120 HUMAN DISSECTION. ITS DRAMA AND STRUGGLE 



Connivance between surgeon-anatomists, resurrectionists and 

 governmental officials occurred at even parliamentary levels. This 

 does not mean that the body snatchers went about their work im- 

 mune. It was usually an emotional outburst by a certain portion 

 of the populace, precipitating mob action, which served as an 

 impetus to the constables to make an arrest. Lodging in jail was 

 made more to protect an individual or group rather than on a spe- 

 cific charge of misdemeanor. People were naturally touchy on the 

 question of grave robbing and they organized quickly when their 

 suspicions were aroused. One could cite a number of instances, 

 where innocent funeral processions were attacked, horses removed 

 from the carriage, the coach toppled over and the fragments 

 burned. 



When resurrectionists were caught in the act by the rabble, 

 they were usually beaten severely unless saved by the police. Those 

 who were apprehended, indicted and imprisoned, managed, in 

 some manner, to inform the anatomists, with whom they were 

 associated; if harmony existed between them, the culprits ex- 

 pected the professors to do all in their power to free them from 

 police cross-examination and if necessary, furnish bail. In cases 

 of incarceration, the schools usually took care of the families by 

 putting the men on a livable salary during their servitude. Sir 

 Astley Cooper, a London surgeon-anatomist, kept records of the 

 sums he periodically paid out for bail and family support; some- 

 times he continued to finance such for as long as 126 weeks. 



The teachers at the anatomical schools were also in an un- 

 favorable position as far as the sack-em-up men were concerned. 

 Their existence depended upon an adequate supply of cadavers, 

 especially those anatomists conducting private schools. With the 

 rapid increase in the number of students and anatomical estab- 

 lishments, competition became keener and the quantity of sub- 

 jects received in any one institution, important. Before the begin 

 ning of a scheduled dissecting period, members of organized bands 

 of body snatchers would haunt the anatomical establishments, 

 either bowing and scraping or maintaining complete silence, de- 

 pending upon the prevailing atmosphere. Their aim was to try 

 and settle on as large a price per cadaver as possible for the ensu 

 ing session and even to demand an initial fee, if they could get 



