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THE ANATOMY ACT.—CONVICTION FOR ILLEGALITY.
Dr. Burnett has contributed a valuable essay on the Pathology of the Urine in Mental Diseases, which will be read with much interest. The remaining papers are on Military Lunatic Hospitals, and on Convulsions, by Drs. Robertson and Boyd, both of which deserve an attentive perusal. The reviews of Dr. Reynold’s recent work on " Diseases of the Brain," and Falret’s " Clinical Lectures on Insanity," are from the pen of the accomplished Editor, and are written in a spirit of critical impar-
tiality. THE ANATOMY ACT.—CONVICTION FOR ILLEGALITY. SURREY SESSIONS, NOV. 6TH.
obtain them. That, however, should not impede him, for he was determined to see what was the matter with the deceased. The prisoner came back in the after partof the day, when there were several customers at the bar, and placed a piece of flesh on the counter in front of her, saying " that he had done it, and that was a piece of the lungs," at the same time putting his hand in his coat-pocket, he drew out his handkerchief containing a heart, which he also, to the disgust of everybody present, put on the counter, dripping with blood. It made her feel sick, when he in bravado licked his fingers, and said it was all right, but he should want some money to pay for the ground. She gave him half-a-crown to get rid of him. John Jenkins, manager of the last witness’s business, denied .ever giving any authority to the prisoner respecting the body, either with regard to dissection or the funeral. The prisoner acted entirely without his knowledge in the transaction. Mr. Bacot, Inspector of Anatomy; was next examined.He said it was the duty of all persons making use of dead bodies for the purpose of anatomy to forward notice to him, and await his certificate before removing them. All persons, previously to practising anatomy, should be licensed. A list of such persons was kept at the Home-office, but the prisoner’s name was not entered in it. The prisoner, in his defence, contended that the deceased made him promise to open his body after his death, to enable him to ascertain the cause of the death. He certainly did make a post-mortem examination, but only to discover the seat of the disease, so that he might be able to discover a remedy. He did not do it with any intention or notion of breaking the law, as to make a post-mortem examination was He concluded by stating almost an everyday occurrence. that the showing ths heart to the friends of the deceased was only to prove to them the cause of his death, and to collect subscriptions for his funeral. After a short deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of Guilty on the second count, for unlawfully making an anatomical examination without the proper authority, and indecently exposing a portion of the corpse at the public-house. The Chairman, after deliberating with the Clerk of the Peace and the Bench, said that the Act of Parliament gave them power to sentence the prisoner to three months’ imprisonment ; the Court, however, considering that the prisoner had been in custody upwards of a month, should, under those circumstances, sentence him to one month’s imprisonment, with. out hard labour. The prisoner, who considered himself an injured man, was then removed from the dock.
ROBERT HENRY PARROTT, aged forty, described in the calendar as a surgeon at Walworth, was indictedfor unlawfully removing the dead body of George Henry Freshwater for anatomical examination, without the authority required by law, in the parish of St. Mary, Newington. Mr. Robinson, instructed by Messrs. Chester, the parish solicitors, prosecuted; and the prisoner, who had the assistance of Mr. Burrel, his solicitor, defended himself. The prisoner unlawfully obtained the body of a man named George Henry Freshwater, for the purpose of dissection, and that he did so in contravention of the law and without the consent of the friends of the deceased. Having obtained possession of the body, he operated upon it with a razor, and removed therefrom the heart and part of the lungs, which he made a public exhibition of in the house of deceased’s late mistress (the landlady of the Queen Anne Tavern, Newington), by placing the same, streaming with blood, on the counter in front of the bar. The counts in the indictment were laid under the 2nd and 3rd of William IV., chap. 75, sees. 8, 9, and 10, which set forth " that in no case shall the body of any person be removed, for anatomical examination, from any place wherever such person may have died until after forty-eight hours from the time of such person’s decease, nor until twenty-feur hours’ notice, to be given to the Inspector of Anatomy of the district. of the intended removal of the body, and to receive a certificate for the same, and in case of such removal such certificate shall be delivered with the body of the party receiving the same for anatomical purposes." The prisoner was charged in two counts against the common law in obtaining the body by fraud, and indecently and publicly exposing the same before a number of persons at the bar of the Queen Anne public-house, for the purpose of obtaining money thereby. THE An undertaker named Edward Burridge deposed that he MEDICAL went to the workhouse with the accused, when the latter told BENEVOLENT COLLEGE ROYAL the porter that he had come for the body of the deceased. The AND MR. PROPERT. accused had told witness that he had the authority of the deTo the Editor of THE LANCET. ceased’s friends and relatives to remove the body for burial, and the undertaker directed his men to carry it to his own SIR,-Some practitioners with whom I have conversed in premises. On the following morning the prisoner called at this neighbourhood have expressed their astonishment that Mr. his place, and said he had come to make an examination of the Propert should have united with the Cowan, Cormack, and body, which was accordingly made upon the undertaker’s Ancell faction, with the view to damage the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association. Mr. Propert should recollect thatpremises. In cross-examination, this witness admitted that he could he has been engaged in a noble work, which is now identified get bodies out of Newington Workhouse without any trouble, with his name. Should he desire to injure the fabric that being well known there as an undertaker to the poor. He he has raised, let him continue to act with men whose conduct expected Mr. Jenkins and others to pay the undertaker’s ex- is condemned by a large proportion of the profession. Mr. Propert should be above joining in petty intrigues. He will penses. The porter to Newington Workhouse said that on the 3rd of greatly offend by so doing; and if there is to be an opposition September the deceased died in that place, and on the following Association, there may also be an opposition Benevolent College, day his body was removed in a shell. Burridge had been in and one known by the title of the " Provincial Medical Benethe habit of removing the bodies of paupers from the house, so volent College." The attempt to destroy the institution over that there was nothing unusual in his comingfor the body; which Sir Charles Hastings has so long presided, cannot and consequently, he delivered it up to him at the request and shall not succeed. There are enough of us who know its value, direction of the prisoner. He would not deliver up a body to if properly conducted, to uphold it with energy, and to work it for many useful objects. Five hundred or a thousand can any but a well-known undertaker. " Margaret Fitzwilliam said, she was the owner of the Queen maintain the title of Provincial Medical and Surgical AssoAnne public-house, where the deceased, George Henry Fresh- ciation," as well as maintain its spirit and provide funds for water, had been for a long time potman; he died in the the protection of its members against persecution, and for pub. workhouse. On the 4th of September the prisoner came to lishing annually a handsome volume of " Transactions." her house and said he was going to fetch the body of FreshAs a sincere well-wisher, and one of the earliest supporters water from the workhouse, as he did not choose to see an old of the Royal Medical Benevolent College, I earnestly advise friend buried by the parish. He came on the following morning Mr. Propert to withdraw from his present associates, and to and said he had been seeking to borrow instruments to make discountenance the objects that they have in view. an examination of the body, as he believed his heart was disI am, Sir, your obedient servant, A COUNTRY SURGEON. eased, but it was such a beggarly neighbourhood, he could not Liverpool, November, 1855.
443
tiality. THE ANATOMY ACT.—CONVICTION FOR ILLEGALITY. SURREY SESSIONS, NOV. 6TH.
obtain them. That, however, should not impede him, for he was determined to see what was the matter with the deceased. The prisoner came back in the after partof the day, when there were several customers at the bar, and placed a piece of flesh on the counter in front of her, saying " that he had done it, and that was a piece of the lungs," at the same time putting his hand in his coat-pocket, he drew out his handkerchief containing a heart, which he also, to the disgust of everybody present, put on the counter, dripping with blood. It made her feel sick, when he in bravado licked his fingers, and said it was all right, but he should want some money to pay for the ground. She gave him half-a-crown to get rid of him. John Jenkins, manager of the last witness’s business, denied .ever giving any authority to the prisoner respecting the body, either with regard to dissection or the funeral. The prisoner acted entirely without his knowledge in the transaction. Mr. Bacot, Inspector of Anatomy; was next examined.He said it was the duty of all persons making use of dead bodies for the purpose of anatomy to forward notice to him, and await his certificate before removing them. All persons, previously to practising anatomy, should be licensed. A list of such persons was kept at the Home-office, but the prisoner’s name was not entered in it. The prisoner, in his defence, contended that the deceased made him promise to open his body after his death, to enable him to ascertain the cause of the death. He certainly did make a post-mortem examination, but only to discover the seat of the disease, so that he might be able to discover a remedy. He did not do it with any intention or notion of breaking the law, as to make a post-mortem examination was He concluded by stating almost an everyday occurrence. that the showing ths heart to the friends of the deceased was only to prove to them the cause of his death, and to collect subscriptions for his funeral. After a short deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of Guilty on the second count, for unlawfully making an anatomical examination without the proper authority, and indecently exposing a portion of the corpse at the public-house. The Chairman, after deliberating with the Clerk of the Peace and the Bench, said that the Act of Parliament gave them power to sentence the prisoner to three months’ imprisonment ; the Court, however, considering that the prisoner had been in custody upwards of a month, should, under those circumstances, sentence him to one month’s imprisonment, with. out hard labour. The prisoner, who considered himself an injured man, was then removed from the dock.
ROBERT HENRY PARROTT, aged forty, described in the calendar as a surgeon at Walworth, was indictedfor unlawfully removing the dead body of George Henry Freshwater for anatomical examination, without the authority required by law, in the parish of St. Mary, Newington. Mr. Robinson, instructed by Messrs. Chester, the parish solicitors, prosecuted; and the prisoner, who had the assistance of Mr. Burrel, his solicitor, defended himself. The prisoner unlawfully obtained the body of a man named George Henry Freshwater, for the purpose of dissection, and that he did so in contravention of the law and without the consent of the friends of the deceased. Having obtained possession of the body, he operated upon it with a razor, and removed therefrom the heart and part of the lungs, which he made a public exhibition of in the house of deceased’s late mistress (the landlady of the Queen Anne Tavern, Newington), by placing the same, streaming with blood, on the counter in front of the bar. The counts in the indictment were laid under the 2nd and 3rd of William IV., chap. 75, sees. 8, 9, and 10, which set forth " that in no case shall the body of any person be removed, for anatomical examination, from any place wherever such person may have died until after forty-eight hours from the time of such person’s decease, nor until twenty-feur hours’ notice, to be given to the Inspector of Anatomy of the district. of the intended removal of the body, and to receive a certificate for the same, and in case of such removal such certificate shall be delivered with the body of the party receiving the same for anatomical purposes." The prisoner was charged in two counts against the common law in obtaining the body by fraud, and indecently and publicly exposing the same before a number of persons at the bar of the Queen Anne public-house, for the purpose of obtaining money thereby. THE An undertaker named Edward Burridge deposed that he MEDICAL went to the workhouse with the accused, when the latter told BENEVOLENT COLLEGE ROYAL the porter that he had come for the body of the deceased. The AND MR. PROPERT. accused had told witness that he had the authority of the deTo the Editor of THE LANCET. ceased’s friends and relatives to remove the body for burial, and the undertaker directed his men to carry it to his own SIR,-Some practitioners with whom I have conversed in premises. On the following morning the prisoner called at this neighbourhood have expressed their astonishment that Mr. his place, and said he had come to make an examination of the Propert should have united with the Cowan, Cormack, and body, which was accordingly made upon the undertaker’s Ancell faction, with the view to damage the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association. Mr. Propert should recollect thatpremises. In cross-examination, this witness admitted that he could he has been engaged in a noble work, which is now identified get bodies out of Newington Workhouse without any trouble, with his name. Should he desire to injure the fabric that being well known there as an undertaker to the poor. He he has raised, let him continue to act with men whose conduct expected Mr. Jenkins and others to pay the undertaker’s ex- is condemned by a large proportion of the profession. Mr. Propert should be above joining in petty intrigues. He will penses. The porter to Newington Workhouse said that on the 3rd of greatly offend by so doing; and if there is to be an opposition September the deceased died in that place, and on the following Association, there may also be an opposition Benevolent College, day his body was removed in a shell. Burridge had been in and one known by the title of the " Provincial Medical Benethe habit of removing the bodies of paupers from the house, so volent College." The attempt to destroy the institution over that there was nothing unusual in his comingfor the body; which Sir Charles Hastings has so long presided, cannot and consequently, he delivered it up to him at the request and shall not succeed. There are enough of us who know its value, direction of the prisoner. He would not deliver up a body to if properly conducted, to uphold it with energy, and to work it for many useful objects. Five hundred or a thousand can any but a well-known undertaker. " Margaret Fitzwilliam said, she was the owner of the Queen maintain the title of Provincial Medical and Surgical AssoAnne public-house, where the deceased, George Henry Fresh- ciation," as well as maintain its spirit and provide funds for water, had been for a long time potman; he died in the the protection of its members against persecution, and for pub. workhouse. On the 4th of September the prisoner came to lishing annually a handsome volume of " Transactions." her house and said he was going to fetch the body of FreshAs a sincere well-wisher, and one of the earliest supporters water from the workhouse, as he did not choose to see an old of the Royal Medical Benevolent College, I earnestly advise friend buried by the parish. He came on the following morning Mr. Propert to withdraw from his present associates, and to and said he had been seeking to borrow instruments to make discountenance the objects that they have in view. an examination of the body, as he believed his heart was disI am, Sir, your obedient servant, A COUNTRY SURGEON. eased, but it was such a beggarly neighbourhood, he could not Liverpool, November, 1855.
443