New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-06-01
the NORTH BEND HORROR.

H +. not often that the newspapers have 10 re-
cord more painful story than that of the viola
tion Of the tomb of the Hon. J. Scott HARRISON. ut
North Bend. Ind. The next day after the funeral,
Mr.. John Harrison going with others to the Ohio
Medical College in Cincinnati. in quest of an
other body known to have been stolen, actually
found that OF his father naked and dangling
ut the end of rope. II had been buried with
unusual precautions. Heavy stonc-Slabs had
been ccmcntcd over il. \ special guard
had been placed at the tomb. The shock
to the son thus suddenly confronted by
the corpse of his father. in such "a place
and after il bad been subjected to such ndig-
mites and in spite Of all his pious care. must have
been terrible The whole narrative, IN this matter
of fact nge. is ike chapter in The Mysteries OF
Tdolpho" OF n scene in the dramas of John Webster.
Sn,h an incident encountered in romance, would
uow be regarded rs a violation of the canons of
copd TASTE. and IA A gratuitOus outrage upon the
s,u,iblliiics of the reader.
Tn. indignant public will be likely 10 hold the
managers of the Ohio Medical College responsible
for this revolving insult to one of the strongest IN
s:ncts of mankind. OF course. excavations ana
excuses will not b. wanting. We shall be told that
medical education cannot 20 on without subjects
that in securing the necessary supply, the schools
must run the risk of being imposed upon.
But if anatomy and physiology cannot be
taught without the preparation of hldeouS crimes.
then medical education must be given UP though
IFS abandonment should send rs back 10 the limited
science of Galcn and llippocratos. Again, If the
MANAGERS of medical schools the risk of partIcl-
pating in sacregc they must be prepared to take
the consequences. The sanctity OF the tomb
has always been admitted by all cNlliHcd
and by most savage nations. There is no
room for argumcnt-thcrc Is no opportunity
for discussion. Tho public would not permit
schools of medicine to exist If robbery OF the
grave were tho condition of their pcrpetuation. It,
therefore becomes those 10 whom their care Is
committed. 10 be cautious of the methods employed
in supplying their diSscctng rooms with bodies
There are ways by which these may be legally oh
tanned and no others should IN the least be
cOuntcnanced by the faculties. They have
no right TO deal with suspicious persons
They cannot transfer their responsibility Il
janitors They chiefly Will be held amenabc 10y Il
sensitive public Nothing but the utmost prccauioI
on their part can prevent stringent and may be not
oyrr-wise legislation of kind likely to put a
stop to dissection altogether Already in England
there is Il considerable party of scientific men who
regard 1t AS unnecessary and who hold that suf-
Gcicnt instruction may be impaired through the
medium of models aud diagrams
There will be plenty of converts to this doctrine
some of them intelligent and some otherwise aitei
two or three moro events like that at North Bend
That some different aud stricter system IL desirable
il evident Such horror rs this latest one ought
to be next To impossible. Among tho plans when
have been suggested is that ofan Official and extra