108 HUMAN DISSECTION. ITS DRAMA AND STRUGGLE 



there was no evidence of any shortage; he and some of his class- 

 mates sometimes received a specimen at noon and had made con- 

 siderable progress in dissecting it by nightfall (Fraser, '50). 



John Y. Bassett, of Huntsville, Alabama, found the same 

 favorable conditions prevailing in Paris, in 1836. Subjects were 

 cheap; he paid 40 sous for the body of a child and 6 francs for that 

 of an adult. He anatomized from eleven to two daily. Opportuni- 

 ties for summer work, were excellent. According to him there was 

 an anatomical school located at Clamart, which had room for 200 

 cadavers; these also could be purchased for a mere trifle. Imposing, 

 residential places were available for the students. No prejudice 

 existed against the practice and even hospital subjects who were 

 aware of their fate, made no objections (Osier, 1896). 



No further data on subsequent events in the history of dis- 

 section in France are readily available. The scarcity of informa- 

 tion, over a period of the last 130 years, may indicate that no 

 serious problems have existed in that country, at least not enough 

 so that they have been publicly expressed. 



B. Germany 



Near the termination of the 1600's, human dissections were 

 a big event in Germany; they were not so frequently performed 

 as in France, Italy or Holland. Characteristically, they were held 

 at long intervals and each one became a civic event attended by 

 gay festivities. The Professor of Anatomy at Heidelberg, in 1685, 

 John C. Brunner, pioneered in providing anatomical material 

 for human dissection. He was able to obtain the bodies of all 

 soldiers dying at the Heidelberg Garrison. These, he dissected in 

 the presence of his students. In general, such an event was at- 

 tended by professors, doctors, students, noblemen, civic adminis- 

 trators and anyone who might be interested. At most, one or two 

 anatomies were performed publicly each year. As soon as a cadaver 

 was made available by the magistrate, notice of the coming cere- 

 mony was published. The essence of such an ad is the following: 

 the human body compares to a machine; a knowledge of anatomy 

 is important in medicine; dissection is not against the laws of 



