History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

398 History of Medical Practice in IllinoisSupported by Dr. Johnson's fervent appeal, Dr. Strong's leadershipachieved the passage of the new 'anatomy law,' which was approved June26, 1885, and is in force to the present time. The available biographicaldata about Dr. Albert B. Strong are rather scant. He was born in Galesburg,Illinois, in 1845, and he died in March, 1900. He attended Rush MedicalCollege, graduated from it in 1872, served during his senior year as aninterne at St. Luke's Hospital in Chicago, and then followed it with aninternship at Cook County Hospital from July 1872 until February 1874.From March of that year until October of the following he lectured onMateria Medica and Therapeutics in Rush Medical College. He was thenelected demonstrator of Anatomy and lecturer in this subject in the springcourse of that institution, which position he held during ten years. It wasduring this period that he agitated vigorously for the amendment of theexisting anatomical laws. In 1885, at the Springfield meeting of the IllinoisState Medical Society, he refers to the "magnificent way in which theSociety has supported these efforts." At that time there were 8000 doctors,including dentists, in the state. Six thousand communications stressing theneed of additional legislation for anatomical purposes were sent out fromthe office of the demonstrators' association in Chicago, and fivethousandindividual letters were received in response. Only two letters said theywould oppose the measure.Hon. T. A. Sheffield of Jo Daviess County introduced the new measureto the State Legislature as Bill133, which pertained to the use of bodiesof deceased persons to promote medical science. It read:"Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the GeneralAssembly: That superintendents of penitentiaries, houses of correction and bridewells,wardens of hospitals, insane asylums and poorhouses, coroners, sheriffs, jailors,city and county undertakers and all other state, county, town and city officers,in whose custody the body of any deceased person, required to be buried at publicexpense, shall be, shall give permission to any physician or surgeon (a licentiateof the State board of health), or to any medical college or school, public orprivate, of any city, town or county, upon his or their request therefor to receiveand remove free of charge or expense, after having given proper notice to relativesor guardians of the deceased, the bodies of such deceased persons to be buriedat public expense, to be by him or them used within the state, for advancementof medical science; preference being given to medical colleges and schools, etc.said bodies to be distributed to and among the same equitably;number assigned to each, being in proportion toschool."thethe students of each college orTo prohibit the traffic of unclaimed bodies and to insure that they wouldbe used only for the purpose stipulated, namely the promotion of medicalscience, a sufficient bond was to be deposited by individuals, schools ororganizations using such bodies for dissection. After stating the penalties