Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-12-20
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wEDvEs cAY EVENING DEC. 20. 1882
A Problem In Anatomy.

DR.. Forbes, demonstrator Of anatomy
in Jefferson college, ,is under a number Of
indictments in Philadelphia for compli
city in roLbing a colored graveyard in
that vicinity of its bodies. The business
has been Systematically conducted for
some years, and the college seems to have
relied upon this source for the supply Of
Its subjects for dissection. The instru
ments, who actually stole the bodies
out Of the burial ground have been found
guilty. There is no room to doubt that
the demonstration of anatomy at the co,
lege was equally guilty with them.
There is as little reason to question that
he did nothing that any other demon
strator Of snatOmy, or any other sur
geon in fact, who cecded subjects 70:
dissection, would not have done. Every
one knows that students of medicine
dissect the human body to acquaint
themselves with its parts. They are re
quired to do SO before they can gel their
degrees as doctors of medicine. They
are obliged to get these degrees before
they are permitted to practice medicine.
Tie rccluctio al aJsure,,.m of the law il,
this matter is transparent. Here is DR..
Forbes, who has undoubtedly committed
what the law declares to be u crime ::
and yet DIR. Forbes was require'l by the
law, as well as by necessity, to commit
the crime. Fer there is 40 way pointed
out by the law in which it is practicable
for the medical students, in The colleges
chartered by the law to give
them the degrees necessary ia
enable them to practice their aft
to Obta n the number OF subjects they
require, without stealing them. People
do not often sell their bodies before they
die, and their relations are not author
lied to sell them il they were inclined
to. Public sentiment would not permit
them to do it, if the law did. 1t is j
notable thing that in this matter OF fur,
nishug necessary subjects for the dis.
secting table, public sentiment is just as
silly and contradictory as the law. No
body objects to human disSections ; in
fact, everyone approves them and reco:s
nizes their necessity. Yet the genera
sentiment is undoubtedly strongly
against those who violate graves to get
the subjects; and this, though every
one knows that only in this unl;iWiu
way can a sufficient number of subjects
he got. There is hardly doctor in tho
land, particularly old practitioners il
the country districts, who have students
TO teach, who las not sent them out tt
steal the bodies they need. He did i
himself when he was 4 student ; and
many Il story may you lear from hi
lips of the midnight adventures Of hi
adventurous youth.
Now, what are yea going 10 Do abou
i'll? Are you going to send DIR. Forbes t.
prison for stealing bodies for his students
and be content 10 know that The prt.c
titiOners of All honorable calling cal
only secure the education which 70,
demand from them by running the risl
of being sent to prison Manifestly
free rifing and just as manifesily
will not do to put Ill our doctors il
Jail for doirs what they al do, Or hav
done, and had to do. The Legislator,
had better consider whether it can d
something tc remedy this absurd situa
tion. The doctors must bc provide'
with some way of getting the huma'
subjects they need lawfully. If this j
done tie need for stealing bodies will b,
gone, and our burial grounds will not b.
unlawfulIy invaded. An additional safe
guard to them would be in making
surgery aud medicine distinct profes
sions, and authorizing only surgical stu
dents to use the knife, as they alon
need its practice.