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Book made with dead hospital patient’s skin removed from Harvard Library amid “human remains” probe
Harvard Library says it has removed a nearly century-old book from its collection that is partially made with human skin that was taken from a deceased hospital patient without consent. The book’s space in the library has long been in question, as it was bound with a woman’s skin and included a handwritten note from its first owner saying, “a book about the human soul deserved to have a human covering.”
The library announced that it would remove the book, “Des Destinées de L’âme” (“Destinies of the Soul”), earlier this month. The book, published by Arsène Houssaye in 1879, was not originally made of skin. That part was added by the book’s first owner, French physician Dr. Ludovic Bouland, who, according to Harvard Library, “bound the book with skin he took without consent from the body of a deceased female patient in a hospital where he worked.”
Houghton Library, Harvard University
Bouland included a handwritten note in the volume that says, “a book about the human soul deserved to have a human covering,” Tom Hyry, associate university librarian for archives and special collections, said in a Harvard Library update.
“Evidence indicates that Bouland bound the book with skin, taken from a woman, which he had acquired as a medical student,” Hyry said. “A memo accompanying the book written by John Stetson, which has since been lost, told us that Bouland took this skin from the body of an unknown deceased woman patient from a French psychiatric hospital.”
Bouland died in 1933 and the book was added to Harvard’s collection in 1934 on deposit. That note also included a description of the process that was used to treat the skin so that it could be bound with the book. The book was formally donated to the university in 1954 and Harvard Library said that it tested the binding in 2014 to confirm that it was bound with human remains.
Until recently, the book had been available to “anyone who asked for it,” Harvard Library said, “regardless of their reason for wishing to consult it.”
“Library lore suggests that decades ago, students employed to page collections in Houghton’s stacks were hazed by being asked to retrieve the book without being told it included human remains,” the library states. “Harvard Library acknowledges past failures in its stewardship of the book that further objectified and compromised the dignity of the human being whose remains were used for its binding. We apologize to those adversely affected by these actions.”
Anne-Marie Eze, associate librarian of Harvard’s Houghton Library, said the book’s removal was the culmination of years-long efforts and “as part of the University’s larger project of addressing human remains in its collections.”
In 2022, the university published a report about human remains found in university collections. A committee found remains of 15 people who “may have been enslaved” in the Peabody Museum, which also holds “one of the nation’s largest collections of human remains of Native American individuals.” Most of the human remains found across the university collections system are rooted in archaeological context or are used for educational purposes.
The book was not included in that category – and it’s not the only piece of human remains believed to be in the library system.
“There is a bone fragment purportedly of Saint Sebastian (ca. 3rd century) in a medallion reliquary,” the report states.
The library says that it’s now conducting additional research into the book, Bouland and the female patient whose skin was removed, and that the skin itself is in “secure storage at Harvard Library.” They are also working with France to “determine a final respectful disposition of these human remains.”
Eze said that the book has been “fully digitized” – sans binding – and that those scans have been made publicly available. All images of the skin have been removed from the online catalog and blog posts, and the book itself will only be made available to researchers in the future without its cover.
“The core problem with the volume’s creation was a doctor who didn’t see a whole person in front of him and carried out an odious act of removing a piece of skin from a deceased patient, almost certainly without consent, and used it in a book binding that has been handled by many for more than a century,” Hyry said. “We believe it’s time the remains be put to rest.”
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How to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears NFL game today: Livestream options, more
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The Minnesota Vikings will take on the Chicago Bears today. The Vikings are currently 8-2, an impressive run so far this season, and will be looking to add a fourth win to their current streak after last Sunday’s 23-13 win against the Tennessee Titans. The Bears, on the other hand, are entering this game on the heels of a four-game losing streak after a tough 20-19 loss against the Green Bay Packers last Sunday.
Here’s how and when you can watch the Vikings vs. Bears game today, whether or not you have cable.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears
The Vikings vs. Bears game will be played on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT). The game will air on Fox and stream on Fubo and the platforms featured below.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears game without cable
You can watch this week’s NFL game on Fox via several streaming services. All you need is an internet connection and one of the top options outlined below.
Fubo offers you an easy, user-friendly way to watch NFL games on CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network, plus NCAA football channels. The Pro tier includes 200+ channels and unlimited DVR, while the Elite with Sports Plus tier adds NFL RedZone and 4K resolution. New subscribers get a seven-day free trial and all plans allow streaming on up to 10 screens simultaneously.
You can watch today’s game with a subscription to Sling’s Orange + Blue tier, which includes ESPN, ABC, NBC, and Fox. The plan offers 46 channels with local NFL games, nationally broadcast games and 50 hours of DVR storage. For complete NFL coverage, add Paramount+ to get CBS games, or upgrade with the Sports Extra add-on for additional sports channels like Golf Channel, NBA TV and NFL RedZone.
Watching NFL games, including Fox broadcasts, is simple with Hulu + Live TV, which includes 90 channels, unlimited DVR storage, and access to NFL preseason games, live regular season games and studio shows. The service includes ESPN+ and Disney+ in the subscription.
Want to watch today’s game live on your smartphone? If so, NFL+ streaming service is the solution you’re looking for. It lets you watch NFL Network and out-of-market games on mobile devices, with an upgrade option to NFL+ Premium that includes NFL RedZone for watching up to eight games simultaneously. Note that NFL+ only works on phones and tablets, not TVs.
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How to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts NFL game today: Livestream options, more
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The Detroit Lions will face off against the Indianapolis Colts today. The Lions enter this game as top contenders with a near-perfect record of 9-1 so far this season. The Colts, who are 5-6 this season, could have a tough game on their hands against the Lions but will be looking to rack up another win after prevailing over the New York Jets in a tight game last Sunday.
Here’s how and when you can watch the Colts vs. Lions game today, whether or not you have cable.
Here’s how and when to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts
The Lions vs. Colts game will be played on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT). The game will air on Fox and stream on Fubo and the platforms featured below.
How and when to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts game without cable
You can watch this week’s NFL game on Fox via several streaming services. All you need is an internet connection and one of the top options outlined below.
Experience NFL action like never before with Fubo’s comprehensive sports streaming platform. From Sunday showdowns to primetime matchups, catch every NFL game across major networks including CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC, ESPN and NFL Network. Choose the Pro package to unlock 200+ channels and limitless DVR storage, or elevate your game-day experience with the Elite with Sports Plus package, featuring NFL RedZone’s commercial-free scoring highlights and stunning 4K quality.
Test drive the service with a no-commitment seven-day free trial, and share the excitement with family and friends — Fubo supports simultaneous streaming on up to 10 devices, so everyone can watch their favorite teams.
You can watch today’s game with a subscription to Sling’s Orange + Blue tier, which includes ESPN, ABC, NBC, and Fox. The plan offers 46 channels with local NFL games, nationally broadcast games, and 50 hours of DVR storage. For complete NFL coverage, add Paramount+ to get CBS games, or upgrade with the Sports Extra add-on for additional sports channels like Golf Channel, NBA TV and NFL RedZone.
Watching NFL games, including Fox broadcasts, is simple with Hulu + Live TV, which includes 90 channels, unlimited DVR storage, and access to NFL preseason games, live regular season games and studio shows. The service includes ESPN+ and Disney+ in the subscription.
Want to watch today’s game live on your smartphone? If so, NFL+ streaming service is the solution you’re looking for. It lets you watch NFL Network and out-of-market games on mobile devices, with an upgrade option to NFL+ Premium that includes NFL RedZone for watching up to eight games simultaneously. Note that NFL+ only works on phones and tablets, not TVs.