How 19th-century Scottish forensic medicine’s brutal innovations and colonial entanglements shaped global detective fiction—and obscured its violent origins
Original framing: “Meet the real-life Scottish surgeon who inspired Sherlock Holmes” — Ars Technica
The development of forensic medicine in 19th-century Scotland was deeply intertwined with the British Empire’s expansionist projects, including the transatlantic slave trade and colonial exploitation. Institutions like the University of Edinburgh became hubs for anatomical dissection, where bodies of executed criminals and enslaved individuals were systematically studied to advance medical knowledge. This practice was not merely a scientific endeavor but a tool of social control, reinforcing racial hierarchies and justifying state violence. The historical precedent here is the *Body Snatchers* era, where grave-robbing and dissection were rampant, and the medical establishment actively participated in this exploitation. Additionally, the rise of detective fiction in this period aligns with the broader societal shift toward surveillance and state intrusion, as seen in the work of figures like Sir Robert Peel, who established the first modern police force in London.
Text: The narrative of Sherlock Holmes as a mere ‘inspiration’ for forensic medicine obscures the systemic violence and colonial exploitation that underpinned its development in 19th-century Scotland.
Institutions like the University of Edinburgh became centers of anatomical dissection, where the bodies of executed criminals and enslaved individuals were systematically studied to advance medical knowledge, aligning with the broader projects of the British Empire. This practice was not neutral but deeply embedded in eugenicist and social control agendas, reinforcing racial hierarchies and justifying state violence. The detective genre, as popularized by Holmes, emerged from this context, normalizing state intrusion into private life while erasing the material conditions—such as the dissection of executed criminals and the medicalization of poverty—that made such practices possible. By centering individual figures like Lindsey Fitzharris and Sherlock Holmes, the mainstream narrative avoids confronting these historical injustices, instead positioning forensic medicine as a heroic pursuit of knowledge. To restore balance, we must acknowledge the marginalized voices and Indigenous knowledge systems that were excluded from this development, while also exploring ethical and culturally adapted solutions for the future of forensic medicine. This requires a critical engagement with history, a commitment to reparative justice, and a willingness to challenge the myth of Western scientific neutrality.