The Evening dispatch. [volume] (Provo, City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1895-03-01
SKELETON MARKET.
UNCLE SAM is THE CHAMPION BONA
COLLECTOR OF IKE WORLD.

specimens From the Lowest Fishes 60 tina
Human Species Found In the National
Museum-B Bones Used as Fertilizers Mar.
ket Value of Skeletons
Funk island-that is, part OF it~--
aas been reproduced for exhibition al
che National museum at Washington.
It was on that lonely rock, 80 miles OF
:he coast Of Newfoundland, that the
now extinct great aux had its principal
soost. Fifty years ago the last individual
Of the species persisted. tits represented
9ow by skeleton, worth 5000. stand
ing by heap of bird remains such az
Shelly compose the surface soil of Funk
| island, while alongside is ali egg of the
fowl, valued at 81, 800, together with
the inner skin of another egg. The Ms
tional museum possesses nearly all o.
the great aux bones in existence They
are the most costly bones in the world
The finest collection of skeletons in
! che world is also stored at the National
museum. They run upward from the
| lowest fishes, through the reptiles and
birds, to man. Human bones are much
cheaper than those of many other ami
mails. One can buy a nicely articulated
skeleton of a man for $40 or of woman
for $50-sex makes some difference in
the price-whereas the skeleton Of a
gorilla costs $500, of whale $3.50, Of
an elephant $400, OF q lion SIS, of a
horse $40, of cat $1s and of a python
s75.
The bones Of a human being are near,
" one-quarter water during the life OF
the individual. They are chiefly COM
posed of phosphate of lime, but contain
a good deal of animal matter and other
elements. In the skeleton of man are
nearly four pounds 81 the metal cah
1ium, which is many times more valu.
able than gold, being worth $500 an
ounce. THIS in tbs osseous framework Of
the average tramp may be found ms
terial with a market value Of abous
s18, 900, if it could be separated.
1t is only in bones that phosphate OF
lime is found In anything like purs
state. Everybody knows the value OF
that material as fertilizer, but u 10
only recently that human skkietona
have been imported into this country to
grow crops with. Not long ago q ship
ment was made from Mexico to the
United States of 10 carloads of human
bones, said 60 have been obtained from
ancient mounds In southern Mexico,
but more probably gathered from vari-
BUS old and abandoned cemeteries. AS
these remains were fragments of unas.
sorted skeletons, IL was estimated tina.
so, 600 individuals were represented In
she lot
This would not be considered a novel
~ in Europe. Years ago English farm.
ers used human bones to some extent to
tertilize their land. The battlefield of
Waterloo was for time the base Of sup.
plies. and this was supplemented by
eargoes OF mummieS from Egypt ground
20 fine powder.
In ancient Egyptian tombs are found
great numbers of copper boxes. opening
at one end Dy q slide, which contain
mummies Of cats, hawks, ibises ana
now and them snakes and small oroco-
dies Mummies are recognized com.
nlercial article in that country today.
between Cairo and Suez with no other
fuel. Corpses Of royal personages 5000
years old and upward fetch high prices,
A year ago the Austrian bark Villa
was deserted by her crew. Later she
was picked mp as derelics off Cape
Hatteras. Her cargo was found TO con.
sist in large part of bones, and Of these
one-fourth were human The rest was
composed mainly of the bones of horses
and cattle. In one corner of her hold
was a great heap Of human skulls. No.
body knows to this day why the crew
deserted the vessel In midocean. She
was worth $40 900, including Ter
freight. The bones had been collected
N deserts snd cemeteries of Egypt. The
preparation Of human skeletons for piar-
ket is quite an industry. The chief cen
ter for this branch of commercial activ
Isy is Paris. where three concerns are
engaged in the business on q considerable
scale. They obtain the requisite supplies
st raw material in the shape Of bodies
from public institutions, most of them
being those Of paupers and criminals.
In the United States the existing laws
would not permit tho establishment of
factory for bleaching and preparing
human skeletons. The only sort of
skeleton produced here is of the family
type, which is kept in the closet.
To supply the demand in this country
about l, 800 skeletons are imported an
nually. This reckoning does not include
! minor parts, such as skulls and thigh
bones. These are in great request by Sc
cret societies, being absolutely indis-
pensable for initiatory ceremonies. One
may purchase Uranium and orossbones
Tor only $40 But if you want some
thing reall7 iancy in the way of a skull
gou must pay $40. It Ia worth tbs
money, however, being beautifully dis
articulated, so that each particular bone
may be studied separately, including
even the little bones Of the ear.
You can buy very good skeleton
complete for $40 A plain skull costs
only Sc. By students of Obstetrics
there is special demand for the pelvis,
which coDIes at 81. Clubs organized to
defy superstitious beliefs affect the use
Of skulls for drinking cups, and young
men who are studying for the medical
profession indulge CHASTITY humor by
employing similar receptaeles to hold
tobacco. The demand for human bones
always exceeds the supply.-New York
World.
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All. Free.