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Burke and Hare

Magnus Magnusson re-examines the story of the infamous bodysnatchers, Burke and Hare, who took cunning steps to speed up the supply of human bodies for medical dissection. (1979)

For over 150 years a flourishing trade in bodysnatching went on in Britain, supplying corpses for medical dissection. In 1834 this traffic was brought to an end, thanks largely to two Irish navvies in Edinburgh, William Burke and William Hare.

In their eagerness to supply their customer, Dr Knox, with fresh subjects, Burke and Hare had taken cunning steps to speed up the turnover of human bodies. In the streets and gravevards of Edinburgh. Magnus Magnusson re-examines the story. (1979)

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29 minutes

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Fri 22 Dec 1989 14:30
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Presenter Magnus Magnusson
Editor Bruce Norman
Film Editor Paul Carter
Producer Ben Shephard

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