The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-01-30

of work and a great deal OF work al even
but twenty-five cents day means an
enhanced price. A irst-class skeleton
which will stand for years the hard
knocking about which it receives in u
college lecture room, will cost $l2o.
A skeleton of this quality has silver
plated wire articulations and every
thing in accordance. Some men with
an eve for the artistic will have a
skeleton mounted with silver wire.
This, however, is foolishly extrav-
agant, nor is skeleton so articulated
as strong as one the joints OF which
are of STEEL
care there many importers of skele-
tons in this country?"
There are six firms engaged in the
business and between them there IS q
practical understanding by which
prices are maintained. If you were to
90 into the salesrooms of Fibula & Co..
and after picking out skeleton that
suited you, should intimate that one
of the seuamous sutures was not well
marked upon the cranial formation,
and that as Pubs & Co. were offering
perfect specimens at cost OF So less,
the salesman would raise his eyebrows.
look at you in a mildly suspicious way
and intimate that you were mistaken.
He would add for your information
that the goods were all marked in
plain figures, We're warranted, ana
that no reduction could be made"
"For what grade of skeletons is the
demand the graatest?"
The ordinary demand for skeletons
is like the demand in most branches OF
trade. Plain, substantial goods at
moderate prices are what are most
wanted. Strong. well whitened bones,
well articulated, with polished steel
at from $50 to $50. are in such demand
that you couldn't find dozen, no, nor
q half dozen, in the city at any one
time. except perhaps just after the ar
rival of some French steamer. when
a fresh importation might increase the
stock temporarily. Not less than 500
of these skeletons are sold right here
and in New York every year by the
importing houses. In addition to
this staple trade in ordinary skele-
tons, there is steadily increasing
demand for deformities. For instance,
your skeleton with two fractures
of the femur would bring perhaps
S. extra, but if accompanied by
the certificate of reputable physician
like myself, stating how the bone was
broken, an additional $40 would
be asked for it. If, now, you
were afflicted with curvature OF the
spine or some abnormal development
of the foot or head, your skeleton
might, if well mounted, bring as high
as s175 to 5000. There are cases of
deformities that are so unusual as to
make the skeleton the subject OF still
greater value.
What are skeletons mostly used
for?"
:.To illustrate lectures and adorn
museums. Most physicians have one
as an aid to research, and there is
not college graduate who has not a
distinct recollection of the rafting
subjects which, hung to q brass rod
fastened to stand, used to be wheeled
into the class room when the class in
physiology was 70 recite. Secret so
cieties also include in their stock OF
terrifying paraphernalia a keleton.
well remember the experience that
had when being initiated into the awful
mysteries of lodge. With my eyes
blind-folded l was led into darkened
room. All was silence and then a sep
ulchral voice uttered these words:
Friend, for may not as yet call you
brother. remember that the journey OF
life is now stretching before you.
Mediate well on this thought, for
in the midst of pleasures still they are
but feeting as the mist on the ocean.
Man sometimes rises to eminence, but
then again he falls-at this point
was precipitated from the end OF 4
! plank and fell upon thick
mattress, while the members of the
lodge groaned together. need not
saw what other trials awaited me, but
at last, in order that l might be sufli-
ciently terrified into keeping the Sc
Gets of the society. was led into 8
closet, the hood dropped off and there
before me was grinning skeleton, the
eyes of which shot out phosphorescen1
light from the blue fire playing within
the skull Then its right hand raised
slowly and a melancholy voice pre-
claimed: Beloved, am thy fate!
didn't scare worth q cent, though, fol
recognized the skeleton as belong .ea4e
to a fellow physician! You see II was
one with peculiarly shaped trans
planted teeth and ia have known il
among u thousand. l had to laugh
when thought Of being frightened Al
such q thing as that. !"
You say that this skeleton had
transplanted teeth; what do you meal
by that?''
Il mean that the Paris anatomlst:
select their bones from which they
prepare their goods from Job lots whici
perhaps have come from the ditferen
dissecting rooms or else from the cat;l