Lost Hills: Dark Canyon
The Edinburgh Body Snatchers from Cautionary Tales
Oct 25, 2024
In 1827 Edinburgh, a shocking tale unfolds as two men turn a body shortage into a horrifying business. Greed drives William Burke and William Hare to desperate measures, sparking a scandal involving grave robbing and corpse trading. Ethical debates swirl around body ownership and the morality of medical dissection. The story takes a tragic turn with the fate of Daft Jamie, revealing the dark underbelly of a society grappling with life, death, and commerce. It’s a chilling reflection on the lengths people will go in the name of survival.
40:33
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Quick takeaways
- The grisly actions of Burke and Hare illustrate the dark side of medical education during a cadaver shortage in 1827 Edinburgh.
- The public outrage following their crimes led to the Anatomy Act, raising ethical concerns regarding the use of vulnerable bodies for medical training.
Deep dives
The Anatomy Cadaver Crisis
In 1827, Edinburgh faced a significant shortage of cadavers for medical students due to the city's status as a hub for anatomical study. This scarcity led to the gruesome actions of William Burke and William Hare, who identified a lucrative opportunity in selling human bodies to medical schools. As medical education grew, so did the demand for cadavers, creating a burgeoning black market. Burke and Hare began by selling the bodies of deceased individuals from Hare's overcrowded lodging house, finding that the law allowed them to do so without penalty.
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