The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-01-20
AN AWFUL LESSON.

said General Gerald, as he seated him
self at table in the Napolino club
room and lighted cigar It was many
years ago and when I was a very much
younger man than am at present, but
I have only to close my eyes and the
place-the scene, even to its smallest
details before me as distinctly as
upon the day it happened.
The name of the principal actor i'm
plicated in the horrible affair with
hold for obvious reasons, but L will say
that he was well known physician,
celebrated in the profession of medicine
and scientific surgery, and that he IS +
dead. He died regretted, beloved, ana
honored by all who knew him, though
it might have been otherwise, in spite
of his generous and kindly nature, had
everything been told; but am going
TOO far ahead in the story.
In the winter of 1850 (the general
continued, addressing the group OF gen
tlemen gathered about the table with
him, most of them in the semi-official
dress of men who have at one time
served in the army,) business called me
to the city of Naples. had Eeen there
six months or moro when accident
brought me the acquaintance of Pie
tro 1onZalez, u youth 5iio!i 1n9 i1i''AAo
of Calabres, who had come to the capt.
tai of the Two Sicilies Tor the purpose
OF devoting himself TO the profession OF
advocate. Pietro detested the profess
sion OF advocate, was wholly untitled
for it. in fact, and had adopted it only
to crafty the wishes OF his father.
However, at the time thatI met him he
had given it up and was going through
a course of medical studies Us conscien-.
tiously, even though as perfunctorily,
pursued as the former course OF law.
Perhaps you are not aware OF 1T, but
it is nevertheless true that the parents
of the youth of Italy, particularly Of
Naples; whether OF the higher or OF the
middle classes of society, recognize but
two suitable careers for their sons-one
at the bar, and the other medicine
the 'tliberal professions" as they call
them-and so far do they carry the
prejudice that a young man who per-
sists in the choice of a profession other
than one of the two named IS I'M me-
diately turned out of doors by his par
ents, the ceremony being accompanied
by appropriate maledichons.~H Under
the circumstances it is not remarkable
that Neapolitan circles are singularly
lacking in notable architects, authors,
poets and painters, and singularly over
crowded in other directions; but to
return.
A warm and close intimacy had grad
ualiy established itself between Con
zalez and myself. One day, meeting
his interlninable lectures, heinvited me
to accompany him. With little fancy
for amusements of this kind, l tried to
get out of it, preferring to study the
structure OF the human body from
books Of physiology, or, better still,
from living beings. 1t was not:as real
istic,l of course, but sufficiently lnstruc-
tive for one whose business required
him to make, instead OF manSling,
corpses. Overruled at last by Pietro's
persistency, but still against my will,
consented to 90 with him.
No, decidedly, [ have not forgotten
the scene which chance or fatality made
me q witness of, nor the theater OF its
occurrence; but when l say theater.
do not use the right :word-amp hlthea-
ter would be moro correct, for we were
in the dissecting room of the Hospital
DIES Incurables, cruel and sinister
name for tine unfortunate ones brought
there to be treated.
Pietro told me rs we walked along
that Dr. x, we will call him., for the
cake of convenience, the physician to
whom [ referred while ago, was not
to deliver ono of his usual lectures, but
q semi-private lesson in anatomy to
dozen or so OF his petpuplls, demonstra-
ted, of course, by the scalpel. AS q
| favorite of the doctors, Pietro was occa-
sionly permitted to bring a friend with
him. He had invited-nay, more than
| that-he had kidnapped me.
The huge, circular hall appropriated
| to the making of autopsles in the Hos
pital des Incurables was lighted had
forgotten to say that it was night lec-:
ture-by. q large and peculiarly con-
structed lantern hanging low from the
centre OF the ceiling. A powerful UNI
| brella-shaped reflector, supported upon
an upright, was so arranged above the
lantern as to throw Ill the lights from
1.-The burners down upon marble table
standing just beneath it. The rest of
| the lugubrious apartment was plunged
| in black obscurity.
The class of students was already as
sem bled when we entered the dissect-
ing room, talking, laughing and rallying
each other with the levity of thought
| less youth, and at the moment OF our
arrival two OF the hospital attendants
| were bringing in the body, the Sub
ject'hof the coming lecture, wrapped in
an old and dizzy shroud.
Judging from the painting and the
| putting of the men, the irritating shut
| fle of their feet upon the floor and the
haste with which they tumbled 1t upon
| the slab, the subject" was in an unus-
ually robust condition.
a moment later the doctor entered
the room, and with . courteous inclina-
ton in the direction OF the students, at
i once approached the table.
1 81 will occupy your attention this
evening, gentlemen" he began, care.
fully un coyering the body and scruti.
lnizing it closely, with the organs OF
respiration, and, as you see, the sub.
iect before us is particularly we'll adapt
. ed to display their wonderful lnechan-
ism. He is young, perfectly formed,
. and, what is more essential still. has
i not died from any disease either OF the
i trachea, bronchial tubes or the lungs.
4 we shall therefore be able to see these
organs in an entirely natural state. We
shall begin with physiology ology
1 will follow in its turn.
The doctor said all this in sort o.
pream BILE, as he drew from his satchel 5
Il ease of instruments, and from the case