THE BODY AND THE ARCHIVE SERIES

Yet the need for bodies created a profitable black market and ‘Resurrectionists’ or body snatchers became commonplace, leading to notorious cases of murder for the sole purpose of selling the victim’s corpse. Cemeteries and mourners began to take measures against the business, installing gates, cages and mausoleums to protect their interred. Buried bodies were not considered property and therefore could be exhumed and sold without restriction, though the practice was hated by the general public. However, the opening of new medical schools and training centres in the 18 th Century meant that even this new supply of subjects could not meet the needs of the students. As a result, medical students had a greater supply of cadavers to study legally than any previous period, and the study of anatomy through public dissection became a major part of the training of doctors and surgeons. Instead their bodies would be strung up or given to medical science. In an attempt to prevent murder through increasing the severity of punishment, the Government passed the Murder Act 1751 preventing the bodies of executed murderers from being buried. The industrial revolution brought social change, and significant medical advances through scientific enquiry. By the 16 th Century, Vesalius had proven that more could be learnt through human dissection and the study of our own anatomy, and attitudes towards medicine began to change. Whilst some aspects of his observations were accurate, the differences between humans and other animals led to many mistakes but his detailed books on anatomy were believed for many hundreds of years before they were questioned. As Human dissection was still not allowed outside of Alexandria, he recommended the dissection of animals such as apes and pigs, using his findings to suggest the anatomy of humans. Galen’s writings ‘On Anatomy’ in AD190 built on the theories of Hippocrates’ Four Humours whilst applying observation of living humans and anatomical study of the deceased. Religion dictated that dissection of human bodies was an offence leading to misunderstandings of human anatomy based on limited evidence. If you would like to make an appointment to conduct on-site research, please visit our Contact page.The study of anatomy had a troubled history. The strategy should allow adequate time for background research, establish which collections hold relevant archives, and include a work schedule which takes into account the extent of the material to be consulted. Whether you are a writer or graduate student, genealogist or historian, successful use of archives depends on a carefully planned research strategy. Some of our records are digitized, and if so, these items can be viewed online and/or downloaded. You can do a keyword search (above), or click the links below to browse through the Fonds and Series. The creating agency can be a United Nations department, mission, panel or body, Secretary-General, or other United Nations functional unit.

THE BODY AND THE ARCHIVE SERIES

The archives are arranged into Series which fall under larger archival groups (or “Fonds”) that are derived from the particular office or agency that created them. The archives of the United Nations covers four broad areas: the Secretaries-General, Secretariat Departments, Peacekeeping Missions, and Predecessor Organizations. Social Matters - Co-operation and Consultation on Community Development - Food and Agriculture Organization (part 5) Social Matters - Co-operation and Consultation on Community Development - UNESCO (part 7) Social Matters - Co-operation and Consultation on Community Development - International Labour Office (part 5) Social Matters - Co-operation and Consultation Regarding Community Development - United Nations Offices at Geneva (part 4) Social Matters - Co-operation and Consultation on Community Development - United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (part 5) Social Matters - Co-operation and Consultation Regarding Community Development - Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (part 5) Social Matters - Co-operation and Consultation Regarding Community Development - Economic Commission for Latin America (part 4)

Social Matters - Co-operation and Consultation on Community Development - United Nations Organs and Offices - General (part 6) Social Matters - Community Development (part 5)

Social Matters - Report on the World Social Situation - 1974 (part 2)

The body and the archive