The following are conference topics given by reader input concerning the topic of the Ripper murders necessitating medical skill.
1.
Date: Thu, 16 May 1996 23:23:29 -0400
From: A. Dylan Gable"
I feel Jack's supposed surgical skill was overrated. It may have been there (physical evidence, anyway) but it's not necessary he was trained. After all, in my criminology studies I've found a number of murderers described as killing with surgical precision. If it were true, how many insane doctors would there have to be (trust me: a lot). Anybody can kill surgically if cuts are made in the right places. Jack's surgical skill was most likely dumb, blind luck.
2.
Date: Sat, 18 May 1996 16:59:26 -0400 (EDT)
From: Vila Resthal
I am troubled as to the "surgical skill" necessarily pointing twards a Dr. or butcher. I have lived in rural areas all of my life. I have seen the skill that hunters exibit when dressing deer and wild boar. Perhaps I'm wrong about state of the art for the period, but I think that a greater number of people fit the skill level shown by JTR than just Doctors and Butchers. I have a cousin that can skin and filet a deer in less than 15 minutes. If a man in the 1990s can do that with "surgical precision" think what a lifetime hunter of the 1890's could do with an 18 inch filet knife.
3.
Date: Sun, 19 May 1996 21:38:38 -0400
From: A. Dylan Gable"
This is exactly the point I tried to make in my first posting--"surgically precise" murders were performed by Ed Gein, who never went to school or anything. The extent of his experience was deerhunting. And remember, Lord Clarence had skill as a deerhunter...
4.
Date: Fri, 24 May 1996 21:25:57 +0000
From: Tom Krailing
Dear Vila,
Was your cousin able to skin and filet his very first deer as skillfully as you said? If not, how many deers did he need to be skilled enough to do it in less than 15 minutes? Does your cousin think he would be able to skin and filet a woman in the same time?
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