The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-06-13
Grave R0bbing.
New York Tribune. |

IL is uUG Olttu tudG luc HcWoDdptIs
have to record more painful story than
that of the violation of the tombfiof
Hon. J. Scott Harrison, at North Bend,
Ohio. The next day after the funeral
Mr.. John Harrison, going with others to
the Ohio Medical College, in Cincinnati,
in quest of another body known to have
been stolen, actually found that of his
father, naked, and dangling at the end
of rope! 1t had been buried with
unusual precautions. Heavy stone slabs
had been cemented over it. A special
guard had been placed at the tomb.
The shock to the son thus suddenly
confronted by the corpse of his father,
in such place and after it had been
subjected to such indignities, and in
spite of all his pious care, must have
been terrible. The whole narrative, in
this matter-of-fact age, is like chapter
in The Mysteries of Udolpho," or a
scene in the dramas of John Webster.
Such an incident encountered in a ro-
nance would now be regarded as vio-
lation of the canons of good taste, and
as gratuitious outrage upon the sensi-
bilities of the reader.
| 4hC luulSAdhU PuUllC WALL DC W
hold the managers of the Ohio Medical
College responsible for the revolving in
suit to one of the strongest instincts of
mankind. Of course, excavations and
excuses will not be wanting. We shall
be told that medical education can not
| go on without subjects-that in secur-
ing the necessary supply, the schools
must run the risk of being imposed upon.
But if anatomy and physiology can not
be taught without the perpetration of
hideous crimes then medical education
must be given up, though its abandon.
ment should send us back to the limited
science of Galen and Hippocrates.
Again, if the managers of medical
schools run the risk of participating in
sacrilege, they must be prepared to take
the consequences. The sanctity of the
tomb has always been admitted by all
| civilized and by most savage nations.
/ There is no room for argument-there is
no opportunity for discussion. The
! public would not permit schools of medi.
cine to exist if robbery of the grave
were the condition of their perpetuation
1t, therefore, becomes those to whom
/ Gno1r care Is cOmmlIteU, 10 Do Cdutlous
of the methods employed in supplying
their dissecting-rooms with bodies
There are ways by which these may bt
legally obtained, and no others should
in the least be countenanced by the fac
ulties. They have no right to deal with
suspicious persons. They can not trans
fer their responsibility to janitors. They
chiefly will be held amenable by a sen
sitive public. Nothing but the utmos
precaution on their part can preven
stringentan may be not over-wise legis
lation of kind likely to put stop tt
dissection altogether. Already in Eng
land there is considerable party O.
scientific men who regard it as unneces
sary, and who hold that sufficient in
struction may be impaired through th'
medium of models and diagrams.
There will eplenty of converts to thi
doctrine, some of them intelligent an'
some otherwise, after two or three NOR
q fevents like that at North Bend. Tha
some different and stricter system is de
sirable is evident. Such horror as thi
latest one ought to be next to Inn
possible.