student.

The average price of an adult body was stated to be L4 4s. 0d. It may be
here explained that a "small" was a body under three feet long; these were
sold at so much per inch and were generally classified as "large small,"
"small," and "foetus." The earnings of the resurrection-men may be
gathered from the above entry. To take the year 1810-11, the receipts for
bodies alone come to 1328 guineas; this is exclusive of "smalls," and
probably also of the teeth, in which these men did a large trade. Teeth,
in those days, were very valuable; the amounts received by some of the men
for teeth only will be dealt with in the chapter containing biographical
notices of some of the principal London resurrection-men. It may be here
mentioned that on one occasion Murphy obtained the entry to a vault
belonging to a meeting-house, on the pretence of selecting a burial-place
for his wife. Whilst in there he managed to slip back some bolts, so that
he could easily gain an entrance at another time; this he did at night,
and got possession of teeth by which he made L60.

From the statements of the teachers it is most likely that L4 4s. 0d. is
under the average price paid for bodies. It must be remembered, too, that
this amount does not include the retaining-fee paid at the beginning of
the session, nor the "finishing-money" which was demanded at its close.
The 1328 guineas spoken of above would be divided amongst six or seven
persons, and this, for men in their position, was a large income. The
biographical notes of the chief workers in this horrible trade will show
that some few of them did save money. Taking them, however, as a whole,
they were a dissolute and ruffianly gang; reference to the Diary proves
their drunken habits, and there is more than one entry to show that they
were often in pecuniary difficulties; so much so that on one occasion they
were obliged to have recourse to Mordecai, the Jew.

It was quite useless for those who had just buried a relative or friend to
depend either upon the custodian of the burial-ground, or upon the watch,
to see that the newly-made grave was not violated. The resurrection-men
often met with a guard, instituted by the friends of the deceased, who
would take it in turns to watch by the grave-side through the whole
night; these friends were frequently armed, and were not afraid to use
their arms if the resurrection-men gave them an opportunity. As a rule the
body-snatchers made off when t