188 ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY. 



fever, is both improper and highly dangerous ; and, 2dly, to show 

 how important to health is pure air, attention to cleanliness, and the 

 removal of all putrifying animal and vegetable matters from the 

 vicinity of our dwellings. In a very filthy part of Constantinople, 

 called the Jews' quarter, the plague constantly prevails more or 

 less, and the same may be said of typhus fever in some confined 

 and dirty parts of London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and most other 

 large cities. 



The city of New York, to the disgrace of its citizens, particularly 

 the corporation, is the most filthy of any other, with all its advan- 

 tages of Croton water. Both animal and vegetable substances are 

 suffered to accumulate, with pools of dirty, putrid, and noxious 

 water ; slaughter and fat-houses are tolerated, which ,are not only 

 extremely offensive and nuisances, but sufficient to spread infectious 

 diseases, and would, no doubt, were our city not surrounded with 

 the preventative of salt water. There are a sufficient number of 

 men who would consider it a favor to keep our streets clean and 

 healthy, even if they received one half of the sum which is ex- 

 pended to promote the interests of political parties only in the 

 items of banners, processions, feasts, &c. 



In man, the absorbing powers of the skin are much more limited 

 than those of the lungs. When the cuticle is entire, indeed, it 

 appears to absorb almost none, unless the substance be rubbed on 

 it with force, or be of a very irritating nature. When the cuticle is 

 removed, however, it absorbs readily. This is the reason why the 

 most virulent poisons can be handled with impunity, only while the 

 cuticle is entire. Students often suffer severely from this cause, 

 when, in opening dead bodies, they accidentally puncture or cut 

 themselves, even in the slightest degree. The poison introduced 

 by the cut part inflames it dreadfully, and death not unfrequently 

 occurs within a few days. It is for the same reason that a slight 

 scratch must be made through, the cuticle before a child can be 

 inoculated. Have we not abundant means and facilities to acquire 

 all the knowledge necessary to treat and cure both physical and 

 surgical diseases, without robbing the graveyards, and resorting to 

 that revolting and dangerous practice of dissections ? Should any 

 one doubt it, let him pay a visit to my ANATOMICAL MUSEUM, and 

 if he is unprejudiced, he \vell be convinced of it. Here every part 

 of the human system is demonstrated with extraordinary minuteness 

 and accuracy, in natural plaster and wax, imitating most perfectly 

 every one of the original organs. Besides, all this may be studied 



