The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-01-24
HUMAN FLESH AS FUEL.
Startling Scenes in the Dissecting- II ON
of Medical College.
Cincinnati Enquirer.

Startling Scenes in the Dissecting- r. Om
of Medical College.
Cincinnati Enquirer
Human flesh as fuel. Remains of mu-
tlated cadavers used to heat the dissecting-
room. Some strange scenes witnessed on a
visit to the dissecting-roOms of the Sixth
street College.
A trip up the dark winding stairs to the
fourth floor of that mysterious old building
leads to startling discoveries. One night
last week an Enquirer representative visited
the dismal room, accompanied by n student.
Long before reaching the top of the stairs
peculiar odor was perceptlble. Once on the
fourth floor admission TO the first CHASTITY
chamber was obtained through a greasy
green door, The room was reetangu-
lar, containing several tables and a
long row of stationary wash-stands,
while at one end stood large stove. In
one corner was the elevator used to bring
the bodies up from the receiving cellar,
From this apartment q door leads into
larger One-the dlSsecting-ro0m proper.
Above the arched doorway, In large gilt let
tiers on a black background, IS the follow
ing Latin inscription: "Ilic locus est ubi
mOrs gaudet succurrere vitae. This is the
place where the dead rejoice TO sucCOr the
llVing1 The diSsectin groom is large and
long iron posts. There were twenty tables
in the room, and on each lay the partly dis
sected remains OF some unfortunate. Above
each table hung a gas-jet, and their dim
light added TO the weird appearance Of the
place. Surrounding each cadaver were a
number of students, all ntently bending
over some part of the body on which
they were engaged. On a table near the
door lay the emaciated form Of an
old woman, whose pinched features
showed that she had long struggled
against the disease which caused her death.
Her long gray hair stTeamed down over the
edge Of the table. The remaius OF several
other women were in the room. but they had
been in the piCkling vat so long that the
brine had disfgured their features. Near
the old woman lay another corpse. 1t was
that Of a cOlored man about 60 years old.
From appearances he had not been dead
over week. His white curly hair made
strange contrast TO his dark skin. The faint
lines on his back showed that the dead man
was once the property OF hard-hearted
master who had not spared the lash. In
the corner Of this ghOstly chamber Is the
partly dissected body of young man, ap-
paTently not more than 20 years old. HIS
face was handsome one and he was little
emaClated. His fate was that Of thousands
who come 10 a strange city IN search OF
wealth, rarely found. Taken sick, he is
sent 10 a hospital and dies, his body being
sent TO the college before his relatives can
send for him. Close by lay the remains Of
a suicide who had ended his misery with a
bullet The scene witnessed by the visitor
is nightly occurrence. Night after night
the students can be seen working on the
cadavers, carefully dissecting that part as
signed to them by the professor.
These same earnest workers play many
practical jokes on the uususpecting visitor,
who, on reaching fresh air, finds a finger or
some other equally pleasant memento in his
pocket. Tie lights are also turned out on
occasions and the visitor scared by the
shTieks and howls Of the students.
IL requires hard work for six weeks 10
dissect body, and only then can the stu
dent finish with the closest attention to his
work The od0r Of decomposition increases
each night, but even this does not daunt the
student, who works with the same per-
sisIenCy shown at first When all is finished
there is nothing left to show that they were
once human beings except dried muscles
and bones piled IN a heap. The fish that
5 taken from the dlssecung tables Is piled
in heaD near the stove, and almost any
night the visitor can see the jangOr shovel
ing human flesh into the stove in place Of
coal. Scraps OF many bodies were in the
/ heap, aud all nations were represented III
the fuel Cf human flesh. Outlines too much
Of this terrible fuel is put in the stove, and
then the oil comes trickling through the
cracks IN the bottom Of the stove.
The heat made by this human flesh is In
tense, and one shOYelful Will suffice 10 make
the stove Ted-hOt. The ashes from the
crematOry are placed with the common
ashes of the building and dumped into a
barrel. A different use is made of the
bones They are boiled in a large vat, and
the students then sCrape the bones. after
which they undergo a preparation ana then
find their way into some doctors office.