Survey and Help wanted

I am writing a new book, my forty-fourth, continuing my studies of medical photography and popular culture.

 (working title) Stiffs Skulls and Skeletons: Medical Photography and Symbolism will explore the use of images of the dead and body parts in the nineteenth and early twentieth century.

I am looking for nineteenth century photographs of doctors posing with skulls and or bones, autopsy and dissection photographs as well as images of indigenous peoples using skulls and or bones in ceremonies or as decorations.

 

I know these kinds of images were not popular with the medical profession in Great Britain as British physicians were university trained.  I have only one image of an English physician posing with a skull. But I am trying to ascertain if there are any others. Any rite of passage --dissection photos?? Autopsy images ?? I believe the Jack the Ripper images of crime scenes 

 

Please send jpegs or other info to burns@inch.com and/or discuss in this forum.

Thanks for your help

Stanley B. Burns, MD, FACS

The Burns Archive NY

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  • Marcel Safier said:

    Hi Stanley, the State Library of New South Wales in Sydney holds a very unusual daguerreotype of 5 skulls. Call Number DL Pa 51. The photographer and location are unknown. Cheers! Marcel

    Dear Marcel

    Is it possible to get a copy for my book? What would be the fee for a high res scan and publication. The book is being published by Schiffer Publishing who are now publishing interesting medical photographic books.

     I would suppose they were aborigine or New Guinea skulls- What do you think?

    In any event thanks for the information.

    Stanley B

  • Hi Stanley, the State Library of New South Wales in Sydney holds a very unusual daguerreotype of 5 skulls. Call Number DL Pa 51. The photographer and location are unknown. Cheers! Marcel

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