HUMAN DISSECTION IN SCOTLAND-A.D. 1500 TO 1958 173 



tearing down the building, they were informed that the body 

 of Burke would be put on public exhibition. On the following 

 day, it was placed naked on a black, marble table in the anatomic 

 theatre. A crowd streamed through the doors from 10 a.m. until 

 darkness descended on the scene. It was estimated that sixty per- 

 sons per minute filed through the narrow passage in front of 

 his remains, totaling up to about 25,000. 



Obeying the wishes of the Lord Chief Justice, his osseous 

 parts were cleaned and articulated; his skeleton can be viewed 

 today in the anatomical museum at Edinburgh. 



The other three culprits, associated with the murder, al- 

 though freed, did not fare very well after the trial. In order to 

 evade possible mob action, they were liberated from prison in 

 great secrecy. Helen McDougal emigrated to Australia and died 

 incognito there. Working on a job as a plasterer's apprentice, 

 Hare's identity was discovered; he was seized and was either 

 thrown into a bed of lime or some of this substance was cast over 

 him. Whichever happened, he lost his eyesight. He is known to 

 have lived for many years afterward. Mrs. Hare, apparently, de- 

 serted her husband, and disappeared from public view. 



For a long period afterwards, a reign of terror, inflamed by 

 the publicity, existed among all classes throughout Scotland and 

 England. The poor countryfolk were unable to afford regular 

 newspapers since they sold for half a shilling; the sale of these 

 was limited to the towns. For news, such people had to resort 

 largely to the pungent write-ups in the broadsides published on 

 a large sheet of paper. Ordinarily it was printed on one side. The 

 wandering hawkers filled their baskets with these and sold them 

 to individuals living in hamlets and on farms. Many coarse bal- 

 lads, centering around the murders were also sung. Collectively, 

 these stirred the minds of the people in an exaggerated manner 

 so that it was rare to find a man or woman out after sunset. 



Numerous books headlined the events revolving around the 

 Burke and Hare episodes; some of these were the following. 



I Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities. 

 Thomas Hood's Mary's Ghost, a pathetic ballad, on the hu- 

 orous side. 



