Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-05-25
BODIES FOR TARGETS.
The Doctors Wished to Learn the Effects OF
Gunshot Wounds In the Human Brain, So
They Set Up Corpses and Fired at Them.
1t Was All Done In the Interest of Science

Gunshot Wounds In the Human Brain, Sa
They Set Up Corpses and Fired at Them.
Was All Done In the Interest of Science
NEW YORK, May 25.-In the interests
of medical science an unusual use of the
unclaimed bodies in the city morgue has
been made by a member of the anatomical
committee of Bellevue hospital. The ex-
periments have not been concluded.
For the purpose of determining in the
interests of medical science the effect Of
wounds in the brain when produced by
firearms of different caliber as we'll as to
demonstrate the result of shots fired in
the brain at different distances, together
with the outward appearance of wnunds
produced under such circumstances, DIR.
Charles Phelps has been making these OK
perimeBts. DIR. Phelps is an authority on
gunshOt wounds and also one of the city's
police surgeons. He became particularly
DESTROYS of ascertaining the appearance of
such wounds after the mysterious shooting
of Miss Fuller, a typewriter in a lawyers
office in Nassau street, on the evening of
March II.
Shot at Bodies.
He hoped to be able to obtain valuable
information indicating at how close range
a pistol might be fired at the head if dis
charged with suicidal intent and also the
distance at which it would probably have
been held to indicate that murder or acct
dental shooting by another person had
been committed.
With this object in view DIR. Phelps
called on Commissioner Porter at his Of
flee in the Charities and Correction build
ing last week and requested permission to
use the unclaimed bodies in the morgue
for his experiments.
Commissioner Porter demurrcd at this
asserting that he had no authority to give
such permission and suggesting that ap-
plication should be made to DR.. George
Woolsey, who is chairman of the anatom-
ical committee of Bellevue hospital.
DR.. Phelps thought that, as a member
of that committee he had a right to make
a demand on the hospital officials for bod
les to be used in this way He therefore
called on Morguc Keeper a. n. White and
explained his wishes, saying that the ex-
pcriments would be made on the heads Of
the subjects only.
Keeper White was not inclined to com
ply with the doctors request unless he re-
ceived direct orders from the warden,
O'Rourkc He cited the fact that on one
occasion he had permitted a body to be
taken away from the morgue on no strong
er authority than an order from coro-
ner, the intention being to perform an au-
topsy. The result of this was that Keeper
White was suspended for several days and
an order issued that when bodies were
wanted for other than regular uses the re
upset must be reported to the warden.
Took Place at the Morgue.
Keeper White went with DIR. Phelps to
Warden O'Rourke and explained the sur
geon's request. The warden ordered Keep
er White to permit DR.. Phelps to make
use of several unclaimed and unknown
bodies for his experiments.
The experiments were begun at once.
The room in the rear of the morgue
proper, where autopsies are usually per-
formed, was selected as the most conven-
lent place in which to do the work. The
doors were closed to keep out inquisitive
persons, while the windows were shut to
prevent, so far as possible, the noise of tho
pistol shots being heard outside.
A medical student carrying a leather
bag, accompanied DIR. Phelps. The bag
contained several pistols of different cali
bers and with these the experiments were
made at distances which ranged from
close to the subjects head that the hair was
Singed to distance where the entrance Of
the bullet was not accompanied by pow
der marks
DR.. Phelps, it is said, regarded the OK
periments as exceedingly important, as
they will greatly assist in determining the
question of how gunshot wounds were in
hicted in shooting cases which may como
before the courts.
Commissioner Porter said:
DIR. Phelps called on me last week and
requested that he be permitted to use I'M
known and unclaimed bodies in the
morgue for the purpose of making expert
mcnts in the way of gunshot wounds.
told him that l did not consider that
had any authority in such a matter, and
that 1 thought the application should be
made to the chairman of the anatomical
committee of Bellevue hospital.
''There can be no reason, in my opinion,
why certain bodies should not be used for
this purpose by DIR. Phelps. The board Of
commissioners take it for granted that the
surgeons at the hospital undertake such
experiments solely in the interest of med
ical science, and we do not interfere.
"There is certainly nothing revolving
about such an experiment. The use of the
dissecting knife or a pistol, as in this case,
is made solely with the object of benefit
ing mankind or of aiding the ends of JUS
tice.''
Four Years in Prison.