84 



SCmNGE. 



[N. S. Vol. III. No. 55. 



too large to secure the full instruction nec- 

 cessary. It is to be observed that the man- 

 ner in which instruction is imparted will 

 modify the statements above made. 



CONCLUSIONS. 



1 . Anatomical material for the promotion 

 of medical science should be obtained wholly 

 under legal enactment. The provisions of 

 the law should be compulsory upon all offi- 

 cers of State and county institutions and 

 municipal governments. 



2. Of the anatomical laws which are in 

 force in this country, the committee is of the 

 opinion that the law of the State of Penn- 

 sylvania is the best. It is framed in such 

 manner as to provide under a strict execu- 

 tion of its requirements anatomical material 

 for the promotion of Medical Science and 

 prevents the desecration of the resting place 

 of the dead. 



3. The committee believes it would con- 

 tribute to the best interests of anatomical 

 teaching in this country if action was taken 

 by this association to secure the enactment 

 in every State of a law controlling the col- 

 lection and distribution of anatomical ma- 

 terial and recommends such action. 



4. The committee finds itself unable, from 

 the information which has been received, to 

 arrive at any definite conclusions with re- 

 gard to the best means for accomplishing 

 the preservation of anatomical material for 

 the purposes of dissection. Many of the 

 agents reported in the communications re- 

 ceived have been long in use, and to a 

 greater or less degree have been employed 

 successfully in securing preservation of an- 

 atomical material, but not with all the con- 

 ditions which are deemed as essential in 

 perfect preservation, and those which afford 

 the best results in dissection. Preservation 

 by means of cold storage it believes to be a 

 method which approaches nearest to per- 

 fection, and it should be arranged upon 

 such a plan as will admit of the retention 



of anatomical material, under the influence 

 the low temperature during dissection. 

 {Signed.) J. Ewing Meaes, 



J. D. Bryant, 

 Thomas Dwight. 

 novembee 19, 1895. 



The following amendment to the report 

 was adopted : " That Professors of Anatomy 

 be requested to inform their students con- 

 cerning the laws upon the subject of an- 

 atomical material, and request these stu- 

 dents to use their influence with the authori- 

 ties in their respective places of residence 

 to increase the quantity of anatomical ma- 

 terial hj making available much that is 

 now withheld, either from neglect or indif- 

 ference." 



ANATOMICAL LAW OF THE STATE OF PENN- 

 SYLVANIA, ENACTED JUNE 13, 1SS3. 



For the promotion of medical science by the dis- 

 tribution of and iise of unclaimed human 

 bodies for scientific purposes through a board 

 created for that purpose, and to prevent un- 

 authorized uses and traffic in human bodies. 

 Section 1. Be it eyiacted by the Senate and 

 Souse of Representatives of the Commonwealth 

 of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met, and 

 it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same : 

 That the professors of anatomy, the profes- 

 sors of surgery, the demonstrators of anat- 

 omj^, and the demonstrators of surgerj' of 

 the medical and dental schools and colleges 

 of this Commonwealth, which are now or 

 may hereafter become incorporated, to- 

 gether with one representative from each 

 of the unincorporated schools of anatomy or 

 pi'actical surgery within this Commonwealth 

 in which there are, or from time to time at 

 the time of the appointment of such repre- 

 sentative shall be, not less than twentj^-five 

 scholars, shall be, and hereby are consti- 

 tuted a board, for the distribution and de- 

 livery of dead human bodies hereinafter de- 

 scribed, to and among such persons as un- 

 der the provisions of this Act are entitled 



