The Doctor in History, Literature, Folk-Lore, Etc.
History
The Doctor in History, Literature, Folk-Lore, Etc.
Literature and medicine; Physicians; Physicians in literature
Next morning, May called upon a dentist named Mills, on Newington
Causeway, and sold a dozen teeth to him for a guinea, observing that they
were the teeth of a boy fourteen years of age. On examining them, Mills
found that morsels of the gums and splinters of the jaw were adhering to
them, as if much force had been used to wrench them out. Two hours later,
Bishop and May called again at the anatomical theatre in Southwark, and
repeated their offer of the preceding evening, which was again declined.
Shortly afterwards, they went to Guy's Hospital, accompanied by Williams
and a man named Shields, to remove the "subject" left there the evening
before, and it was given to them in the sack, as they had left it, and
placed in a large hamper, which Shields had brought for the purpose. There
was a hole in the sack, through which the porter saw a small foot
protruding, apparently that of a boy or a woman.
About midnight, the bell of King's College was rung, and the porter, on
going to the gate, found there Bishop and May, whom he had seen there
before, it seems, and on similar business. May asked him if anything was
wanted, and receiving an indifferent answer, added that they had a male
"subject," a boy about fourteen years of age. The porter inquired the
price, and was told they wanted twelve guineas for it. He then said he
would ask Mr. Partridge, the demonstrator in anatomy, and they followed
him to a room adjoining the dissecting room. Nine guineas were offered,
which May, with an oath, refused, and went outside. Bishop then said to
the porter, "Never mind May, he is drunk; it shall come in for nine in
half-an-hour." They then went away, returning at the stipulated time,
accompanied by Williams and Shields, the latter carrying on his head the
hamper containing the corpse brought from Guy's Hospital. It was taken
into a room, where it was opened, and the corpse turned out of the sack by
May. The porter, observing a cut on the left temple, and that the left arm
was bent and the fingers clenched, conceived suspicions of foul play, and
communicated them at once to Mr. Partridge. That gentleman thereupon
examined the corpse, and mentioned its condition to the secretary, who
immediately gave information to the police.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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