History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

394 History of Medical Practice in Illinoisno similarity, which may or may not prove that he was not the author ofone of them."What attitude Dr. Daggett took in the consideration of the two billsmentioned, whether he played an active or a comparatively passive role,either in sponsoring them or in rejecting them is not clear at present andcalls for further investigation. It is not unreasonable to assume that Daggett,remembering his own imprisonment and suffering because of unjust laws,chose not to be an aggressive spokesman knowing that his opponents mightdelve into and distort his past. Thus far my preliminary search shows thatDr. Daggett was able, because of the relative lack of distant communicationin his day, to conceal the grave-robbing incident in Vermont. At any rate,the more than 8o-year old Patrick A. Gleason, one time mayor of Lockport,who as a boy knew Dr. Daggett well and who, because of his Irish wit andsly humor, would have enjoyed adding to his store of anecdotes about"the thick-set bearded Doctor," did not know about it. 40 Nor had other persons,who were interviewed, heard about it.Going back to the resolutions approved by the Illinois State MedicalSociety at the Quincy and Dixon meetings in1868 and 1870 concerning awrit to legalize human dissection, apparently little further was done aboutthem until 1874, when the General Assembly of the State passed another"Act to promote the Science of Medicine and Surgery" (approvedFebruary 16, 1874 and in force July 1, 1874). Under paragraph 1, headed:"What Bodies may be delivered to Medical Schools for Dissection," we read that"It shall be lawful, in cities and counties whose population exceeds one hundredthousand inhabitants, for superintendents of pcnitentaries, wardens of poorhouses, coroners and city undertakers to deliver to the professors and teachers toreceive the remains or body of any deceased person, for purposes of medicalsurgical study: Provided that said remains shall not have been regularly interred,and shall have not been desired for interment by any relatives or friends of saiddeceased, within forty-eight hours after death: Provided also that the remains of40Upon arriving in Lockport to learn more about Dr. Daggett, I went directly to theCity Hall believing that its files would give the best approach to my quest concerning thesite of his office, residence, etc. A clerk told me that Patrick Gleason, a blacksmith bytrade and formerly mayor (1913-1923), was thoroughly familiar with the history of thetown. Taking me outside he pointed up the street to a small foundry and said thatGleason generally sat on a bench in front at this time of day— it was near noon— to swapstories with cronies. I found the bench empty and entered the shop to inquire aboutMr. Gleason. There a kindly old man, presumably one of the workmen, told me that"Mr. Gleason is not here" and "did not come around as often as he should." I regrettedthis because I had heard that he knew more about Lockport and Dr. Daggett than anybodyelse. As I reached the door he laughed and said "I am Patrick Gleason." He insistedthat I have dinner with him at the restaurant close by. There he regaled me with talesof various kinds. Later, he took me to a large farm 4 miles east of Lockport to meet hisfriend, Henry Burch, a pioneer settler from New England, who was a man of 90 and quiteas spry and jolly as Patrick and who, too, had known Dr. Daggett closely.