The
Anatomy Act of 1832 was intended to end illegal ‘methods’ previously employed
to
procure bodies for medical research.
Physicians,
surgeons and students who intended to practice anatomical
examination/dissection
were required to obtain a licence from the Home
Secretary which gave legal access to
unclaimed corpses – for example those who
died in prison, poor or work houses or
a body being donated by their next of
kin.
Prior
to the Anatomy Act, the Murder Act of 1752 stipulated that only the corpses
of
executed murderers could be used for dissection.
Perhaps
the most famous (or infamous) body-snatchers were Burke and Hare
although the
case of body-snatching was never proven – they appear to have
preferred to
murder their victims after realising what a lucrative trade it could be!
The
theft of a body in itself was not considered a criminal offence, but this did
not include
any shroud, wrapping or other ‘burial-clothing’ so this would
account for stories of
grieving relatives finding an empty grave with shrouds
etc., left behind.
It was
during this time, the early 1800’s, Mortsafes were invented as an attempt to
prevent the recently buried from being dug up and their bodies being used for medical
research.
The
following photographs show just a few of the mortsafe styles used in Central Scotland.
Cadder Churchyard
Aberfeldy Churchyard
Linlithgow (St. Michael’s) Churchyard
Mainly made from iron, these devices and came in a huge
variety of different designs.
Some were rods and plates which could be padlocked together, others were ‘iron-coffins’
in which the wooden coffin would be placed
(until the body became sufficiently decayed
not
be of any use for the anatomists/medical students)
whilst the more common
took the form of an ornamental ‘cage’.
Bothwell Churchyard
Ramshorn (St. David’s) Churchyard
Ramshorn (St. David’s) Churchyard
Glasgow Cathedral ‘Old’ Burying Ground
Glasgow Cathedral ‘New’ Burying Ground
Cadder Churchyard
Other
solutions to body-snatching included the building of secure watch-houses,
mortsafe
houses or vaults in which the dead body could be stored until
it was of no use
for dissection. These were guarded by relatives, gravediggers
or men paid by
the mortsafe societies.
Cadder Churchyard Watch-house
Cadder Churchyard Watch-house
It
should be noted that many ornamental/decorative railings were erected
and
although may appear similar in style to a mortsafe, they would not
have
prevented access to the lairs.
