The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1889-12-13
FROM FLESH TO MARBLE.
An italian Method Of Eternally Preserv-
ing the Dead.

40 WIFI human genius anu drI DIS SIG
had in the splendid time OF her grand
poets, philosophers, sculptors and
painters; but she has as she always
had, much to do with human anatomy,
and above all nations busies herself
with the ugly problem, What shall
we do with our dead?" The anatomic-
al museums of Italy are peculiarly
rich in curious preparations and
models, some of them too horrible aud |
CHASTITY for any one with only ordinary
nerve to inspect
Italians have of late years had lively
discussions on the question of the pres
ervation or destruction of the body. It
is more of a theological than q senti-
mental question with them. Profs.
Marini and Gorini. eminent scientists,
have for several years been expert
menting in the line of petrifactions.
It was one of them who treated the
body of Joseph Mazzini, turning it in
to almost transparent marble, having
the great pear shaped head and the
dark, intense, worn, but still hand
some face, so wonderfully life-like in
color, contour and expression that they
who loved him could scarce be recon-
ciled to the sealing up of the coffin.
On the fifth anniversary of his death
that coffin was opened in the presence
of some of his faithful followers, and
one of them told me that they found
the face of their beloved chief quite
unchanged. He seemed to have fallen
asleep but yesterday. DR.. Marini
has received several medals from
expositions for his discovery, which,
after all, is only partial rediscovery
of the secret process of Segato, the
Florentine, and which he in turn keeps
to himself. At the fairs in Turin and
Milan, few years ago, he exhibited
in special cabinet many specimens of
what seemed an occult art. Some
were solid, permanent petrifactions,
some provisional, capable of returning
to fresh condition, all preserving the
fullness and Transparency of life, while
most were in a pliable condition. All
the varied members of the bodies are,
it is said, hard at first, but become af
ter a time supple. and even capable OF
furnishing studies in anatomy, OF
muscles, veins, and nerves. Nelaton,
the great French surgeon, examined a
petrifed foot in January. 1868, and on
February Goth wrote of it: cit has re-
gained its suppleness to such degree
that was easily able to dissect the
fifth toe.'
The most impressive of DR.. Marinis
PREPARATIONS is a Beautiful little girl,
dressed as in life, and lying on a sofa,
apparently asleep. her long curls
spread over the pillow. The face is
pale, but round and di IMPLIED, and the
limbs are soft and flexible. The pro-
lessor affirms that thus the gentle form
of little Maria Courier remains fixed
forever for those who loved her to gaze
on when they villa painful privilege,
l should say.
But the pioneer in this field and the
master of all the workers was Girolamo
Segato, who died at Florence in the
early part of this century, taking with
him his secret.
In the anatomical museum OF this
hospital are treasured the matchless
preparations of Segato. He was a
most enthusiastic experiment ter, be-
lieving that his discovery would be of
immense benefit to science. especially
to anatomy. Priesta accused him of
sacrilege, of seeking to throw obsta-
cles in the way of Omnipotence in the
final work of the resurrection of the
dead, and his brother anatomists lack
ed the courage to stand by him. 1t is
a sad story-the experience of Calico
was repeated in the persecution he
had to endure-and yet he asked for
no great thing. only the dead body oil
criminal or pauper to petrify en-
tire. He had been allowed portions oil
bodies. fragments fallen from the
tables of the hospital anatomists,
among them the head of a girl and the
bust of a peasant woman-the first an
astonishing piece of preservation, all
the features remaining as in life, the
hair exquisitely soft and lustrous, the
teeth dazzling; the second is mar
vel of beautiful color and contour, and
ivory-like in smoothness and frmness.
On his deathbed he tried to describe
his process to his most intimate friend,
to whom he had promised the revela-
lion, but voice and sight failed him.
JOHNNIE'S GRAFTON.
He Chose His Subject from His
Own Experience.