school your
selves to view tie scvercSt suffering with
adamantine Grmness ss-ncver betray the
slightest fear, and, with hard study to back
you, there can be nothing to rctard your
progress in the noblcst of all the learned
professions.
llorc he made the usual sign to the ian
itor, and that Official partially removed the
cloth from the subcct.-the Professors stand,
ing then, with his back towards the table.
"Our first business he resumed "is
with the stomach"
We gathered around him full of anxious
expectation.
"You will pay particular attention to
me" he continued, bearing the scalpcl and
incisions are very important"
We concentrated our vision upon the
corpsc--he looked steudilyat us.
81 will now, !" he resumed, seeing our at
tcntion directed upon his movements, clay,
open the dead body directly beneath the
region Of the Diaphragm" '
lie now faced about full at the table, and
lifted the scnlpel. Hep paused an instant.
we Sazed, all earncstness, upon the body.
The scalpel descended. Scarcely had it
touched the lean, lank, scraggy and miser-
able relic ofmortality, ere there was fear
tuichange. The mostpcrfect silence reign
ed in the room. The scapol second time
touched the body, and then, as if the in
strument had been galyanic battery, the
supposed corpse, with a countenaucei most
horribly contorted, sprang up and seized
the Professor by the gown, and then fell
back quiesccnt. A glance of horror and
recognition seemed to pass between the
Subject and the Professor He, as if
struck by lightning, staggered back, with a
loud cry or rather shrek, and stood, in an
attitude of despair and wild terror, gazing
vacantly into the air. ''t
Before we could recover from our terror
and despair he had tainted
We looked at the body; the muscles of
the face were working those of the limbs
we're twitchinS convusively, and yet, as af-
ter investigation proved, it was dead Why
it should have made this strange NANTES
ltation is not to be resolved into matter of
certainty. One of the physicians connect
ed wiih tho institution says that he has wit