Rocky Ford enterprise., 1893-12-14
MADE QUEER BARGAINS.
SOLD HIS HEAD FO3 THE
SAKE OF SCIENCE.
Mutually Beneficial Agreements Botween
q Physicinns and tho Victims of Incurn-
bio Disenscs-A Tramc In Abnormal
Heads.

Tho directors at the hospitals keep
keen lookout for cases which seem
likely to develop something OF cx-
traordlnary interest
A novel plan has been adopted OF
making u bargain with person
suffering with some extraordinary
uIlliction, which binds him to have
delivered to the surgeons ut death
either tho entire body or such part
OF it as may be specified in the con-
tract, and which is likely to prove
of peculia.. value from surgical
standpoint.
These contracts are regularly
drawn up, signed and witnessed. and
would probably hold us we'll in law
us contract for tho future delivery
of parcel OF real estate, although
no case in which litigation has
arisen for breach of contract on
either side has yet been made public.
There can be no question that the
bargain is beneficial enc to both
parties. Tho sufferer, if he be in
needy circumstan is assured u
decent burial. Tho physician. from
wide range of subjects. is free to
choose such ~ psssis~ interesting
and profitable results. Persons
whose bodies have been thus con-
tractcd for arc known among doc
tors US '.healthy cadavers," para
doxical and somewhat disrespectful
term, but sufficiently eXplanat ry.
In transactions OF this sort every
detail is conducted with perfect deli
cacy. If the patient is suffering
Inn n
the effects of which the physicians
haze made up their minds thar he
must die in n given time. the news
is gently broken to his friends,
contract is drawn and signed and
the patient pursues the even tenor
of his way. in blissful ignorance that
his days are numbered or that u
price has Ecen set on his body.
III he has no relatives or friends,
he is dclicatcly approached by tho
physician and the facts are revealed
with all possible consideration. He
is made to understand that death is
sure to come after q certain period
and round sum is offered. II he be
Mt all reasonable and open to con-
viction, he will invariably accept the
money and sign the contract.
OF course it is not always certain
that the patient will die before the
physician. AMI this fact has led to
some rather curious consequences.
One patient at Bellevue hospital,
who has becn there longer than any
other, has reaped quito an income
from repeated sales of his head. 1t
seems to be part of the ethics of
this peculiar bargaining that. in
case the patient survives tho sur
geon, he shall be ut liberty to enter
into another contract.
This bellevue patients name is
mike Kelly. He is small man.
about 55 years old. and suffers from
six tumors on the right side of the
face. Mr.. Kelly attracted the atten-
tion of Professor John r. Wood, OF
the hospital. who had made a
speciality OF tumorS and the pro.
fessor was often observed cycling the
tumors. A careful examination
showed that they wero incurable.
and that an attempt to remove them
might result fatally.
Finally the professor, whose desir c
to possess the tumors increased,
made an a ,reement by which Kelly.
in consideration of IL certain sum
was to allow his hoad. after death, tt
be deliveaed over for examination
Dir. Wood exhibitel Keely as cur
iosity in which he had a proprietar,
interest, and proudly related to hi,
fellow physicians how he had secured
tho tumors all for his own use aftel
Mr.. Kclly's demisa. Soon afterward
tho doctor died.
Mr.. Kelly then contracted with an
other physician in the hospital Tol
tho disposal OF his head Thi
pledge, like the previous ono. wa
dissolved by the death Of tho physi
clan. and Mr.. Kelly smiled softly
At last accounts he had made another
contract. and except for the tlmors
was in the enjoyment of perfec
health.
In the museum OF bellevue hospita
are number of specimens takel
from "healthy cadavers," which tn
late Professor Wood regarded as val
liable in showing the progress mad
by modern surgery. One which at
tracts particular attention. is tina
representing a reproduction OF q jaw
bone after removal OF the inferio
maxilla The iawbone can be see
in the skull of the patient. who wa
rather good looking woman accord
ing to her photograph. She ha
been employed in match factor
and had contracted necrosis OF tn
bone OF the lower jaw from tn
fumos of phosphorus, inhaled Will
at work. She lived for some year
with the substitute iawbone, and a
death, as a token of gratitude t
Professor Wood, she bequeathed he
head to him for scientific purposes
Professor Wood once entered int
a contract with the guardians of
lunatic on Blackwell's island. know
as Tho Admiral" who was sufferin:
; from u peculiarly fascinating disease
1t was stipulated that, for certai
sum, on the death of 1.-The Admiral
his head was to be delivered to tn
!. physician, 1.-The Admiral died an
DIR. Wood sent messenger to secur
the prize. The messenger failed t
report to DIR. Wood, but delivere,
the can to another physician in tn
hospital. Hearing of his error, Dl
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