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of the Anatomy Act. Until the year 1829, no provision had 

 been made for legalizing the study of human anatomy. Then, 

 except in rare instances, to have a dead body in one's possession 

 was, in the eye of the law, an offence against society. Physicians 

 and students were dependent for anatomical instruction upon 

 post-mortem examinations, on criminals who had suffered the 

 extreme penalty of the law, but mostly upon bodies furtively 

 obtained. This state of things gave rise to the practice of body- 

 snatching, the history of which in this community, could it be 

 fully and faithfully written, would bring to light the story of 

 many a high-handed adventure. In connection with a movement 

 made under the auspices of the Massachusetts Medical Society, 

 Dr. Warren labored to procure the enactment of a suitable 

 law. To this end he gave a public lecture before the legislature, 

 and attempted to demonstrate the absolute necessity of some 

 provision for legalizing the study of anatomy. We are now 

 enjoying the benefit of the services rendered at that time by 

 himself and others. 



In accordance with the views which he had advocated many 

 years before his death, he made especial provision for the dissec- 

 tion of his own body, and gave specific directions as to the mor- 

 bid appearances to be sought after, the preparation of his skeleton, 

 and its final resting-place in the museum which his industry had 

 accumulated and his munificence had endowed. At the time he 

 formed this resolution, such an act would have had a vast and 

 favorable influence in satisfying the popular mind with regard to 

 human dissections. In the latter part of his life, the necessity 

 for such an example had passed away, but ^' virum tenacem pro- 

 positi" he never receded from his determination. He has fol- 

 lowed the example of Scarpa, Jeremy Bentham, of the Meckels, 

 and of the seven professoi's of Padua. 



In 1847, the same year in which he retired from his profes- 

 sional duties, he was elected President of this Society. lie came 

 amongst us at our earnest solicitation, at a time when he had 

 finished the life-long labor of a profession which had engrossed all 

 the energies of his manhood, and at a time, too, when most men, 

 from impaired strength and energy of purpose, seek for complete 

 repose. But he preferred to be active. He was not one of the 

 restless spirits who continue to act because they cannot help it ; 



