Dissection on Display

The late Christine Quigley authored books and articles, wrote an eclectic blog called Quigley’s Cabinet and reviewed books for Fortean Times.

“this well researched historical account of the phenomena of public dissection traces the gruesome spectacle from Heriophilus to modern day exhibits...a comprehensive chronology...offers insight into the evolution of dissection in the public sphere and all the surprising ways in which it has manifested”—Reference & Research Book News; “Dissection on Display is an astonishingly interesting and good book—learned, well-written, and filled with quick, not dead, anecdotes. Before reading this book, I had not thought about the distinction between an autopsy and a dissection. This is a fine scholarly book, one that informs and entertains and the combination makes it a rarity.”—Samuel Pickering, Professor of English, University of Connecticut; “What a book! Since I have a personal interest in the evolution of the autopsy, I know what an enormous effort must have been expended in gathering the often obscure sources. Yet the presentation of them reads more like an action, especially the section on ‘bodysnatching’...historically, dissection with the anatomic knowledge gained must precede the era of the autopsy. This is where this book comes in...one can easily see the enormous vacuum the book fills, especially the medieval period...sincerest congratulations for an enormous contribution to the history of dissection.”—Art Aufderheide, professor emeritus of pathology, University of Minnesota.

• Table of ContentsACKNOWLEDGMENTS      PREFACE      DEFINITIONS OF DISSECTION AND AUTOPSY      DISSECTION CHRONOLOGY      INTRODUCTION      1. Anatomists as Procurers of Cadavers      Alexander Monro Primus (1697–1767) and His Legacy      John Hunter (1728–1793) and His Brother      Sir Astley Cooper (1768–1841) and His Boast      2. Anatomists as Demonstrators and Educators      Mondino de Liuzzi (c. 1270–1326) and His History      Andreas Vesalius (1514–1564) and His Modernity      John Bell (1763–1820) and His Illustrations      Henry Gray (1827–1861) and His Textbook      3. Anatomists as Preparators and Collectors      Frederik Ruysch (1638–1731) and His Assemblages      William Cheselden (1688–1752) and the Skeleton      Clemente Susini (1757–1814) and the Anatomical Waxes      Honoré Fragonard (1732–1799) and His Preparations      4. Anatomists as Superlatives and Showmen      Nicolaes Tulp (1593–1674) and His Fame      Georges Cuvier (1769–1832) and His Venus      Thomas Pettigrew (1791–1865) and His Mummies      P.T. Barnum (1810–1891) and His Hoax      Gunther von Hagens (1945– ) and His Spectacles      CONCLUSION      BIBLIOGRAPHY      INDEX