Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1901-01-31
CHINESE IDEAS.
D.. Raymond says this Prevents
Dissection in this State.

AsNNSVHa wien Nfit tHt IT0puNtU Dill
| Should Become a Law-There is
Every Reason in Favor of IL and
/ Meme Against it-PreSent Plan Makes
Those who act Felons Under the law.
DR.. Jerome H. Raymond, president
4 OF the state university, embodies in
/ his biennial report To the legislature
an interesting argument in behalf of
the bill turning bodies OF paupers over
to the university for dissection. The
/ doctor says that whoever brings a
body into West Virginia for dissection
purposes under existing laws commits
a felony. He advances the following
reasons why the bill should pass:
1t Is impossible to teach anatomy
| properly without dissection of the hui
man body. The physicians of China
have gotten along thus far without
human dissection. In that country
it is regarded as crime to dissect
human body. 1t would appear that
some Chinese influence prevails in
West Virginia, for it is practically
crime to dissect human body in this
state also. There are laws which
make it practically impossible to Sc
cure any subjects for dissection. or
course the physicians in this state
have dissected the human body, but
/ they have either gone to other states
for their dissection or they have illeg-
ally secured the subjects. In the adj
joining states of Maryland and Penn
sylyania there are state anatomy laws
which provide that the bodies of de-
ceased paupers and criminals shall be
given. under certain conditions, to
medical schools and other educational
institutions Of the state for scientific
purposes, These laws, however make
tia crime TO ship any of these dead
bodies out of the state. In the past
attempts have been made to bring to
our university from Pennsylvania or
Maryland certain subjects for use ia
/ the anatomy classes. / am informed
that one man who formerly rendered
this service for this university is now
in the penitentiofy at Moundsville,
serving sentence for similar crime
am not willing to sanction the vio-
lation of the law, even in order TO Sc
cure material to enable Us to teach
properly and l have refused to per-
nit human subjects to be brought
here for dissection Illegally. Our uni
versity is a state institution, and
must teach good citizenship as one of
its primary duties. 1t must not
teach disobedience to law, either by
precept or by example. But we must
have material for dissection. In the
volumlnous correspondence which |
have recently had with a large num-
Der of medical colleges relative to Sc
curing advanced standing for students
VINO have taken the first two years Of
theiI medical work here, / have found
that the principal objection, and in
deed, practically the only objection on
the part of any institution to the
work as we have arranged to give it
here under the new plan, is that we
have not provided for the dissection
OF the human subject. We mus.
make this provision if we expect our
students to be able to GO from this
university to medical colleges else
where and receive recognition OF med
i'Sni Wolh dout AtIc+ lie Only WAY
10 secure the necessary material is to
get state anatomy law passed by the
legislature similar TO the anatomy
laws OF the states of Pennsylvania and
Maryland. | submit herewith draft
of proposed state anatomy law which
i recommend that the legislature pass.
The law here submitted is based upon
the Pennsylvania law. / have sub
mitted it TO Professor Fast who is a
good lawyer and has had experience
10 our legislature. He advises me
that in his judgment the law is good
one, is properly drawn up and ought
to be passed, Moreover he gives it as
his opinion that it would not be diff
cult to have the law passed The pro-
posed bill was brought before the
meeting OF the state medical assoeia-
tion at Morgantown last spring
| This association heartily endorsed the
bill and its members agreed To help in
securing its passage. We ought to
have no difficulty in securing It's pas
sage. We ought TO have no difficulty
in securing the requisite amount of
anatomical material without violation
Of law"
To t.r,ohor Corc.,~1~e