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Burke and Hare
Burke and Hare. Edinburgh's reputation for medical excellence was jeopardized in the 1820s by growing public vigilance against grave-robbing for dissection purposes. Rather than turn resurrectionists, Burke and Hare smothered a sick lodger and sold his body, before murdering a further fifteen vagrants and street folk in 1827–8 for similar gain; encouraged by the easy money forthcoming, they were helped by the anatomist Dr Knox's lack of suspicion at the freshness of the corpses. After the discovery of a body in Burke's bed-straw, Hare turned king's evidence, Knox remained silent, and Burke was hanged and publicly dissected. Their activities hastened the Anatomy Act (1832).
A. S. Hargreaves |
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Cite this article
JOHN CANNON. "Burke and Hare." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN CANNON. "Burke and Hare." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-BurkeandHare.html JOHN CANNON. "Burke and Hare." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-BurkeandHare.html |
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