obtained by a trick common among
bodysnatchers, and no more question might have
been asked. Suspicion was increased also in the
mind of the police inspector by the fact that
a youth — though as it proved another youth
— was just then advertised as missing. The
three men, much to their consternation,
were accordingly arrested, and two of them,
being proved murderers, were hanged. They
themselves were sent afterwards to King's
College for dissection, and the skeleton
of Bishop stands in the museum there,
holding a bit of his own skin, on which an
indignant tanner had begged leave to exercise
his art.

This new discovery of the iniquities of
Bishop, following upon the revelations in the
case of Burke, caused an end to be put to
the existing state of things. Pending a
parliamentary inquiry, public opinion, and opinion
also among the members of an honourable
profession, set its face against the resurrectionist
in every form. It became more difficult
than ever for the surgeon in this country
to study his profession.

It was thought that subjects might be
brought from France, and an attempt was
made to begin their importation; but the
smugglers seized their opportunity at the
same time, and caused them to arrive with rolls
of lace in their dead mouths. The desecration
was intolerable, and that source of supply
was abandoned. Physicians, zealous for their
art, left their own bodies to dissecting-rooms.
An eminent Anatomist was called upon by a
professional friend who said to him, "Do you
know Doctor—— (we will say Doctor Smith)
left left his body to you."

"Is he dead?"

"No; but he will be in a day or two, and he
wants very much to see you."

The Anatomist went, and found the old
physician lying in his window with the evening
sun shining upon a thin face.

"I am glad you have come," he said, " I
want you to hear this clause in my will."
He pulled the will from beneath his pillow,
and read the bequest of himself to the
scalpel.

"But, my dear sir," it was urged, "does
not this distress your wife ? You are not
called upon to sacrifice the feelings of those
who are dear to you—— "

"Enough, enough. That is all settled. I
have one request to make. I am dying of some
affection of the lungs, which I attribute to
the irritation from a rib I broke some years
ago. I wish you would remember to look
and see whether I am right on that point.
Also, one thing more. I am a bit of a
phrenologist, and I should like to have a cast
taken of my head before I die. Could you
get that done for me?"

"Certainly, if you wish it."

"When?"

"This is Monday. Shall I send on
Wednesday?"

"No; Wednesday may be too late. Send
to-morrow."

The physician died, and the anatomist
thought that his last wishes might be sufficiently
respected without more outrage to the
distracted feelings of his wife, if there were a
simple post-mortem examination into the
causes of death.

To this same Anatomist, there was made
known, in a very remarkable way, the extent
of the wretchedness of a poor creature who
wrote to him at the Hospital with which he was
connected, signing herself "Caroline W.," and
telling him that she was an unfortunate
woman weary of life, and eager to lay her
burden down if she could quit the world able
to pay the few pounds that she owed to
creditors. For these reasons, she wished
to sell her body. She was of such an age——
so tall, so stout——of fair complexion; and she
might be seen on the Strand side of Temple
Bar at a certain hour on a certain day. If
he would buy her for dissection she did not
want any money for herself: only his word
of honour that he would pay those who
might bring her body to his rooms. If he
did not accept her offer, she would find somebody
who would. The opinion of the police-
inspector of the district was taken on the
letter. Was it a bad jest? The inspector
declared his belief that it was terribly earnest,
and undertook to do what he considered best.
He appeared at the appointed place of meeting,
and scared the wretched soul away. No
more was heard of her.

The disclosures made before a parliamentary
committee, led to the establishment of
the "Act for regulating schools of Anatomy,"
commonly called the Anatomy Act, now in
force. By that act, nobody can practice
anatomy without a license from the Secretary
of State, who appoints also inspectors of
schools of anatomy. It is the duty of the
inspectors to make quarterly returns of all
subjects removed for anatomical
examination, and to visit, at discretion, all dissecting
rooms. By this act, any person, not an
undertaker holding it for purpose of interment,
who has lawful keeping of the body of
a deceased person may permit anatomical
examination of it, if no known relative objects,
and if the deceased have not in the last
illness expressed objection. In no case can a
body be removed for such examination within
forty-eight hours after decease, or without
a certificate from the inspector of anatomy,
which can be obtained only in return for a
satisfactory medical certificate of the cause of
death. No teacher of anatomy shall receive
any body for examination with which the
certificate of the inspector is not brought, and
that certificate he shall send back to the
inspector of anatomy together with a full return
of various particulars. Contravention of these
rules is punished with three months'
imprisonment or with a fine of fifty pounds.

These regulations have entirely put an end