The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1873-09-27
HORRORS OF !HE DlsSEcrINo ROOM.
Piekling The Dead-8ew Bodies arc Pro.
- = pared for Dissection.

Complaint haviu. been made of certain
pits under the old University buildings on
Ninth stro.t, Philadelphia, Mr.. Daniel P.
Re d Inspector, was sent to examine the
place and made the following report:
Pn1LADELPHIA, August 25th, 1879.
To Hr. Addicks, Heath O0seer:
SIR-ln compliance with your ins,ruc.
tons visited the premises, Ninth street,
above Chestnut, formerly occupied by the
Medical Department Of tho University of
Pennsylvania. In the cellar Of said build
ing l found several vaults containing pits
filled with the remains of human beings.
and was Informed that said pits would
average about sixty feet deep. I tried to
lower On igni.ed candle in ono Of the pits
that was partially filled. but the gas put out
the light within SIX inches from the top.
then tried dark lantern with the same
result. All through the SAID cellar portions
of human remains could be found, and the
stencil arising therefrom was sitting. Not
only in the cellar, but throughout the entire
building, found the remains of skull
bones. Very respectfully,
.'" ~, DANIEL P. READ.
49,. - INSPECTOR Ninth District.
A correspondent Of the Inquirer, who
inspected the building, gives this account
Of villa! he saw:
As the door Of the apartment was flung
open . d,sagrecablc and nauseating odor
losted out; thst told Of charnel house in
close proximity. Il was damp. barn like
room, with brick floor, beneath which
we're several wells filed with human bones,
while IN the centre Of the room were found
large boxes, that rcscmbled the cases In
which collins are deposited for burial. To
the writer the situation was not rs pieasan,
and comfortable IS it might have been, yet,
determining TO sec oil the horrors of the
place, be faced tho music. . ,t.s.
The lid Of one of the boxes was taken of,
which disclosed to view the body ola female
in readiness for the knife and scalpcl Of the
student. The corpse had been thoroughly
injected and the fiesll-what little there was
upon the homes was hard aud clammy.
Another lid was removed, and the body Of 4
middle aged man was seen. The reporter
was told that three other bodies was con.
tained in the boxes underneath, all prepared
for the work of dissection. -g i
t, Other horrors were in waiting, for taking
few steps towards large vat which stood
in the northern end Of the room. the enter.
prising aud case hardened a,tcndsn, 70.
moved heavy covering, when floating in
brine was revealed the sight Of two Other
boles-one that Of man, and the other of
al aged gray haired woman. The corpses
were floating in the water, sideby side, owe,
= couple Of other bodies, and oil were In
process Of "pickling," having been injected
and now ready 10 80 up STAIRS" for ma
nipula.ion, Acknowledgement and dissection
The manner Of preservation was then
explained. First, the body is stretched
upon slab and the throat opened wide
enough to admit Of I small tube which il
thrust down the neck to y spot where the
arteries centre, BY which the blood is dis
tributcd throughout the body; then 4
strong solution Of liquid Chloride of zinc),
is syringed into the corpse, which penctra'es
the entire body. After this operation the
windpipe is plugged and the body cast into
the vat tor picking in salt and water,