The Sack-'Em-Up Men: An Account of the Rise and Fall of the Modern Resurrectionists

by J. Moores Ball

The lives of Messrs. Burke and Hare, who provided Dr. Knox with dissecting material, have been variously revealed, including volumes in several series of Notable British Trials. The cold-bloodedness of their technique for securing bodies by a quicker route than digging them up is almost unique in the history of crime. With their records as the main feature of the story, Dr. Ball gives a fine picture of anatomic study in the early part of the nineteenth century and reveals as well something of the social situation in England which could permit such a possibility to exist as long as it did. The book is well printed, exceptional for its illustrations, well documented and quite readable.

Genres: History

216 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1928

Reviews

[Leporidae · Rating 3 out of 5]

I needed information on the history and methodology of "resurrection men," and this was the only book my library had on the subject. The tone Ball takes is certainly not one of objectivity, but that's to be expected when perusing the literature of centuries past- and what the book lacks in objectivity it makes up for in readability.

I was impressed to find that Ball's book contains sections dedicated to the history of anatomical study, the conditions that led to the the epidemic of body snatching in England, and several famous surgeons connected to the resurrectionists, and a several chapters devoted to the Burke and Hare murders in Edinburgh (as well as its effects on the legalization of anatomical study)- but I was disappointed that there wasn't more emphasis placed on the methods of the resurrection men. That being said, I gleaned plenty of information from the historical accounts Ball included in the chapters that were dedicated to the criminals themselves. Unfortunately, many of the illustrations (of which there is no shortage) are portraits of historical persons, while depictions of anatomical dissections and resurrection men in practice were fewer and further in between.

Overall, I found Ball's book a great resource for a historical overview of the practice of body snatching (as well as certain famous persons connected to it), but if you need more in-depth information you'll need to look elsewhere.