128 HUMAN DISSECTION. ITS DRAMA AND STRUGGLE 



Some of the early teachers of anatomy at the University were 

 Richard Hoyle, Bryan Robinson, Robert Robinson, George Cleg- 

 horn, his son, James Cleghorn and James Macartney, the last being 

 the professor at the peak of the resurrection period (Macalister, 

 1900). 



In Ireland, as elsewhere in Great Britain, surgeons and 

 anatomists were vitally interested in obtaining abnormal speci- 

 mens. One such incident is recorded where Professor Robert Rob- 

 inson was involved in successfully attempting to secure a human 

 giant by name of Corney Magrath. 



The latter was a seven foot, nine inch man who died at the 

 age of twenty-three, shortly after the year of 1741. Robinson, 

 on learning that some of the members of his anatomical class, 

 were intent on stealing the specimen, warned them that there 

 was no law against taking the body itself, but that if they took 

 so much as a rag or stocking with it, they could be hung. As was 

 customary, a wake was held by the friends of the giant in quarters 

 over one of the public houses. Four disguised students of Robin- 

 son's joined this session and immediately popularized themselves 

 with the others by ordering a generous amount of whisky. To 

 the drinks given to the nonmedical group, laudanum, an opium 

 compound, was added in quantities to produce deep sleep. The 

 students by prearrangement, signaled to other classmates planted 

 close by, who appeared with a large door. On this crude struc 

 tare, the body of Corney Magrath was placed, concealed with 

 gowns, and finally transported with enthusiasm and triumph to 

 the anatomical laboratory of their teacher. 



The following morning, consternation reigned among the 

 friends of Magrath, who though a bit woozy, were able to de 

 cipher the ruse. Accordingly, they marched to the provost ol 

 Trinity College, indignantly asking him for the return of the 

 body of their friend. The perplexed official sent for Dr. Robinson 

 who explained to his superior as follows: "My dear sir, such was 

 the zeal of the young men that they commenced dissection at on( c . 

 and it is now far advanced." The head of the institution, sizing 

 up the situation, dickered with Magrath's friends money-wise and 

 was able to settle the matter amicably. On returning to his anal 

 omy room, Robinson was heard to say in a chuckling manner. 



