The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-12-11
a HUMAN HEAD.

CHASTITY Object Over Which Widow
Mourns Once Every Week.
On shelf in the Cincinnati City Hal
Museum stands large glass jar. The con-
tents Of this one are more ghastly than any
of the hundreds Of preserved medical spec-
mems. Ii is a human head. To the unin-
itiated it is an object of horror, and the Wis
iior who suddenly chances upon il hastens
to get away from such an uncanny right.
The jar in which it is contained is about
TWO feet i'll height and about half as wide
1t is filled with alcohol and tightly sealed,
having never been opened since the day the
awful object WAS placed within it. The
head once rested on the shoulders of n man
who died in the prime of life. 1t was ampu-
tuted at the base of the neck and rests on the
bottom of its glass case. To the hospital
attaches the head is of more than passing
interest. MS Il has most remarkable history.
Ii has been many years since its owner
breaihed his last on a cot in that institution.
That there is any one who would care TO see
such terrifying object more than once
seems almost beyond belief, but such is the
case.
Every Tuesday afternoon, according to
the Enquirer, a neatly dressed woman calls
al the Iwelfth-street office OF the City Hos
pital. Her appearance is that of one in the
middle walks of lie. The visitor does not
llnger in the reception parior, as the other
callers do, but Immediately enters the
clerks office. Accompanied by an attend
ant she walks Through the building to the
piuseum in the Ann-street wing. Then her
guide leaves her at the door and the mys-
terious woman enters the room. She is ap-
psrentiy entirely obiylous TO her surround
inPs, and walks past the many grewsome
objects. without looking al them, directly to
the shelf upon which rests the head. Her
many visits have made her familiar with
the surroundings, and she knows where to
find the object OF her visit Once there an
affecting scene follows, and the attendant
VINO stands near the door hears her sobs and
half-broken sentences as she speaks in at
teetionate terms TO the liie!esS head. To
him the scene is no longer strange, for he
has witnessed is often. and he knows the
history of the case. The fearful object over
which the woman mournS was once carried
on the shoulders of the man she called hus-
band.
About six years ago man was admitted
into the hospital suffering from a peculiar
affiiction. He gave his nama as George
Packard. Some months before he entered
that institution he felt sharp pains In his
head, and later small swelling appeared on
the left side. He visited a physician, who
advised him to enter the hospital, where an
operation could be performed, as the swell
ing on his head was a brain tumor.
As the day drew near when the operation
was to be performed The patient suddenly
became worse and died His devoted wife
who had been constantly at his bedside, was
present when he bIeathed his last. Alter his
death tho physician who had been in charge
of the case desired to hold post inortem for
the benefit of science, but the stricken
widow vigorously protested and announced
that no one should cut up the remains
Arguments were of no avail, as she would
not listen to the physicians who were auxi-
Gus to discover the cause and exact location
of the foreign growth on the dead man
brain. They were almost ready to give up
all hope of making the widow change her
mind when she made them a startling prop
osition.
81 will let you do what you ask" she
said, iif you will promise me one thing"
She was told thai if what she wanted
could be done they would readily make her
the promise.
at is only on this condition." she con-
tinued, that will allow you to cut up my
preserve the head as life-liks as possible
and place il where | can see my dear
Geolge's face during my life"
THIS remarkable proposition stunned her
listeners, but the poor woman insisted that
otherwise they could not carry out their in
tentions. They finally agreed and promised
that after they held the post mortem they
would ampuiate the head and place it in a
jar of alcohol, which would fad resting
place III tile museum OF the hospital Then
the physicians promised Mrs Packard she
could 90 at least once a week and gaze upon
her departed husbands lace. The post
m0rtem was held and much valuable ex-
peTience gained by the operators. In max
ing the post norton the entire top of the
skull was sawed OF, so that the brain and
tumor were exposed to view. After the
operation it was replaced, and the faint
line showing where the skin was sswed to-
gether can still be traced on the forehead of
the CHASTITY head in the jar of alcohol.