New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1878-10-02
AN ILLUSTRATIVE OCCURRENCE.

The indignation over the finding of two
dead bodies in the vat of medical college
in Cleveland illustrates a superstitious
prejudice that belongs to the ignorant
past. The vatin question was constructed
for the express purpose for which it was
used. Over it is a dissecting room ar
ranged with all the conveniences for dis
section. The medical college publicly
proclaims that the study of anatomy Is
part Of its course, and the public is con-
stantly advised of the cost of instruction
and anatomical demonstration. There are
scores Of such colleges scattered over the
country, and the public knows all about
them. Every one knows that at every
one of these colleges similar arrangements
are made, and that every student has the
subject of anatomy demonstrated to him
by the dissection Of dead bodies.
The presence Of dead bodies, or s'sub-
jects, in the preserving watts of medical
colleges is q common occurrence, and
every one knows it. Why. then, has the
public discovery of two particular bodies
In the vat of a particular college created
such q stir? 1t is notorious that this vat
has long been in use in Cleveland; why
has Cleveland not agitated itself before?
The answer to the queation is simply
this The friends of the deceased persons
whose bodies have been thus disposed Of
happened to become aware of the circum-
stance. The public indignation does not
spring from excessive reverence for the
bodies Of dead persons generally, but from
sympathy with the outraged feelings of
the living. The ohense is to the living,
not TO the dead. All decent humanity has
respect for the bodies of the dead, but hu-
manity is not outraged, as experience
everywhere proves, by the simple fact that
body Is removed from the grave to the
dissecting room to be used for the pur-
pose Of scientific instruction. Public com
mon sense knows that these Subjects"
are absolutely necessary for such instruc-
ton, and that their dissection conveys a
knowledge Of the human body that can
not be attained by other means, and that
such knowledge is necessary to medical
science. All that public sentiment de-
mands is that the whole matter shall be
kept IN the background, and care shall
DO taken not to 80 utilize the dead bodies
Of persons whose friends would be likely
70 hear Of IL, and thus have their personal
feelings outraged.
Bot such occurrences as thoss happen
ANH ~ OAoNeAnNN nuDH t1At lHat mere puu-
lie sentiment % manifested in express
law. Il unreasonable. and that public 40
tion falls far short Of AZ imperative duty
demsnded by the necessity 81 science, and
consideration for tho fselinQs 81 those
mourning recent bereavement az friends.
IAe law requires the body Of every dead
person 70 be consigned to the grave, aud
makes y q serious ohense to remove any
body NON ihe grave. But provided the
act - not piado too ccnspiouoEs 30 the eye
81 The law, Pqahe sentiment permits the
removal 70 the 9laleetina room Of the
bodies 81 deceased poEsons Who have no
friends p make comp int q The act
The inoonaistsncg Is rot tat sooistv.
While protesting great ~ past fos sks dsad.
1oleEates such uBe Of tie bosiaa AZ the
iriendleas dead, but that it does not aon.
farm ~ laWg 10 the reasonable nuhlio
aenfimeut which governs III action TAnea
ara aanitAry a. well a. Hevsrantial Raaaoa
Nhg 40 dead ehQnld be disposed q Ii shs
mnnRagi but thars are many
VEN a 4iapqei1q o. 4 BODY thae ancon-
lt9 gsniiagF pnHRosaz Thhgs aIs
e|elr1 az peoples IL "a nsatt@ AZ (
19gernea pslnc'pally 81 =. nsisl con
zlssfIuta Add thsas s5ii1i asszatsous /
haso tUo dlsinet aspsols~oas resting