What The Governor Knows About Dis

The ne w Governor in h3 inaugural message relieves his burdennd mina un tho plan of providing subjects for dissection at the ütiiversity iu the followiiig naive "I would cali yourattention to a law requiring Superintendents of the Poor to forvvard the remains of deceased persons who woulf] otherwise be buiied at the public expense, to Aun Arbor forthepurpose of dissection. In the hour of our bereavement, when liuman syuipathy liiuls its truest expression In flowers, and loving hands brin tlieir floral tributes to deck the dear remains, sliould a dray hearing a coffltishaped box inarked "Anu Arbor" stop at our door, and an officer armed with the authorlty of the State claim that loved form- would we not resist even to death the enfoicement of the cruel statute? I have yet to leain that the iuability tn pay for a funeral indicates a Jack of natural feelinj;. A common struggle Hgainst adverse fortune may hare scrved to cement ties of affection, and the wood-cross or simple rose-bush express as trne devotioti as was ever chiseled Iu the purest mat ble. ' In the poor-house in my own county are tuo Rffld eouples whose path to the unknown is brightened by theirconfidence that the good Superintendent will be more humane than the law, and that their ' irJaitlH WÜ1 tirifl !l fntiniv nlaM : .. „...il mams wil] flnd h restinc; place in mothei earth and side by side. I recoinmeni that ït the btate must continue to supph subjects for dissection the select ons be made on other grounds than that of poverty." ' If otir kind-hearted and somewhat sentimental governor had contributed to the support of these aged people even a smal! portion of the $30,000 nis election cost him, we are coaüdent it vvoulcl have done more good to humanity In general and at the same time afforded him more unalloyed satisfaction than even the attaining of his present office. He would then be able to shield them from effects of the law he so mournfully bewails. But to take up the more practical and general side of tbis question. It is now conceded by the intelligent people of this and other countries that in order to care best for the living, ourphysicians and surgeons must havo a comprehensive and accurate knowledgeof the anatomy of the human body. They can obtain this not by expeiimenting upon thequiek, noryet by lectures and the studying of books. Kxperience shows it can only be done by actual personal investigation npon the bodies of the dead. Since these things are so we next are brought face to face with the problem of how to obtain these bodies with the least offense to humanity Under the old law when so much was paid fora body andno leading questions were asked, the graves of our dead were only safe when watched by a guard. This measure was practical with the well to-do, but not adopted by the poorer of our citizens. It was an open secret that the graveyards of our poor houses were so sure of a nocturnal visit after a burial, that the keepers were careful not look that way after dark. All over the State scandals were continually arising because some cemetery had been robbed, andalthongh it was acknowledged that the students ought to have subjects, that of course did not restrain the indignation of those whose friends were taken. Such a condition of affairs could not and ought not long to exist. So the present luw, not long to exist. So the present luw, after due deüberation, was passed in 1881 by the Legislature. It provides tliat the bodies of those dying in a jail, prison work-house, house of correction, poor house, aeylum or other charitable institution of the State shall be conveyed over to the University School of Medicine, here to be used for scien tifie purposes, provided that the ofticer having charge of the body shall notify the relatives of the deceased and is to be kept embalnied eleven dan waiting for a claimant. Then if no one apppars the body is used. Only tliose who have no friends are brought here, henee the sensibilities of no one ought to bè ehocked. Wlth the old way our own friends wre dissected; with the new way the friends of no one are cut vp. 80 the Governor has to twist the (acts a great deal to say " I„ ihe hour of our bereavement etc, attould a dray bear off the beloved forni," etc., etc. Of course it is very pretty but the logic is awfully perverted to catch sentiment, It is an argument for the law and not agaiust it. In connec tlon ivith this, and as a loud speaklnjr witneM to the benefits of this systein let ue cali attentlon to the faot that nee the present law has been in voïie nota ringlt case of scandal from bodytruitrJuny ha, artsen. It is only too wéU known how it formcrly was Under thecircumstances we are inclined infe "i 'u 8cl;ool-Si''1 y will have linie welght when put in the balance ' against the beneficent results of tlie law However, while at Lan.sing. Wednes d iv 1 we noöced a feeling of fSr a„,ong è , fneiids Of the Umversity that an ttac-k upon the law was imminent. And while ' the subject was ander discussion we heard m'A U'(; mo.st P'ominent of our State ( offlc.als afflrm It to be his belief that If the . present law was abolished, and the Unijewity Medical School compelled to ' sort to the for:ner means of procurhie ' necessary dissecting material, the oonal t quent nabillty to procure it in suffleient t quant.Hes would undoubtedly to quite an l ?nHnn "l "" that tution. We hope it will be allowed to f main upon our statute books. ,.