Dr Robert Knox

Category

Library Item

Item no

21660

Title

Dr Robert Knox

Description

Dr Robert Knox is holding aloft a skeleton hand and forearm. He is balding on top and wearing thick round glasses. His left eye appears to be closed.

Artist / maker

Unknown

Date

1829

Type

Engraving

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

William Burke and William Hare committed a series of murders in Edinburgh in the late 1820's. Their victims' bodies were sold to be used for dissection to Dr Robert Knox. Burke was executed early in 1829. Hare was released in the same year having given evidence against his former accomplice.

Dr Robert Knox was the anatomical lecturer by whom the bodies provided by Burke and Hare were dissected. He is described as 'a prominent nocturnal Luminary under partial Observation.'

Dr Robert Knox (1791-1862) first began to lecture on anatomy in 1825 and became very popular. On average over three hundred students attended his lectures at No 10, Surgeons Square. Sometimes there were over five hundred, which meant he had to repeat the lecture three times in one day as there was not enough room for them all in the lecture hall. Although the bodies were sold to Dr Knox Burke said in the 'Courant' confession that 'Dr Knox never incoureged him'.

William Burke and William Hare provided corpses for dissection by murdering people, but for almost one hundred years corpses had been provided from recent graves by people known as 'resurrectionists'. People had taken various self-help measures such as placing cages known as mortsafes over graves, or paying subscriptions to gravewatching societies, which meant the graveyards would be patrolled by armed guards. None of these methods was foolproof. But the crimes of Burke and Hare created so much anxiety amongst the public that in 1832 the Anatomy Act was passed which ensured a legal supply of bodies for anatomists.

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Related subjects

Crime and punishment > Criminals and prisoners > Criminals

People > Education and communication > Scientists

People > Education and communication > Teachers

People > Health and safety > Physicians

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

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