Doctor's Riot
In former times "body-snatching", or digging up bodies for dissections was much more heard of than at present. The fear if it was so great, that often, in the neighborhood where medical students were pursuing their studies, persons who lost friends and family members would have a watch kept over their graves for several nights, to prevent them from being dug up. Neither the high social position nor sex of the dead provided a barrier to this disturbance of the graves. Although it was established that for thorough instruction in medical science, subjects for dissection were necessary, yet no one outside of the medical profession could be found to authorize "body-snatching". In the winter of 1787 and 1788, medical students of New York City dug up bodies more frequently than usual. Usually, the students had contented themselves with ripping open the graves of strangers and Negroes, about whom there was little concern. This winter, however, they dug up respectable people, even young women, of whom they made an indecent exposure. The stories did not lose anything by reputation, and soon the conduct of physicians and medical students became a town talk. The graveyards were easily accessible while there are plenty of men to b
Chief Justice Richard Morris commented: "Though it [the riot] may be pillated in the first stages of it. 6 With this volley of fire, three rioters were killed-a cartman, a young man, and a person identified only as a "servant of Mr. e found, who, for a small sum, would dig up any body anyone desired. 3"That afternoon, the crowd has repositioned itself in front of the jail house "Bring out your doctors! Bring out your doctors!" They then smashed in windows with stones and attempted to force an entrance through them, but the handful of men inside took possession of whatever instrument they could find and used it as weapons to protect the dwellers of the jail. The discovery of the bodies the day before had deepened the excitement, and now a more thorough examination of the building was proposed-as well as an inspection of the physicians' residences and the college. The news of the gathering crowd and its threatening aspect had reached Mayor James Duane, who immediately summoned the sheriff and rushed to the site with several prominent citizens. When those who defended the windows would step aside, the crowd would proceed by an attempt to climb in. A mere accident caused this state of feeling to culminate and suddenly break out into action. "Some rowdies passed the residence of Sir John Temple, the British consul general. Two of its rooms had been altered by the professors of the nearby Columbia College into dissecting rooms for the students. Governor George Clinton, Chancellor Robert Livingston, John Jay, Baron Friedrich von Steuben, and Mayor James Duane all begged the crowd for some control. The physicians and medical students find that their newfound "asylum behind bars4" was threatened by the angry mob as inmates were released to defend their shelter. Impelled by curiosity, one of the boys immediately mounted a ladder that stood against the wall and the surgeon told him to look at his mother's arm. All were filled with rage as they arm themselves with tools and gathered up a crowd as they marched and surged up around the hospital.
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