Facts leading up to the legislative act legalizing dissection of the human body: compiled from data kept by William Smith Forbes, M.D., professor of anatomy at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, of the grave robbing of Lebanon Cemetery
Collection
Identifier: MSS 467
Scope and Contents
This scrapbook contains material related to the case surrounding the grave robbing at Lebanon Cemetery in Philadelphia and the subsequent Anatomy Act in Pennsylvania. Also included are notes (1880-1881) acknowledging receipt of museum specimens, reports and lists of bodies delivered to medical schools (1881), and W. S. Forbes' History of the Anatomy-Act of Pennsylvania (1898).
Dates
- 1879-1898
- 1935-1937
Creator
- Hewson, A. (Addinell), 1855- (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for reasearch.
Conditions Governing Use
Some conditions may apply. Contact the library for more information.
Biographical / Historical
In December 1882 Frank McNamee, Henry "Dutch" Pillet[t], Levi Chew, and Robert Chew were caught digging up a body at Lebanon Cemetery, a Black cemetery in Philadelphia. These "resurrectionists" were arrested and charged with grave robbing. McNamee named Dr. William Smith Forbes, then demonstrator of anatomy at Jefferson Medical College, as their buyer. Forbes was arrested and went on trial for conspiracy in the grave robbing charge in March 1883. During the trial he explained the public demand for physicians to have thorough knowledge of anatomy and also the strict laws that made it impossible for medical students in anatomy courses to obtain legal cadavers in the numbers required. This demand for bodies led to medical schools paying “resurrectionists” or professional grave robbers to obtain bodies. Forbes never had any direct dealings with the resurrectionists and was therefore acquitted of the conspiracy charge.
Following the controversy, the Pennsylvania legislature passed the Pennsylvania Anatomy Act of 1883, with Forbes authoring some of the amendments. This act created the Anatomical Board of Pennsylvania, made more bodies available to medical schools for dissection, and also increased penalties for grave robbing.
William Smith Forbes (1831-1905) was born in Virginia in 1831. He graduated from Jefferson Medical College in 1852 and was a resident at Pennsylvania Hospital from 1853 to 1855. He served as a volunteer surgeon with the English Military Hospital during the Crimean War and was Surgeon of Volunteers in the Union Army, serving as the medical director of the 13th Army Corps during the Civil War.
After the war he returned to Philadelphia where he was demonstrator of anatomy at Jefferson Medical College and senior surgeon at Episcopal Hospital. He wrote the 1867 Anatomy Act and contributed amendments to the 1883 Anatomy Act following the 1882 Lebanon Cemetery controversy. He was later promoted to professor of anatomy and placed in charge of the General Surgical Clinic at Jefferson College. Forbes died in 1905.
Addinell Hewson (1855-1938) was an anatomist and teacher in Philadelphia. He graduated from Jefferson Medical College in 1879 and became assistant professor of anatomy there in 1902. He remained on the Jefferson faculty until 1912 and also was Professor of Anatomy at the Graduate School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania. In 1914 he became Professor of Anatomy and Histology at Temple University. Hewson was also editor of the American edition of "Holden's Dissector." He died in 1938.
Following the controversy, the Pennsylvania legislature passed the Pennsylvania Anatomy Act of 1883, with Forbes authoring some of the amendments. This act created the Anatomical Board of Pennsylvania, made more bodies available to medical schools for dissection, and also increased penalties for grave robbing.
William Smith Forbes (1831-1905) was born in Virginia in 1831. He graduated from Jefferson Medical College in 1852 and was a resident at Pennsylvania Hospital from 1853 to 1855. He served as a volunteer surgeon with the English Military Hospital during the Crimean War and was Surgeon of Volunteers in the Union Army, serving as the medical director of the 13th Army Corps during the Civil War.
After the war he returned to Philadelphia where he was demonstrator of anatomy at Jefferson Medical College and senior surgeon at Episcopal Hospital. He wrote the 1867 Anatomy Act and contributed amendments to the 1883 Anatomy Act following the 1882 Lebanon Cemetery controversy. He was later promoted to professor of anatomy and placed in charge of the General Surgical Clinic at Jefferson College. Forbes died in 1905.
Addinell Hewson (1855-1938) was an anatomist and teacher in Philadelphia. He graduated from Jefferson Medical College in 1879 and became assistant professor of anatomy there in 1902. He remained on the Jefferson faculty until 1912 and also was Professor of Anatomy at the Graduate School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania. In 1914 he became Professor of Anatomy and Histology at Temple University. Hewson was also editor of the American edition of "Holden's Dissector." He died in 1938.
Extent
0.25 Linear feet (1 OV box) : (1 disbound volume)
Language of Materials
English
Custodial History
This scrapbook was previously cataloged as ZAa 10.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Presented by Colonel William Innes Forbes.
Creator
- Hewson, A. (Addinell), 1855- (Person)
- Forbes, W. S. (William Smith) (Person)
- Title
- Facts leading up to the legislative act legalizing dissection of the human body
- Author
- Rayna Andrews
- Date
- 2025 November 18
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Historical Medical Library of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia Repository
Contact:
19 S. 22nd Street
Philadelphia PA 19103 United States
19 S. 22nd Street
Philadelphia PA 19103 United States
