The Washington times., 1912-09-06
M'GEE WILL GIVING
BODY TO SCIENCE IS
FILED FOR PROBATE
Funeral of Dead Scientist
Was Simple, in Accord
ance With His Request.

Tee will of DIR. w MCGEE, dated
June 27, last, bequeathing his brain to
DIR. e. A. Spitzka and his body to med
ical students for the purposes of dissec.
ton, was filed in Probate Court toda,
by Col. Henry c. Rizer who Is named
as executor of the peculiar document.
The funeral ofDr. Magee took plac,
yesterday and his body has beer
shipped to DR.. Spitzka, of the Jefferson
Medical College, at Philadelphia. Ser
vices were conducted naccordance with
this provision Of the will, filed today:
Impressed by the needless burden O,
mortuary observance in every stage o.
human development. desire and direc
that no funeral ceremonies, save of tho
simplest character, be held over my re.
MAINS"
In bequeathing his body and brain, the
will says:
drsuant to an intention fixed in
early manhood on learning that a
certain state provided by law that
medical graduates should have had
olssecting room experience and vet
maze no provision for requisite sub
9ects; conformably with the shock
hhs enonomic waste represented by
settled portions of the country; and
In accordance with my custom Of de-
voting my efforts and myself to pub
nSrIgoo nc good ! give and bequeath for
cal college selected by my executor,
except that my brain go, with that OF
the late j. w. Powell (now in my
CUSTODY, CUSTODY, to pr. +. a. spitzka, of the
phia. Penn, for study and preserva-
ton at his discretion"
ASIDE from number of minor be-
quests, the estate Is left to DR.. McGee's
VIE, Mrs. Anita Newcombe McGee
avenue, Berkeley, Cal. This bequest in.
Guides life insurance policies and Ger.
tain books and other property now in
possession Of John F. Gallagher, Of St
A gold watch is given to Klotho Nc.
Gee, a daughter living at Wainscott
l. l., and a silver watch to Enrik Nc.
Zee, son. DR.. McGee's express rife
is left. to Clifford Pinchot, and q
mounted i ted Texas steer head to the Cos
mos Club, where DR.. McGee died.
DR.. Spitzka regrets that objections OF
the part Of the family of the late DR.
Horace Howard Furness, one of tn,
Worlds greatest Shakespearean scholars
science of a. comparison of his brail
with that of the great scientist.
DR.. Spitzka had looked forward will
NUN interest 10 SuCn comparison, anC
had been told by DR.. Furness, who wa.
his close personal friend and one inter
ested in his work, that when he died ht
would leave his brain to be studied He
mas In his safe letter from DR.. Fur,
ness: In which he put the promise ir
writing.
Horace II. Furness, jr., son of tn,
dead scholar, would give no reason
why the family is unwilling for hi,
brain to be weighed. tested, and com
pared with the brains of other deer
thinkers.
Dr. Spitzka has what is probably tn,
finest collection of preserved brains il
the, world. He is spending his life
studying them and has already made
valuable contributions to modern psy
chology as a result of his study
Frequently the brains of noted mer
are bequeathed to me-" said DR.. Spitzka
but theysdon't always reach me- DR.
Furness wanted me to have his brain
and bequeathed 1t to me, but the fam
lily objected, and l have never received
II. l anticipated studying the brain O
a man who was probably the creates
literary scholar OF the twentieth cen
tury, and comparing 1t with the brains
OF other great literary and scientif,
men. But the opportunity Is gone"