Stiffs, Skulls & Skeletons: Medical Photography and Symbolism is a macabre collection of historical medical photos. This collection of photographs by Stanley B. Burns, MD and Elizabeth A. Burns reveals a time when death was openly discussed. Examining, exploring, and photographing death was culturally appropriate. It’s when desecration and disrespect were identified that regulations regarding the use and care of a corpse required regulation. This book describes nineteenth-century awe as autopsy, x-ray, and use of images became popular.

I have always been interested in historical aspects of death, not to be morbid. In undergrad I took the Death and Dying: A Religious Experience class and found it fascinating. The death customs of specific time periods in American history, European history, and with specific populations of people was interesting and the opposite of current American traditions. Photographing the dead was mainstream, as was setting up shrines in the family home of the lost loved one.

Photographs of the dead were popular, and not only with medical schools. There are several sites that feature portraits of families with a dead loved one. These photographs preserved the memories for those family members still living. Dead bodies, skeletons, autopsy, and x-rays fill Stiffs, Skulls & Skeletons and if you don’t have a weak stomach and enjoy historically accurate presentation, take a moment and peruse this comprehensive collection of photographs.