, 1884-01-27
CUTTING REMARKS
Made by a Surgeon While Discuss
ing the Methods and Value
of Dissection

@Ah
As the ways of the medical students are &C
cupying the attention of the public, to learn
more concerning the methods and value OF
dissection a reporter visited a leading anato-
mist. He willingly give his views and ex-
perience. Anatomy he said. sis the founda-
ton of medicine. Only by practical demon.
s%tration can a true knowledge OF tue ma
chinery of the body be obtained These are
the facts which force the student OF medicine
into the performance of this disagreeable task
Of dissection
How much dissection is required ut this
city collegesin
"The student must examine the whole
body, but many exceed the requirement..
When this is done the student usually male-
his dissection with especial reference TO the
surgical relations OF the parts. The land
marks, by which tho surgeon finds the
position and Il thus enabled 10
avoid the great blood-veSsels and
nerves are studied. Even the most trihing
operation may call for knowlede OF this kind
for its safe accomplishment Without it the
man who essays operations will be liable 70
the most terrible accidents, and the history
OF surgery is full of them, with the couse-
quent destruction of life resulting from the
lack of familiarity with the structure of the
human body"
Does the prejudice against dissection pre-
vent the requirement of these facts by all the
studentsi"
ITO be sure it does. 1t makes the supply OF
subjects limited and their cost high. Thus it
happens that the poor Students are not able
to gain this knowledge. There is another
matter of much more Importance to the stu
dents, and, to my mind, the public generally.
Every young doctor must perform his first
operation, and as matters now are he usually
does this upon a living body. Nor, as many
people fondly imagine, is it performed in one
of our large hospitals-not on the body of It
"pauper whom nobody OWLS but upon
the quivering flesh of one who
loves aud is loved. Far better 1t would he
20 give all the unclaimed bodies throughout
the state to the colleges so that each young
doctor may learn the steps, aud in the dis
secting-room learn the dangers TO be avoided.
There is not an experienced surgeon in the
land who, il called upon to perform an oper-
ton new to him would not gladly avail him
self of the opportunity of examining with
special thought the cadaver. This being
true, the Importance of such training 70
those just entering the ranks of the profes-
SION can hardly be overestimated.
ut would seem, then, that the more people
stand in the way of tn cir own good and hurt.
themselves as much as the doctors by with.
holding subjects from the schools
More. l should say, and it Is by the recog-
lition OF the benefits resulting that the deep
seated prejudice against dissection Will
finally be overcome.
"No persons are more Interested in furnish,
ing the subjects than the men and women
who will intrust themselves to the care of
the young men now fitting for the
practice Of medicine. Time only will
destroy the supeIstitions now standing in
the way. Not until society, seeing
the loss which it entails upon itself by ham.
pering the study, recognizes its duty, will
our Lawmakers furnish US with subjects SUI.
ficient, and against which action little except
sentimental objection can be brought"