1826 Nov. 6

Body-providing Bill

Draught

N.B. Argumentative[?] preambles of no less length might be found in the Statute Book; but should the following prescript be regarded as too long for modern usage, the considerations here brought to view might be eliminated out of the Bill: and no otherwise emplyed than as reasons in the mouths of its supporters.

§1. Whereas the life and health of the living mainly depends upon information collected from the bodies of the dead

And whereas under the existing laws this indispensible information is no otherwise obtained than by the /surreptitious attainment/stealing/ of bodies from Church yards to the great scandal of religion and affliction of the relatives of the deceased and whereas these laws notwithstanding the grievous obstruction opposed by them to the preservation of life and health have proved ineffectual for their intended purpose, so much that for the obtainment of the comparatively small number of bodies requisite to the purpose of instruction in the healing art little less than the whole population of the country remain[?] exposed to this affliction

And whereas it is but just that such persons as for the preservation of whose health when living the united stores of christian charity and medical art and science have been expended should contribute to the dispensation[?] of the same blessings to their surviving friends and countrymen especially at a time when by such contributions no suffering can be experienced by themselves

Be it enacted & c

that from and after the /zs/ of /zs/ next ensuing when and as often as admission within any hospital /the/ situated within that part of the United Kingdom which is composed of the Islands of Great Britain and Ireland is applied for on behalf of any person in quality of patient