The from hell letter

[Sam Flynn]

None as I recall saw a pigs kidney however.

They weren't particularly well-equipped to distinguish a pig's kidney from a human's at that time, Mike, so one should be wary of reading much significance into their not doing so. Openshaw was the pathological curator of a hospital, after all, not a veterinary college.

[Dave James]

Is it Human or is it a Pig's

Just to warm things up again on this thread.

I was going through news reports on Eddowes and found this in relation to the level of knowlege in 1888.

Evening News London, U.K. 20 October 1888
REGARDED AS A HOAX BY THE POLICE.
The incident of the box containing a portion of a kidney sent to Mr. Lusk of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee was yesterday the subject of much comment in the East-end. It is regarded by the police as a hoax. Even if the kidney forwarded to Mr. Lusk, the chairman of the Vigilance Committee, would prove to be the half of a human organ - and there is medical discrepancy on this point - it could not have been the one extracted from the body of the murdered woman Eddowes. A medical man is said to have ventured to assert - relying upon a microscopic examination - that the organ showed indications of disease from drink. Dr. Sedgwick Saunders, medical officer of the City of London, says this at once disproves the theory that the organ could have belonged to Eddowes, by stating that the right kidney of the woman was perfectly healthy, and presumably the left would be in a similar condition.
DR. SAUNDERS IS INTERVIEWED.
Dr. Saunders, alluding to the report that a medical man declared the half kidney had belonged to a female, remarked to a reporter who interviewed him: "It is a pity some people have not the courage to say they don't know. You may take it that there is no difference whatever between the male and female kidney. As for those in animals, they are similar. The cortical substance is the same, and the structure only differs in shape.
MIGHT BE MISTAKEN FOR A PIG'S.
I think it would be quite possible to mistake it for a pig's. You may take it that the right kidney of the woman Eddowes was perfectly normal in its structure and healthy, and by parity of reasoning, you would not get much disease in the left. The liver was healthy, and gave no indications that the woman drank. Taking the discovery of the half of a kidney, and supposing it to be human, my opinion is that it was a student's antic. It is quite possible for any student to obtain a kidney for the purpose.
INTERVIEW WITH THE CURATOR OF THE PATHOLOGICAL MUSEUM.
A Press representative had an interview, yesterday afternoon, with the Curator of the Pathological Museum at the London Hospital. In the course of the conversation that gentleman stated that the microscopical examination of the article proved it to be the anterior of the left human kidney. It has been preserved, in his opinion, in spirit for about 10 days. The Curator further added that all other statements which had been made were entirely erroneous. Until the portion of the kidney has undergone a more minute examination it is almost impossible to say whether it has been extracted from the body of a male or female. The idea of its being a practical joke is not generally endorsed, especially as so pronounced an opinion has been given by two medical gentlemen, Dr. Openshaw and Mr. Reed. The box and its contents were taken from Leman-street to the City Police office in Old Jewry, and Dr. Gordon Browne, police-surgeon, will examine and make a report in due course. The extra police precautions are still in force.
[My highlighting]

It would seem from this that the state of knowlege was enough to differentiate.

All the best
Dave

[claire]

nice find...and relevant to another thread that was live til a few days ago...can't remember the one now, but I recall Gareth responding to some dodgy pics of piggy kidneys

[Tom_Wescott]

(to perrymason) Now please, let's not play the usual games. I intend to post more. So be a good boy and go back to the other threads with subjects you also know nothing about.

I just saw this. How classic. Ha ha. Goodonya, Marlowe!

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Dave James]

nice find...and relevant to another thread that was live til a few days ago...can't remember the one now, but I recall Gareth responding to some dodgy pics of piggy kidneys

Hi Claire
Yes I saw that thread. I have to admit that I thought the captions were the wrong way round, I could have sworn the human kidney was a pigs - it lookes very nise!

Another point I'm looking for confirmation on is that the medics disputed the Brights diagnosis. As it says in the article Eddowes other kidney was healthy.

All the best
Dave

[claire]

Hi Dave,

Funny, very nise too, specially with a bit of gravy.

Yes, I've definitely seen something regarding the dispute about Bright's. can't remember where right now, and don't have my notes around me, but someone else will surely be able to help out.

[Dave James]

Nise meal

Hi Dave,

Funny, very nise too, specially with a bit of gravy.

Yes, I've definitely seen something regarding the dispute about Bright's. can't remember where right now, and don't have my notes around me, but someone else will surely be able to help out.

It would probably be improved by flava beans and a nise bottle of Chianti too

Dave