Public-Anatomical-Dissections

In January 1729, that is, one year after Linnaeus arrived in Uppsala, he visited the Collegium Medicum in Stockholm (roughly equivalent to the Swedish Board of Health and Welfare today). He was told that there would be a public anatomical dissection of a woman who had been condemned to death by hanging. Public anatomical demonstrations, which the public had to pay to witness, were performed by specialists in various fields of medicine. The dissections were carried out in an anatomical theatre in city hall on the Southern Heights. The demonstrations were highly detailed. Even though it was a heavy strain on his economy, Linnaeus was among the observers at all of the lectures. He took careful and detailed notes.