The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-09-30

OF clVlnzatlOn are those relating TO
health aud disease. Of very few hu.
man maladies can it be said that we
know their causes, their natural history,
their effects upon the physical and men
tai organism, or a satisfactory mode Of
treating them. As little do we know
how to prevent or avoid them. Yet OF
what vital importance is such knowl.
edge to the we'll being of society.
The limited positive knowledge which
Science has acquired Of the ills which
flesh is heir to has been gained through
observation complicated by a thousand
unknown conditions, through expert.
ments upon unoaending animals, and
by dissection of dead. During the
middle ages, the last mentioned source
of knowledge was barred. Every scho-
lar knows what sudden and immense ad-
vances men made in anatomy and ply
siology, and in the healing arts which
rest on them, when students began to
draw their knowledge OF mans physical
frame directly from human subjects,
aud not indirectly and incorrectly from
the study Of animals. A similar ad-
vance might be expected in preventive
and curative medicine could the action
Of disease be directly studied in human
subjects over which the observer should
have absolute control.
Our suggestion would therefore be
that such a portion of the criminals
convicted from day to day, as might be
found available, should be turned over
to boards of surgeons aud physicians,
duly appointed, under whom they
might be used Tor the investigation OF
sanitary problems, for the good Of
humanity.
For example, men convicted Of capi.
tai crimes, instead of being uselessly
hanged, might be employed in the study
Of diseases usually fatal, or of other
diseases whose effects in their various
stages would need to be studied an
tomically Especially alrocious mur.
derers might be reserved for cases in.
volving vivisection. Criminals of lower
AIDES could be ut Ii Led in the study Of
diseases of minor severity, according TO
their physical adoption and the nature
Of their crime. Having their subjec
under absolute con rol from the incep-
ton of disease to its termininatioD
the investigator could not fail in time
to arrive at certain knowledge both as
to its prevention and mitigation, if not
its cure. Medicine is full of problems
whose solution might be greatly has.
tened by such means.
The same may be said of other de.
partements of social science. How far
for example, is the criminal diathesls
durable, and under what conditions!
What is the comparative influence ol
the different sorts Of mental and mora
training? How can the taint Of heredi.
tary crime be averted? How are the
various grades of criminality affected
by surgical operations, especially those
calculated to make the perpetuation o.
hereditary crime impossible? And how
far may the subjects of such treatment
be safely allowed at large?
But the field of investigation is limit
less. The possible advantages of its sys
tematic prosecution are corresponding gly
great. The right of society to defend
itsnlf against its internal enemies, ever
to the taking of life, is unquestioned
TO attempt it by means OF punishmen
las proved unavailing and costly. 1t il
time that different plan be tried. Sup
pose we sink the idea of retrlbution-i
need be, or reformation also-and seel
to make all human vermin first Harmless.
then useful, either by their productive
labor or by their subjective contribu
tions to human knowledge for the pro-
lection of health and the saving OF life
AS for its deterrent effect, such {
passionless, unvindictive, business.Iikt
treatment of all violaters Of the common
veal certainly could not be less eficien:
than the jumble Of uncertainty, ven
geance, softness, retributioo, sentimen
tality, and uselessness. which CONSTITUTES
our present judicial and correctiona
systems. We are disposed to, thiul
that the possibility of being made sub
ject for the study of small pox, cholera
typhoid fever, or even bout at measles
or the mumps, would restrain a pick
pocket or burglar quite as Efficient,
g. the chance of few weeks on the Is
land, or few months at Sing Sing. A
least the knowledge gained by means 0
him and others like him would go far +
recompense society for all it might sui
fer from his depredations.