Bodysnatchers to Lifesavers

Book excerpt: In a history spanning more than three centuries, Edinburgh has played a key role in the development of modern medicine. From dissecting bodies 'donated' by grave robbers and murderers to developing modern lifesaving treatments, the city's medical community has never been afraid to challenge entrenched medical ideas. Pioneering discoveries range from the identification of leukaemia to modern day breakthroughs, including hepatitis B vaccine and the cloning of Dolly the Sheep. The tale of Edinburgh's medical past is told through the stories of colourful characters including the bodysnatchers Burke and Hare, the evolutionist Charles Darwin, surgeons Joseph Lister and James Syme as well as Sophia Jex-Blake, who headed the campaign for women's right to study medicine, and 'James Barry', Britain's first female doctor.