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53
the subj ect of his series "The Structure and Functions of the Human Body" .
These lectures were significant :
indeed, it was here in a small room in
Bothwell to an audience comprising mainly farming folk that he began , though
perhaps unaware of it at the time , the long , difficult and often frustrating
task of attempting to educate the ?ublic in the ways of health .
the Bothwellans in 1839 found much in the lectures to interest them;
room \qas crowded and the Literary Society flourished.
However,
Hall's first lecture , an introductory one , the details of which
are lost, was followed on Septemb er 20 by a second describing the muscles,
tendons , their various attachments , forms , power and size.
the
To illustrate
the force of the mus cles , Hall told the story of Damien who was sentenced
to have his limbs torn asunder by four hors es while still alive , as
punishment for his attempt to assassinate Louis XV;
to do .
this the horses fai led
He spoke of the strength of the prehensile tail of the opossum and
the kangaroo , and in describing the various mechanical parts of the body
referred to animals and birds as well as man .
Hall's third lecture on
October 16 firmly established his reputation as an entertaining , vigorous ,
and stimulating lecturer who was willing to spend considerable time in
careful preparation for the advancement of knowledge .
He and Moss , a man
of a similar turn of mind, worked well together , their efforts being much
appreciated by the audi ence .
This time Hall concentrated on the blood and
circulatory system, enlightening his audience of the 'eautiful doub le
circulation through the art eries and veins", and "clearly illustrating the
wonderful organization by which the human race was capab le of withstanding
opposite extremes of temperature" .
to the preservation of health , impressing
He spoke of the importance of the skin
the necessity of a general knowledge of the anatomy and
functions of the human body to prevent imposture and our defeating
by ignorant measures the means employed by our medical attendants
to restore us to health .6
and directing his remarks to the feminine section of his audience, who ,
no doubt , were highly corsetted, a pernicious fashion which he strongly
deplored.
He also us ed many of his own "beautiful" drawings and
"anatomical preparations" and a painting of a human skeleton, almost six
feet high, by the Treasurer and Librarian, Moss, on which he placed the
various models of the muscles , heart , blood vessels and so on , as he
described them .
In conclusion he displayed the model of a portab le
hot air bath which he had invented for us e in cases of suspended animation ,
Courier, Nov . 8, 1839 .