The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-03-17
HUMAN BONES.
Philadelphia Times.


 If yer don't moind stayin' alone xia thim human Gaturs bones, jiss go up to the third lure boiek and val, until the doethur comes in, said brawny Irish girl. and she directed reporter of the Ii~<s how 10 proceed up to the hirle room occupied by Dr. Wehnrick. an en- ;huslAstic collector. bleacher and articu- laior ot bones and skeletons The room, certainly was not an inviting place in which 10 pass lonely hour. If the visitor happened 10 entertain any supersutiogs prelucices against the society of TWO saun, skeletons. half a dozen srinning skulls. some ribs and ;high-bones. and other chotce selections from the human frame which lay about the sleeping apart iaent ID artistic confusion. Stuck between the teeth of one of the heads was the doc tor $ pipe, and one of the skeletons Tn a cabinet that looked like a burial casket standing up on end lad an umbrella leaning agains, bony hand and a pair of rubber overshoes on the feet Before the reporter had tune to become better acquainted with the sepulchral surround ings. the genial httle doctor. who. though no' engaged in mercantile pursuits, stili clingS fondiy 10 his anatomical studies. entered the room and greeted him. The newspaper man called his attention 10 the umbrella and overshoes which had been so thoughfully furnished the skeleton. and suggested ,ha, an ulster would doubtless be most seasonable acausi- ton to the ou;h, of the departed. The doctor chuckled with good humor and said: Oh. that's one of Franks tricks He'S rhnsyY anI d. ing room. He's good fellow. but has no reverence for these enblems of mans mortality. These poor silent sentinels have long ago become used 10 his idig- mites. When the ana,omist had warmed his tingling fingers by the stove and had settled himself back in an easy chair. the reporter explained that the oolect of his visit was 10 learn something about the value. the demand and the supply of human frames and their com ponent parts. Well. as 10 the demand ne said. that varies greatly. though a, present l; IS good and IS likely 10 continue 90. | Cnul about year ago physicians and students used 10 be very easily sa;is- ned. They would content themselves with an Anneial skeleton CT one of their construction. And have seen some of these hgures mos, fearfulls and wonder fully made. The work of preparing the bones and articula;ing them IS one re- curing no, only nice skill bu, knowl- edge oi some verx valuable secrets m the ar of bleaching the bones. These are best known oy the French. and the Americans have only half mastered the way. though there Is a vep percep,ibIe improvement.
 :" Are there many skeletons prepared in ihls country:
 Oh, there are plenty of homemade ones; but comparatively few are made for safe And yet this country furnishes greater advantages for obtaining the specimens than any other. There are few makers in New York who do very eredI,abie work, but il looks clumsy in comparison with the neatly pon,ed bones of French figure.
 ' The English come next 10 the French in skill" continued the speaker. .' and some very pretty ones come from Nor way. The business of importing these skeletons is now quite extensive. and is carried on by nearly all the large firms mho deal in surgical instruments. There IS one Frenohman in New York who can PAV00NC as hhC d SACiCACsi dS NAH OC pur- chased abroad but he values his skill so much tha, he will charge you quite as mueh for form as you would have to import one. There IS almos, an open held 10 fortune Tn this country for good maker. as the pnces for eorpses are so much lower than those prevailing abroad that he could afford 10 undersell the for eign makers and ye, realize very hand some profit.
 Which IS valued the most. the skele- ton of male or of femalc:"
 Strange 10 say. continued the doctor. = the male form IS much preferred. The skeleton of ar Indian used to be of grea, value. because ii was generally better developed in all it's par:s than that of a white man. As 10 prices. they wary ae- cording 10 the degree of workmanship. development of the specimen. size and color. You can buy some skeletons for thirty-tve ar forty dollars, and the better ones for sixty and sixty-fve dollars. Skulls are valued according 10 the num- Der of sections into which they are di- vided. the doctor went on in a cheerful tone. Some may be had nicely pre- pared for fifteen dollars. and others will cost as much as forty dollars. These are important ones refer to. But there are other importations besides skeletons and skulls. For instance. you can order a heavy pair of thigh bones for five or six