Overview

Bodies and body parts of the dead have long been considered valuable material for use in medical science. Over time and in different places, they have been dissected, autopsied, investigated, harvested for research and therapeutic purposes, collected to turn into museum and other specimens, and then displayed, disposed of, and exchanged. This book examines the history of such activities, from the early nineteenth century through to the present, as they took place in hospitals, universities, workhouses, asylums and museums in England, Australia and elsewhere. Through a series of case studies, the volume reveals the changing scientific, economic and emotional value of corpses and their contested place in medical science.

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9781138246829

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Reviews

'... an absorbing study of the issues and attitudes surrounding medical uses of the human body... often disturbing or challenging, and invariably fascinating.' Historical Records of Australian Science 'This thought-provoking collection lives up to the promise of its title. The body is, divided, literally, into its constituent parts for medical purposes. We are divided on how to preserve its integrity for human beings while harvesting its material for, well, other human beings. We are conscious, in the modern world, of the need to reaffirm equally the dignity of all bodies, and we are equally conscious of how firmly inequality is embodied in past historical practices. This collection has excellent notes and bibliography for each article, making it a valuable resource for scholars. It will be of interest to any readers who dwell within, own, use and analyse bodies.' Social History of Medicine '...the collection will be of interest to analysts of the material culture of medicine, and to scholars who aim to develop historically grounded perspectives on the ethics and politics of modern medicine.' Reviews in Australian Studies '...this is a collection of interesting and thought-provoking reads.' ISIS

'... an absorbing study of the issues and attitudes surrounding medical uses of the human body... often disturbing or challenging, and invariably fascinating.' Historical Records of Australian Science 'This thought-provoking collection lives up to the promise of its title. The body is, divided, literally, into its constituent parts for medical purposes. We are divided on how to preserve its integrity for human beings while harvesting its material for, well, other human beings. We are conscious, in the modern world, of the need to reaffirm equally the dignity of all bodies, and we are equally conscious of how firmly inequality is embodied in past historical practices. This collection has excellent notes and bibliography for each article, making it a valuable resource for scholars. It will be of interest to any readers who dwell within, own, use and analyse bodies.' Social History of Medicine ’...the collection will be of interest to analysts of the material culture of medicine, and to scholars who aim to develop historically grounded perspectives on the ethics and politics of modern medicine.’ Reviews in Australian Studies ’...this is a collection of interesting and thought-provoking reads.’ ISIS

Author Information

Sarah Ferber is Associate Professor of History at the University of Wollongong, Australia, and Sally Wilde is Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Queensland, Australia.

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