The Sun. — 1832-02-28 (London, England)

ANATOMY BILL.  On Mr. WAano KTON'S moving that the House should res. lye itself into a Committee on the Anatomy Bill, Mr. HUNT proterved ag,inst entering on the discussion of so important a subject at so late an hour. Sir R. INGLIS was very desirous to remove all stigma from dissection. For this purpose he would propose to exclude from dissection the bodies of murderers, the bodies of persons committing suicide, the bodies of persons dying in prison (still wishing to dissociate all idea of disgrace from the act of dissection), the bodies of all persons dying in hospitals, it being most essential that the poor should not be led to entertai❑ any suspicion that those who ought to cure them had an interest in killing them. How, then, were subjects for dins- ction to be procured ? He objected to any open sale—to any market of human flesh. He would proceed to say who, in his opinion, ought to be die sected. First, all who choose to leave their bodies for dissection, or %oho chose to sell their bodies during their lives, securing to them the right of pre-emption in the repurchase of their hodies on paying due interest; then all who died in workhouses, and who were unclaimed by their friends, or whose friends bad not expressed a dislike to their being dissected. This latter would afford a large supply of bodies ; but if bodies were necessary at all, a large number were necessary. It had been calculated that there were above seventy schools of anatomy in London, and that the annual demand for subjects amounted to 1,100. In St. Giles's parish last year 599 persons died, who were buried by the parish ; in 3larylebone parish 350 persons h-. 1 died in the workhouse, and 290 out of it, making 640 persons, a!1 of whom had been buried by the parish. In a former year 5,204 persons had died in all the parishes of London, who bad been bud, d by the parishes. Here it was evident that there were abundant means of supply, after deducting those whose relations might exprtss dislike to dissection. He was also desirous that the remains of bodies so dissected should receive Christian burial.  Mr. WASON bad several objections to the Bill, and was especially averse to allowine surgeons to have subjects in their private residences. The object ought to be to supply the anatomical schools, and not individuals. S r F. TRENCH said that the impression on his mind wwii, that the provisions of the Bill would be nugatory— that they would not give facilities for dissection—and that they would afford an additional stimulus to Burking. In his opinion, the title of the Bill ought to be, " A Bill to prevent the study of anatomy, and to encourage Burking. --(A laugh.)" He contended that the main fault at present was in the surgeons themselves ; and that if they would carefully examine every body offered them, and reject those the appearance of which was suspicious, the greater part of the existing evi!s would soon be done away with. What he would propose was, the giving suicides and other., pro-, *Med that they were not claimed by near relatives, to the surgeons after death, and he could not see any objection to allowing individuals to sell their own bodies. Mr. M. O'FERRALL suggested that no removal of a body should be allowed without a certificate as to the death of which he hail died. Mr. WARBURTON had no objection to the Bill being extended to Ireland, provided that Irish Members would ta! e on themselves to say that such an extension would be useful. Mr. STANLEY said, that a deputation from the Irish College of Surgeons bad called on him, and proposed certain modifications for the admission of the Bill into Ire land. It had, however, been arranged that it would be better to see how the BR worked in England, after which (if deemed advisable) it might he extended to Ireland. Mr. M. O'FERRALL explained. Mr. STANLEY said, that there was an objection which he had decidedly to make to what had been proposed with respect to Ireland, which was, that all the bodies should be disposed of by the Chief Secretary for Ireland.— (A laugh.) Colonel SIBTIIORPE said, that it was very disgusting to enact that every body not claimed should he given up for dissection. Supposing an Irish labourer came over here and died in an hospital—of course there would be no relations to claim him. If the Hon. Member for Bridport chose to give up ,•is body, he had no objection ; and he should not mind giving up his own, though, to be sure, it was not worth much.--(A laugh.) The G idarit Colonel then went on to say, that, in his opinion crimes were not punished with sufficient severity—especially those most rascally of all criminals, horse-sealers, who were tried at every assize, and yet rarely ever got hanged, which they richly deserved. Mr. SHELL wished to know whether the Hon. Member meant that it should be lawful to import dead bodies from Dublin and Liverpool ? He presumed that such was his intention ; and yet, according to the Act, no body could he removed from one part of England to the other. Air. J. WEYLAND was so inimical to the principle of the Bill, that he did not believe that any alteration could make such a change in it as to do .sway with his objections. He should have no objection to give up the bodies of all  criminals, and he would likewise consent to persons being allowed to devise their bodies after death. The gallery was then cleared for a division— Ayes `coes l3 Majority in favour of the Bill —sl On our re-entering the gallery we found Mr. HUNT on his legs, resisting the motion for the Bill to be re-committed to a Committee of the whole House. Mr. MACAULEY said a few words in favour of the 'notion, and the House again divided, Mr. Hunt alone, as far as we could hear, calling out " No," when the question was put.  The numbers were— A)es 39 Noes Majority The House resolved itself into a Committee, some amendments were added, and the House resumed. The report was received, and ordered to be taken into farther consideration on Friday next. Toe other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at Half-past Two o'Clock.