I’m sure for those of you who follow me on Twitter and Facebook already know about this…

My dear friend Dr. Lindsey Fitzharris, author of the incredibly popular blog, The Chirurgeon’s Apprentice, has been crowdsourcing for her project, Medicine’s Dark Secrets which will be produced by Big Baby Productions. 

As Lindsey explains, the goal of the project is simple: the past belongs to YOU and the historian’s mere task is to reveal the secrets of the past.

We think it is important to tell the stories of these people who died, as well as the surgeons who cut open their bodies, so that these collections do not remain concealed, misinterpreted and misunderstood.

In this feature length documentary, we’ll follow a body from the moment of death, to its delivery onto the surgeon’s table, continue through the process of anatomization and what happened after; concluding with a selection of body parts in medical collections that no member of the public has seen – until now. 

In “Medicine’s Dark Secrets”, we’ll explore the reasons why this body – and others like it – were anatomized and put on display. With help from our interviewees, we’ll investigate what happened to different body parts, how they became taboo and why they were later hidden in museum archives.

From criminals to corpses and from ‘sack ‘em up men’ to skin books, we examine the stories of the people who died – knowingly or not – in an effort to advance medical science in the 17^th, 18^th and 19^th centuries.

The funds raised will be used for access to locations, crew, editing, and equipment technology. WIth donation, you’re able to select one of the perks–and even participate in a contest if there’s one this week!

There’s 10 days left on this project and I hope you can pledge your support and donate–even $5 can go a long way. If you are unable to donate, please share this message with others and help spread the word. 

If the project meets its goal before the deadline then indigogo will take less of the profits. Which of course, means more funds to use to make this documentary.

I’m supporting this project (someone on Twitter even called me an ambassador, fitting I believe) not only because I adore Lindsey, but because I truly believe in this and the notion that the past must be shared. I’m always coming across some of the most wonderful and fantastic relics of the past and always want to share it with others…especially history of medicine stuff!

If you are interested in donating, please visit the page for Medicine’s Dark Secrets. You can also watch the documentary trailer there. 

 

Thank you,

Jai