Life and Character of the Celebrated Mr. Martin Van Butchell

In 18th-century London, eccentric surgeon and dentist Martin Van Butchell was a memorable sight, riding his self-painted spotted pony and sporting an eight-inch beard. A student of renowned surgeon John Hunter, Van Butchell shared a fascination with anatomy. After his wife Mary's death in 1775, he had her embalmed by Hunter's brother William and anatomist William Cruikshank, assisting in the process. Mary was fitted with glass eyes, dressed in white lace, and displayed in a glass case, open for visitors from 9:00 to 1:00, excluding Sundays. This 1803 document, provided by the Royal College of Surgeons of England, explores Van Butchell's life and practices in detail.