The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-09-10

| HqRRoRs OF THE D1ssRor1Na RooM.-
Complaint having been made ofacertain
pits under the old University buildings
on Ninth direct, PhiladeiphisSs. Mr.
Daniel p. Read, In, pecEor, was sent to
examine the place, and made the follow
ing report:
PHILADELPHIA, August 26. 1873. - To
Mr. Addicks. Health O6icer-S1n: In
compliance with your instructions,
visited the premises, Ninth street, above
Ohesnut, formerly occupied by the
Medical Department of the University
OF pennsylvania. In the cellar of said
building found several vaults contain.
ing pits filled with the remains OF hu-
man beings, and was informed that said
pits would average about sixty feet deep.
tried to lower an ignited candle in one
OF the pits that was partially filled, and
gas put out the light within six inches
from the top. I then tried dark
lantern with tho same result. ALI
through the said cellar portions OF hu-
man remaine 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,
Inspector Ninth District.
correspondent Of the Inquirer, who
inspected the vault, gives this account
OF what he saw:
AS the door OF the apartment was
flung open, disagrseable and nauseat-
ing odor foated out, that told OF
oharnel house in close proximity. It
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 resehbled the cases in which
coffins are deposited for burial. To the
writer, the situation was not as pleasant
and comfortable as it Nigh: have baen;
yet, determining to see all the horrors
OF the place, he faced the music. The
lid of one of the boxes was taken off,
which disclosed to view the body of
female IN readiness for the knife and
scaIpel Of the student. The corpse had
been thoroughly Injected, and the flesh
what little there was upon the bones
was hard and clammy. Another lid was
removed. and the body of middle aged
man was seen. The reporter was told
that three other bodies were contained
in the boxes underneath, all prepared
for the work Of dissection.
Other horrors were in waiting; for
taking few steps towards large vat
that stood in the Northern part of the
room, the enterprising and case hard
ened attendant laboriously removed q
heavy covering, when floating in brine
was revealed the sight of two other
bodies-one that of o man aud the other
of an aged, gray-haired woman. The
corpses were floating in tho water, side
by side. over couple of other bodies,
and oil were in process OF "piokling,"
having been injected, and now ready to
''go up stairs" for manipulation, dis
memberment and dissection.
The manner OF preservation was then
explained. First, the body is stret she'd
upon slab, and the throat opened wide
enough to admit Of small tube, which
is thrust down the neck to the spot
where the arteries centre, by which the
blood is distributed throughout the
body; then strong injection OF liquid
{chloride of zinc) is syringed into the
corpse, which permeates the entire
body. After this operation, the wind
pipe is plugged and the body cast into
tue vat for picking in salt and water.