New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-11
WILLED BODY TO SCIENCE.
NO BURIAL FOR G. ". CATT.
Doctor Induced Action of Husband
of I. ". S. As President.

In accordance with the provisions of his will.
the body of George William Gait, husband OF Mrs.
Carrie Chapman Gait. ex-prestdent of the National
Womans Suffrage Association and president of the
International Woman's Suffrage Association will
be dissected for the advancement Of medical and
surgical knowledge Mr.. Gait died Sunday at his
home in the Osborne apartment house, No 300 West
57th-st. and a special permit was issued by the
Health Department and the body taken to Cornell
University and Bellevue Hospital Medical College
yesterday afternoon after the funeral at his home.
Various portions of the human body have been wiied
TO medical schools from time time, and 1t has
not been unusual for men of science to will their
brains TO such institutions, but this is the first
time in the remembrance Of doctors in this city
that man Of good position and generally normal
conditions of health has given his entire body for
the advancement of medical knowledge
The study Of Mr. Cats body is expected to be Of
unusual benefit, because, except for the disease
from which he died. It was in ell respects normal
and healthy and doctors and students will thus be
able TO observe the conditions in a body known to
be normal. In addition to this, there is the fact
that Mr.. Gait lived for four weeks with a disease
that generally kills In from fortyeight to seventy
two hours. -Four weeks ago he was suddenly at
tackled in his Office in the Park Row Building with
eXcruciating pains. He was taken TO his home,
and it was discovered that he had perforatiug ul-
GERS Of the lower intestine It known that an
operation had to be performed but it was delayed
as long as possible because Mr.. Gait hemo-
pheliac, and several Of his ancestors had bed TO
death. Some years ago Mr. Gait nearly bled to
death as the result Of having tooth extracted
Ten years ago he nearly died from bleeding as the
result Of what would ordinarily be considered a
slight wound In the leg.
For this reason Mrs. Gait much averse to an
operation. but finally there could be no question OF
further delay. and Mr.. Gait taken TO the pri-
vaUs sanatoriun. where operation was success
fully performed Mr. Gait had been brought home
and there were hopes OF his ultimate recovery,
when, on Sunday afternoon. just what had been
most feared occurred Through some reason there
hemorrhage at the point Of operation and IN
a short time he bled to death.
The announcement that the body would be taken
to a medical college for dissection was a great
shock to the friends who had gathered for the
funeral. After the service, at which DR.. Minot J.
Savage officiated, the announcement was made by
DR.. Earl H. Mayne. of Bath Beach. close friend
Of the dead man and his attending physician. He
read the provision in MI. Cats will which said:
1t Is my wish that my body be given to the
medical college in which anatomy ana surgery are
taught, nearest TO the place o. my qelrse 70 %
used by it in such manner as VIII De most con-
duCve to the advancement Of medical and surgical
knowledge
It was probably due TO Dr. Maynes influence
that this provision was put in Mr. Cats Will
They were natives Of the same town in Iowa. and
had been warm friends since boyhood- Dr.. Mayne
DR. Mayne and Mr.. Gait frequently discussed at
the DOCTORS home in Bath Beach the disadvantage
under which physicians labored IN having so SCI
dom an opportunity to study q perfectly norman
and healthy body. AS a result of these discus
sions and his great desire to be of lasting berent
to his fellow men, Mr.. Gait determined TO give ms
hodv for the study Of doctors The clause quoted
was, accordingly, Inserted in his will in 1897