Is it true the John Hay Library has books bound in human skin?
Answer
Yes, Special Collections has four anthropodermic books. Testing in April, 2015, confirmed the books are bound in human skin (or a closely related primate).
These volumes are considered human remains and access is restricted in order to treat them with care, respect, and dignity.
The bindings of these three books are discussed and photographed in The Morbid Anatomy Anthology (pages 380-393):
- Vesalius' De Humani Corporis Fabrica (4th Edition)
- Dance of Death (1816)
- Dance of Death (1898)
The fourth book is: Mademoiselle Giraud, My Wife
These books are available for viewing as digital surrogates to allow for scholarly access to the materials. They can be accessed in the Brown Digital Repository here: Anthropodermic Books