The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1898-10-21

Informal way become a member OF the
Anthropometrlc Society. The bishop
died on Jan. 20. 1898, and on the even
ing OF Jan. "a DR.. Henry w. Cattell.
who waa then curator Of the society.
started for Boston TO make the autop-
W. The midnight express. upon which
he was a passenger. was bowling along
over the Pennsylvania railroad at n
speed that would have carried the doc
tor to HE destination in ample time.
In his inside pocket Or. Cattell carried
the written permission OF Dr. Brooks
10 the Anthropometric Society 20 do
what II pleased with his brain. and all
seemed plain sailing to him. Unfor-
tunatoly two freight trains had collldod
Just beyond Princeton and the express
came along In time TO become mixed
MP in the wreck. Several men were
injured. and Or. Cattell turned his at
tention TO them. lie accompanied one
Of the mon 10 Trenton and attended
him until he was placed In the care OF
tho hospital authorities there After
that there was nothing for DR.. Cattell
10 do but 20 return TO Philadelphia ana
await the first opportunity 20 got
through. The next evening he started
once more and got through to Boaton
without mishap. He learned to his dis
may. however. that the blshop's body
had been Theoretically sealed that day,
and could not be disturbed again, ow-
ing TO the fact that death had been due
to diphtheria. Less than year before
that DR.. Catteli had made an effort TO
secure the brain OF Walt whitman. the
poet. but had encountered the yigor-
Gus opposition OF the venerable bard's
family. Nevertheless he made the
autopsy on March "a. 1892. and weighed
and examined the brain. although he
was not permitted TO take away the
tissue. This sentimental opposition 10
the mutllntion OF the dead is one OF the
great difficulties with which tho so
ciety has had TO contend In It's rela-
lions with the families Of members.
So II IL that the organization has had
to become In a measure. a secret 40
clety. and there are now enrolled upon
tho membership list the names Of some
men wAose connection with the organl.
ration will never be made public.
Among the medical men there IL no
such disposition TO conceal their anil
alton with the society. although their
Immediate relatives may not be quito
so case hardened. The medical pro
fesslon Is, m a matter OF course, the
one most largely represented In the
membership They rather encourage
giving the movement all the publicity
possible. with the view OF educating
the laymen up TO the beauties and the
merits OF II. Each member appends
his signature to printed form OF be-
quest. and among the bundle OF such
papers now In the archives appears one
which bears the signature OF Dr. S.
Weir Mitchell, who Is equally dlstln-
gulahed as a physician and an author.
Among the other prominent mon
whose brains will some day repose In
the treasure vaults OF the society are
DR.. A. jacob OF New York. DIR. Put
nam OF Boston, Dr. Judson DolAnd OF
Philadelphia. DR.. II. w. Cattell OF
Philadelphia, DR.. y. X. Dercum OF
Philadelphia and many others OF more
or less distinction. Only the members
OF the Anthropometric Society and a
very few privileged officials OF the Wis
tar Institute have access 10 the vault In
which the soeiety's treasures are
stored. II is located IN the basement
under tho main showroom OF the mu-
scum, and the approach to II leads
through one OF the workrooms In
which many OF the museums exhibits
are prepared for public display. This
room Is well lighted from the sidewalk
and ia generously supplied with electric
lights, but the furniture Is extreIasly
meager. Along one side OF the room
extends a broad table. generally lit
tered with anatomical specimens and
tools OF various sorts, In various stages
Of incompletion. Here one may see,
carefully picked In alcohol. the brain
Of a rare bird. whose stuffed body
adorns a case in the museum above;
there lies the death mask OF a peculiar
species OF orang- outang which recently
iied In the geological gardens. A limo
Of preserving Jars OF assorted sizes oe-
cupiea a shelf IN one corner. while IN