Abstract
In death, bodies that were autopsied or used for medical dissection or experimentation are transformed from individuals into specimens, their identities and personhood removed. This destructive act was commonplace across the United States during the 19th century for the sake of medical advancement. Becoming a cadaver (anatomization) was typically reserved for the poorest individuals who passed away in almshouses and indigent hospitals. Charity Hospital, which operated from the 18th century until Hurricane Katrina in 2005, served New Orleans’s indigent population. The remains of many individuals who died at the hospital during the 19th century were used for medical dissection, experimentation, and autopsy. From two collections of skeletal remains associated with Charity Hospital’s second cemetery, this study explores the skeletal indicators of anatomization and how these individuals’ treatment in death speaks to larger trends of marginalization of the poor during this time.
Resumen
En la muerte, los cuerpos que fueron sometidos a autopsia o utilizados para disección o experimentación médica se transforman de individuos en especímenes, eliminando sus identidades y personalidades. Este acto destructivo fue común en los Estados Unidos durante el siglo XIX por el bien del avance médico. Convertirse en cadáver (anatomización) estaba típicamente reservado para las personas más pobres que fallecían en casas de beneficencia y hospitales para indigentes. Charity Hospital, que funcionó desde el siglo XVIII hasta el huracán Katrina en 2005, sirvió a la población indigente de Nueva Orleans. Los restos de muchas personas que murieron en el hospital durante el siglo XIX se utilizaron para disección médica, experimentación y autopsia. A partir de dos colecciones de restos óseos asociados con el segundo cementerio del Charity Hospital, este estudio explora los indicadores óseos de la anatomización y cómo el tratamiento de estos individuos en la muerte habla de tendencias más amplias de la marginación de los pobres durante ese tiempo.
Résumé
Dans la mort, les corps ayant été autopsiés ou utilisés aux fins d'une dissection ou d'une expérience médicale sont transformés d'individus en spécimens, leur identité comme leur personnalité faisant l'objet d'un effacement. Cet acte de destruction était chose commune aux États-Unis au cours du 19ème siècle dans l'intérêt des progrès de la médecine. Devenir un cadavre (dissection) était habituellement réservé aux personnes les plus pauvres qui décédaient dans les hospices et les hôpitaux destinés aux indigents. Le Charity Hospital qui a fonctionné à compter du 18ème siècle jusqu'à l'ouragan Katrina en 2005, accueillait la population pauvre de La Nouvelle Orléans. Les dépouilles de nombreuses personnes mortes à l'hôpital au cours du 19ème siècle étaient utilisées pour la dissection, l’expérience et l'autopsie médicale. S'appuyant sur deux collectes de restes squelettiques associées au second cimetière du Charity Hospital, cette recherche s'intéresse aux indices squelettiques de dissection et sur la manière dont le traitement de ces personnes dans la mort témoigne de tendances plus vastes d'une marginalisation des pauvres à cette époque.
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Images of human remains are available for research purposes and can be accessed by contacting the corresponding author.
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Garcia-Putnam, A., Halling, C. & Seidemann, R.M. Postmortem Examination as Necroviolence at Charity Hospital Cemetery No. 2 (1847–1929). Hist Arch 57, 788–808 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41636-023-00408-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41636-023-00408-0